Summer - Classical MileEnd Alpacas

special feature who do you think they are
Founded
1968
Livestock
Agents
Professionally Moving Alpacas
worldwide since 1995
new routes – new markets
WWT London Wetland Centre. Photo: Nick Cottrell
of scientists whose idea of financing was
to apply for yet another grant at a time
when government money was becoming
increasingly scarce was a challenge. Challenge
met but problem compounded by the MCS
offices burning down halfway through my
period as Director. I did manage to leave the
organisation with new offices, a new identity,
double the membership and a sense of relief.
What next For the first time in my life I
was asked to apply for a post. This was as
Community Relations Manager for the newly
formed company that was to design and build
the high speed rail link to the Channel Tunnel.
My apologies now to anyone who was living
in Kent at the time as I was responsible for
reviewing purchasing applications from house
owners affected by the proposed construction
as well as informing those whose homes were
destined for compulsory purchase. Possibly
not the most enviable or easiest job in the
world but fascinating to be part of that history
making process. After three years I knew more
about railways, the South East of London and
the construction of rail networks than I had
ever imagined possible.
wildfowl and wetlands
Although I could have continued my involvement
with the rail link for a few more years there
was a project about to start in South West
London, my home territory, that I couldn’t
resist applying for. The Wildfowl and Wetlands
Trust with the involvement of Thames Water
and Berkeley Homes were about to commence
the construction of a 100 acre wetland reserve
just south of Hammersmith Bridge. As project
manager I was involved in everything from
construction of the water bodies, deciding
the colour of the hides to be built, objections
from the residents of Barnes and keeping the
engineers and architects on track.
The London Wetland Centre has now been
open for ten years and is, by all accounts, very
successful both in terms of conservation and
visitor numbers.
Sadly, before the project was finished,
I succumbed to ME and spent two years
recovering. Before this happened I had
the usual unsympathetic reaction of a lot
of people, ‘everyone gets tired so what’s
the problem’ When it happens to you the
problem becomes only too apparent.
a move to the country
Moving swiftly on – no more big construction
projects, no more management, no more
stressful jobs was the answer to total
recovery. We decided that the best way to
start the process was a move to a small place
in a peaceful part of the country and gentle
rural distractions on a few acres. I fell in love
with alpacas which seemed an ideal part time
occupation and bought my first five. Three
years later the five were thirty, Foot and
Mouth disease was rampant and I had been
unwillingly catapulted into the chairmanship
of the British Alpaca Society. My little farm
was in the Welsh Borders, the third most badly
affected part of the UK and from my kitchen
door I could see clouds of black smoke and
smell the burning. The herd avoided being
killed as part of a contiguous cull by five
metres. This was not stress avoidance.
The rest is recent history - the herd of 200
alpacas is now mostly resident in Oxfordshire
with a small breeding group in Australia. We
have had reasonable success in the show ring,
I am proud of the genetic improvement that is
apparent in the herd and have recently created
what is, probably, the largest Accoyo herd in
Europe.
Just don’t ask what happened to the stress
free rural existence. I’m working on that! l
Mandy (in a white coat wearing 443) at the
Three Counties Show
Not many people know
this about me
• My real name is not Mandy but Mary
Annabelle. I think my grandmother had
something to do with this
• In 2000 I learnt to fly a helicopter –
seemed like a good idea at the time.
• As part of my SRN training I became
expert at ‘laying out’ – not a lot of call
for that since. Perhaps a bit part in ‘Six
Feet Under’
• Whilst at BA I received two
commendations for saving lives.
• The only competitive sport I ever
enjoyed was snooker; it’s possible to
smoke and drink at the same time!
• I first learnt to ride on polo ponies. Not
the ideal Pony Club environment for a 9
year old
• My paternal grandmother was a
Romany gypsy.
• As part of the fund raising necessary
for Buckland Abbey I launched the
first ever National Trust raffle. Head
Office had reservations that it might be
perceived as vulgar
1-2 Page Toft Ad 07-08.qxp 03/01/2008 14:30 Page 1
Quality Stock in all Colours
Superior Stud Services
Advanced Male Genetics for Sale
Luxury Alpaca Products:- On Farm &
Online Shop
On Farm Holiday Cottage
Sound Advice & Support
Export Import Experience
Introductory Workshops
Advanced Workshops
Cameron Holt International School of Fibre
Courses October ‘08
Camelidynamics Courses July ‘08
( All details on our website)
Rob and Shirley Bettinson, Toft Alpacas, Toft Manor, Dunchurch, Warwickshire, CV22 6NR
Tel: 01788 810626 Mob: 07970 626245 Email: admin@toft-alpacas.co.uk
Contact: Richard Beale
Stanford Livestock International Ltd
Maddington Place, Shrewton, Salisbury
Wiltshire SP3 4JE
Tel:01980 621334 Fax: 01980 620084
Email: richardbeale@stanfordlivestock.co.uk
42 Alpaca World Magazine
summer 2010
summer 2010
Alpaca World Magazine 43