Wild Wings op-shop manager Marion Waterland with a ruru (morepork) recently recovered from a window strike injury. Photo / Supplied
Wild Wings op-shop manager Marion Waterland with a ruru (morepork) recently recovered from a window strike injury. Photo / Supplied
Volunteers at a Napier op-shop have been left thrilled and humbled, after an outpouring of public support and a warm-hearted landlord combined to ensure they can carry-on raising money for injured birds across the nation.
The Wild Wings op shop had been faced with leaving its Greenmeadows premises after thenew owners of its building issued them with a huge rent hike.
However, shop manager Marion Waterland said the Auckland-based landlord had now agreed to a deal that would allow Wild Wings to retain its perch.
Waterland said since the issue was highlighted by Hawke's Bay Today, there had been a huge outpouring of support for the shop and its work in providing grants to people helping to rehabilitate injured birds.
"There has been such a huge response from locals and nationwide, and as far as Australia, with flowers and messages with kind offers of help.
"The phone has been ringing solidly - one call coming from our landlord herself.
"Facebook comments to our Wild Wings op-shop page have been heartwarming, especially from recipients of our grants over the past six years.
Marion Waterland, from Wild Wings in Greenmeadows, Napier. Photo / File.
"It's clear that our shop is very popular and doing great work , especially for the welfare of our orphaned, sick and injured NZ birds, our endangered natives especially."
The support shown by customers had been "overwhelming", she said.
"It has been very humbling and overwhelming to see just how much people support our cause,and to know the shop is able to continue generating funds for our wild bird welfare."
Administered under the auspices of the Taupo Bird Rescue Charitable Trust, Wild Wings is the only op-shop in New Zealand to raise funds for wild bird rehabilitation.
Over the past six years the op-shop has generated huge grants for institutions and individual "rhubarbs" nationwide, with groups supporting native species as far away as Whangarei and Otago receiving grants or donations of equipment.
