A SUPPORT group in Bude that has raised almost £10,000 has welcomed the rebranding and change of name of its charity.

The Dr Hadwen Trust (DHT) is rebranding and, from April, is adopting the new working name of ‘Animal Free Research UK’ and launching a new website. Animal Free Research UK is the UK’s leading non-animal medical research charity.

Animal Free Research UK believes that the name ‘Dr Hadwen Trust’ has served them well for over 40 years, but that the new name will help them attract new supporters by being very clear about the innovative work that they do.

Animal Free Research UK feels that its old name has held them back from communicating about the work it does, the audiences it wants to reach, and the impact it is making on replacing animals in medical research.

As part of the rebrand, Animal Free Research UK consulted over 1,000 people from the full-breadth of its stakeholders, and this confirmed that the name ‘Dr Hadwen Trust’ was a barrier to reaching a wider audience.

After extensive review, Animal Free Research UK was shown to be the name that resonated well with current supporters and scientists. The charity has the ambitious mission to replace the four million animals that are used in medical experiments each year in the UK. The charity’s focus is on funding evidence led, robust, ethical and proven replacement methods.

The charity is keen to reinforce that its work and values remain the same: compassion for animals and commitment to medical research to benefit human health. Animal Free Research UK will be the working name of the Dr Hadwen Trust, and so its charity number and company numbers will remain the same.

Steph Jones-Giles from the Bude Support Group told the Post: “Last year we raised nearly £10,000 for this amazing charity. Having been involved with the Dr Hadwen Trust for 12 years it will take some time to get used to the new name but as a group we all agree it is a change for the better.

“As we continue to raise awareness and funds this year for Leukemia Research, look out for the new logo and colours. It is a very exciting time for us all. Anyone who would like to become involved please call me on 07971 454214.”

Emma Wrafter, development director at Animal Free Research UK, said: “We are really excited about the new name and brand. It’s fresh, innovative and ground-breaking — just like the work we’re doing to replace animals in medical research.

“We have been incredibly fortunate to receive pro bono services from branding agency, Spencer Du Bois, and a generous grant to off-set the majority of the costs of the rebrand and website development. The costs have been minimal and we fully expect that the rebrand will pay for itself in a matter of months.”