St Ives-a new millennium - Flipbook - Page 32
St Ives-a new millennium
4/10/02
3:44 pm
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Above: Burleigh Hill Playgroup
Photo: Stuart Littlewood/Ricoh XR7 (from a colour slide)
This playgroup started in the 1980s in the Community Centre and moved to Wheatfields Junior
School site in 1998. In 2000 it catered for 24 children and had 3 members of staff and a number of
helpers.
Like all grant-assisted playgroups Burleigh Hill works towards Early Learning Goals, follows a laiddown curriculum and is subject to OFSTED inspections.
The playgroup is a registered charity and run by a committee with Carol Coulson as supervisor.
Carol (right) joins the children for some pavement art.
Right: Liz McQuillan, The Raptor Foundation
Photo: Stuart Littlewood/Pentax MX
A chance encounter with two injured tawny owls while on holiday in 1989 started Stewart and Liz McQuillan
on an amazing adventure with birds of prey. At first they were only involved in fund-raising, but before long
people from all over the country were bringing injured raptors to the McQuillans’ home in Ramsey.
Eventually, in 1995, they acquired a derelict farmhouse near St Ives and created a superb raptor centre,
which is now known internationally. Visitors include members of the Japanese royal family and vets from
across the world.
Liz is pictured with Oz, a red-tailed hawk - an unwanted pet from America.
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