WILDLIFE lovers are being urged to show their support for the Barn Owl Trust by nominating the Ashburton-based charity for a £500 animal welfare grant.

The Trust is hoping to secure funding from Animal Squad, a charity that raises money to support animal rescues, sanctuaries, animal hospitals and volunteer groups across the South West.

Nominations are open until November 16, giving supporters across the UK the chance to help the Trust continue its work protecting one of Britain’s most iconic countryside birds.

The Barn Owl Trust combines decades of specialist knowledge with practical conservation, research, national population monitoring and education.

Its work includes running a national advice helpline, rescuing injured owls and installing nest-boxes to provide suitable nesting sites.

Through its work across the South West, the charity aims to give wild barn owls a better future while raising awareness of their conservation needs and inspiring the next generation of wildlife supporters.

Continued funding is vital to maintaining the Trust’s specialist services and ensuring its conservation work can continue.

A £500 grant from Animal Squad would provide valuable support for its efforts to protect barn owls for future generations.

The public is being encouraged to nominate the charity before the November deadline to help it secure the funding.

To find out more about the Barn Owl Trust’s work, how to support the charity or how to make a nomination, visit www.barnowltrust.org.uk

The Barn Owl Trust officially ‘hatched’ on July 30, 1988 with the arrival of its registered charity number and a donation of £25 from one of its founding Trustees.

In recognition of its work, Queen Elizabeth II presented the charity’s co-founder, David Ramsden, with an MBE in 2007.