A common assumption which is often made about the Wolf Watch UK team, is that it is a large organisation, maintained and directed by an array of full-time staff. In fact we are a very tiny team of volunteer Wolf enthusiasts, working on this project in our spare time.
There are no fat cats or so called ‘professional conservation’ staff on the Wolf Watch team. Nobody takes a wage from the project. There is no financial compensation for team members and volunteers in terms of our personal expenses (which you should be aware of, if you are thinking of joining the team) and we are quietly proud of the fact that our small team has succeeded to the degree that we are often mistaken for a much larger, well funded organisation. We also believe we have achieved a lot more with our limited resources than many larger groups have appeared to accomplish with greater funds and facilities.
As members of other conservation projects ourselves, we have questioned the disproportionate amount of funds which enthusiasts donate and appears to primarily support an income for the human and bureaucratic element of a group. For instance we have all heard of the tiny fraction of funds which actually goes to the charity work on such things as charity cards, where as there is no doubt a well funded human marketing machine extracting a very good income from the cause.
Our team all have full-time jobs elsewhere and we work in our spare time at Wolf Watch UK for the simple pleasure of being involved in such an exciting project. We enjoy working for a genuine, worthwhile cause where we can personally make a difference and of course, we regularly get to indulge our Wolf passions by interacting with the Centres Wolves!
During the last 10 years, we have often found ourselves being referred to by Government, Educational and private organisations who require qualified opinions, advice or skills in respect of Wolf related matters. There are indeed team members with many years of practical experience and knowledge concerning Wolves because of our work, with a number of the team possessing formal animal/zoology qualifications.
It has been an indication of our success and dedication to our work that we are privileged to enjoy an enviable reputation. Such standards demand a lot from our team, but in fairness we set our own benchmark and we are determined to maintain it and indeed to develop the project further.
All the literature, magazines, packs, videos, website, merchandise and even the enclosures have literally been produced by the hands of our small team. Often with regular support from professionals, craftspeople, artists and ordinary animal conservationists who have been caught up in the enthusiasm of our work. If you look through this site you will come across many references to these people who have and continue to contribute their skills.
In many ways our organisational structure has been likened to that of a Wolf pack and not always in the kindest sense. But the truth is, as volunteers we have no hard and fast titles or structures by which we operate. We naturally rely on the good will and effort of all the team and allow each other to set their own levels of involvement and commitment.
We would be the first to recognise that our structure is far from perfect and we are constantly seeking ways to improve ourselves within the limitations of our resources. Over the years however, we have become quite clear about certain key issues having observed and been advised by conservation colleagues, usually professionals who work within other projects.
These key issues for us concern minimal paperwork and human bureaucracy, which we feel squanders the resources of conservation and too often is simply used as an excuse for providing the human element with a living. None of us got into Wolf conservation to spend our precious spare time, form filling and debating in endless committee meetings. We dig ditches, build fencing and talk to people about Wolves and our work. We actually do things and get things done directly, there isn’t anyone else to do it.
So, we have no rigid committee and we have consciously avoided charity status on the advice of other conservation groups who have indicated the high degree of resources required to just maintain such systems.
Put simply, we do it because we want to and we keep doing it because we enjoy the project.
The current core management team which has been working since the launch of Wolf Watch UK, consists of Tony Haighway, Deb Sewards , Helen Trotman and Craig Ennis . We also receive regular support from Neil Ewart (one of our Patrons and Guide Dog Breeding manager), Benjy Esterson (web site technical support and contributions), Ian Spencer (general organisation).
There are many other supporters of the project both past and present who have made significant contributions to the development of Wolf Watch UK and all of them deserve mention but are too numerous to acknowledge here.
If you feel the swelling of Wolf passions and would like to offer your spare time to support the work of the management team at Wolf Watch UK, please utilise the email links via this web site and let us know what skills you feel you would like to contribute.
As a rough guide the current developments at the Centre will require help in the following areas: