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I have always been fascinated by foxes ever since my Uncle took me for walks over the fields
as a boy and we saw a vixen with her cubs. The cubs were playing with no cares in the world
whilst the vixen eyed her surroundings, ready to react to the slightest intrusion. From then on,
my interest in these mysterious animals grew. As well as drawing pictures of these beautiful
creatures, at the age of 14 I won a category in the Young Environmentalist of the year awards
for writing a story entitled 'A year in the life of the Fox'.
In the year 2000 however, I was given an incredible opportunity when Martin Hemmington
from the National Fox Welfare Society put me in touch with a wonderful couple who have been
caring for injured and abandoned foxes since 1998. It was an absolute priviledge to be able to
visit the couple and see at first hand the amazing work they do in nurturing these foxes back to
health. It was also a huge eye-opener in seeing the cruelty that some humans inflict on foxes,
such as on 'Womble', a young fox cub who was poisoned and eventually died. I was also told
about gruesome casualties that resulted from fox hunting. I wanted to do something to help,
and although I don't have the facilities at present to do the incredible work that the couple I
visited do, I knew I could try in my own small way to use my art to help raise some money and
hopefully awareness for the NFWS.
My inspiration was to come in April 2000 when the couple took in a 3-4 week old fox cub
named 'Todd' who was believed to have been abandoned, and suffering from lungworm. He also
had some damage to his skull and stood out from the other fox cubs being cared for at the
time. He looked lost and lonely, and to me not only epitomized the distress these animals
must feel but in the many months it took to complete the painting, epitomized the work the
carers do in restoring these foxes back to health; for if you could see him now, you would not
believe he was the same fox I saw back in April 2000. He is no longer a shy, frightened cub but
a boisterous, playful juvenile with a spring in his step. This remarkable turnaround, which can
be seen time and time again in the NFWS newsletters, for me truly encapsulates the role of all
those involved in the NFWS with whom I have great admiration for.
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