FOR THE GREATER GOOD

From Elowen the badger to Finn the police dog, Wire Fence helps out

Business isn’t always about making money. The profit motive is all pervasive but there’s a lot to be said for making the world a better place. This is an ethos that runs deep at Burton-on-Trent based Wire Fence Ltd.

Established in 2018 by John Marlen-Summers, Wire Fence specialises in construction-grade wire mesh and gabions.

“What we do lends itself to charity,” explained John “and we get involved in helping a number of causes that are close to my heart.”

One such cause, the UK Wild Otter Trust, benefited with Wire Fence supplying £1,256.64 of cost price fencing.

John went on “Back in October 2025, the UK Wild Otter Trust announced the relocation of its rehabilitation centre in North Devon. The charity had been given notice to vacate its current site, which includes otter enclosures and a hospital, and must move all facilities while continuing to care for the animals.

“A new site has been generously offered by a supporter and the Trust is now nearing completion of its rebuilt facilities and enclosures, which are expected to be fully ready by April.”

Wire Fence has also supported the creation of Piskie’s Pen, a new Cornwall-based, outdoor wildlife rehabilitation enclosure, by supplying fencing at cost price.

A small independent rescue took in Elowen, a young female badger who had been hit by a car. With great perseverance and dedication, she was nursed back to health but no one knew where Elowen’s sett was, so given the rehabilitation time it was deemed too risky to release her back where she was found in case her clan rejected and attacked her as she was unable to be monitored.

The rescue had limited facilities and wasn’t sure what the next steps could be but Elowen’s plight came to the attention of Cornwall-based volunteers. They had a bit of land and had been feeding a visiting badger family for many years, but sadly the family had been gradually wiped out by culling, leaving just one young female. In 2023 an older female from another clan turned up looking for food during a period of very dry weather and the two reached an uneasy truce, neither being aggressive, but over time these lonely ladies became friendly and now even preen each other.

After speaking with a couple of badger experts, the decision was made to build a rehabilitation enclosure where Elowen would have the chance of a soft release once the process of integration has been carried out and so Piskie’s Pen was conceived.

A spokesperson for the rescue explained:
“Costs and build time needed to be kept to a minimum so a somewhat unorthodox design was conceived where we repurposed and upcycled as much as we could whilst designing the most natural environment possible.

“One thing that had to be new and strong however was the fencing and that led to Wire Fence’s involvement.

“The autumn weather was against us but we persevered through rain, mud and the odd freezing evening to get the enclosure ready for Elowen to move in on the 23rd November. She has settled into her new surroundings well and become very confident getting reacquainted with the outdoors, exploring every bit of the enclosure and running around the playground we built. She also decided to do a bit of ‘remodelling’ in her artificial sett, digging herself a chamber to snuggle into, and we’re so happy to see that her instincts are all there which is exactly what we wanted to encourage.”

John added “The enclosure will be made available to any wildlife that need it once she has been released back into the wild and Piskie’s Pen welcomes rescues to contact them if they can be of help.”

From July 2025, Wire Fence donated the profits from sales of a dedicated product – Finn’s Fence – to German Shepherd Rescue Elite. The charity is based at Camelot Kennels in Cornwall and it’s run by Finn’s former handler, Dave Wardell.

John explained “The initiative coincided with the official unveiling of a memorial statue celebrating Finn, the police dog whose story helped change UK law.

“In 2016, Police Dog Finn was seriously injured after being stabbed while protecting his handler on duty. At the time, the attacker could only be charged with criminal damage, highlighting a gap in legal protection for service animals.

“This incident sparked a nationwide campaign calling for stronger laws to safeguard police dogs and other service animals. With widespread public support, media attention, and even an appearance on Britain’s Got Talent, the campaign succeeded when Finn’s Law was granted Royal Assent on 8 April 2019.

“Finn passed away on 27 July 2023, aged 14, but his legacy lives on through this landmark legislation that protects service dogs across the UK,” added John.

Dave Wardell commented:
“For the team at Wire Fence to have changed the name of their product to honour Finn is a very touching thing for the team to do. I hope it helps to raise some much-needed funds for the rescue too so that we can continue our work here. It’s a fantastic product and I’d recommend it to anyone looking at fencing.”

Wire Fence has also recently helped Scout Adventures Fordell Firs with discounted materials to create a new boundary fence.

Scout Adventures is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to preparing young people with skills for life through outdoor learning rooted in Scout values. Scout Adventures Fordell Firs is one of its outdoor centres, providing a safe and inspiring environment where young people can learn, grow, and build confidence through adventure.

A new boundary fence was being installed around the site using posts and stock fencing. This project addressed areas where the boundary was unclear and helps prevent anti-social behaviour, ensuring that young people can take part in activities in a safe and secure environment. The fence is an important addition to the centre, supporting the safety and wellbeing of all participants while they enjoy outdoor learning and adventure.

A spokesperson for Scout Adventures Fordell Firs commented:
“This new boundary fence plays a vital role in keeping our young people safe while they take part in activities at the centre. Support like this makes a huge difference to our day-to-day operations, especially at a time when the cost of materials needed to maintain and run outdoor centres has increased significantly.”

John continued:
“We’re delighted to support Scout Adventures Fordell Firs in their work to provide young people with a safe and inspiring place to learn and explore. This new boundary fence will help the centre continue delivering outdoor activities that build confidence, skills, and a love of adventure.

“These projects are all examples that improve local communities and natural habitats and we’re pleased be able to provide support whenever and wherever we can,” he concluded.

Additional note (bottom of page):
Animal and nature charities can find out more about the support offered by Wire Fence by visiting:
www.wirefence.co.uk/our-causes/#discounts-for-charities