eBay superstar - Megan Whiteman - raises over £12k to help clucky hens

A Nuneaton hen keeper has raised over £12,000 for the British Hen Welfare Trust through her immensely popular online eBay shop.

Megan Whiteman setup up her eBay shop in 2013 with the idea that any funds raised, however small, would be donated to the vital work of the British Hen Welfare Trust, a national charity, which re-homes ex-commercial laying hens, and educates the public about how they can make a difference to hen welfare. Since its launch in 2005 the charity has re-homed over 505,000 hens from over 32 'pop-up' locations run by teams of volunteers across the UK.

Megan had no idea that in just under three years, her online auction page would raise over £12,000 to help even more lucky hens enjoy a free range future. Megan's parents help with the enterprise on a daily basis and the eBay shop's success is definitely a family affair.

Megan, who uses recycled and reclaimed timber to make her bestselling lines, also trawls through her local Freecycle network, checking that people don't mind selling the items for charity, she told us: “When they hear about the BHWT, they usually donate even more!" Megan also works with members of her local community who donate items to sell (soft toys/books/knitted items), and visits allotments to encourage more people to help the charity, trading some of her free range eggs in return for delicious fresh greens.

Megan currently has a flock of over 20 chickens (including two cockerels), and is already looking to re-home even more.

Megan has plenty of tips on eBay selling: “Attracting buyers is a fine art! You have to choose items wisely. If it has a specific theme (say Easter or spring) it makes it easier for buyers to find. Listing titles are important, always write a full, friendly and honest description. Highlight the best bits, especially recycled and eco-friendly products!"

We asked Megan what inspires her to dedicate so much of her spare time to fundraising for the charity, and she explained: “We re-homed six girls in 2011 and fell completely in love with them! Back in 2013 we decided to hold a car boot sale, but sadly could not undertake this. Determined not to disappoint, I listed the items on eBay instead and things went wild! Since then we have raised an incredible amount for the BHWT, I'm not sure what's more addictive… Looking after my girls or fundraising!"

If you would like to take Megan's lead and help the charity fulfil its vision of a free range future for all hens, why not get involved and set up an eBay auction to raise funds today? To find out more contact Xiomara.pattison@bhwt.co.uk or call 01884 860084 to find out more.