The Surrey Stuffer
Taxidermy is a rare and specialist business, and The Surrey Stuffer is Surrey's only taxidermist. The owner, Helena, has six years of experience and has been running the business since 2022, specialising in native British wildlife. No animal or bird is ever killed for the purpose of taxidermy but instead saved from decay by the roadside.
The business has been gradually expanding, loaning to several schools for educational purposes and attending shows. Workshops are also on offer for aspiring taxidermists.
Helena also contributes a portion of her profits to wildlife rehabilitation charities and dedicates a significant amount of her time to general environmental and wildlife education
Rural England Prosperity Fund project
After a recent move to a dedicated workshop, the business was in need of specialist equipment required to take the quality and value of its products to the next level. The Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) awarded a grant to assist in the purchasing of this essential equipment.
Project impact
Now, Helena has purchased a workbench to provide additional workspace, a flesher and dryer for delivering a cleaner, smoother, more professional result, a spray gun to allow for a more natural finish and, a router and woodworking tools for the creation of more professional bases for the final products which will increase the final price achieved.
Helena intends to increase the size and range of her loan collection, available to local schools and other youth groups and host more workshops.
Project costs, grant awarded, and job impact
A workbench and specialist equipment - flesher and dryer - a spray gun and woodworking tools and router for the bases.
Total project cost: £3,195.11
Grant awarded: £1,597.56
Jobs safeguarded: 1 Full Time Equivalent (FTE), a traditional rural craft preserved
Are you eligible for a Rural England Prosperity Fund grant for your project?
Inspired? Would your project be eligible for a Rural England Prosperity Fund grant? Could you get up to £50,000 and up to 50% of your capital costs with Rural England Prosperity Fund grant? Find out about the Rural England Prosperity Fund.