Graham and Donna first became involved with bats in 1996. They fell in love with these tiny fascinating animals after rescuing and caring for an injured bat that was found by their son whilst he was at school. They received help from local bat group member Jill Green and bat expert Yvonne Evans. The bat was successfully released, and it was after this brief encounter with bats that they decided to help them in every way possible. The Isle of Wight Bat Hospital was formed in 1997, through the conversion of a bedroom and part of the dining room into purpose-built aviaries suitable for housing both long and short-term patients. The Bat hospital can now cater for up to 100 bats at any one time. The Bat Hospital can be found in Sandown, on the South East coast of the Isle of Wight, UK. Please see map below.

Their first year (1997) in rescuing bats as the Isle of Wight Bat Hospital brought them in just seven patients, each following year has seen an increase in patients visiting the hospital. 2006 was a very busy year for the Bat Hospital with 123 bats rescued matching the record year of 2004. The increasing number of bats rescued is largely due to public awareness and more people knowing whom to contact when a bat has been found.

The Bat Hospital runs a 24-hour bat rescue unit for sick, injured or bats that have strayed into your home or office. The aim of the hospital is to release as many bats back into the wild as possible and the Bat Hospital’s success rate is currently running at around 62%. The cost of running the Bat Hospital is funded solely by Graham and Donna.

The main aim of the Bat hospital is to rescue sick, injured or stray bats with the intention of releasing them back into the wild when they are well enough to do so. Any bats that have sustained disabling injuries or are elderly and are unable to fend for themselves are allowed to live out their lives in the comfort of the hospital in purpose-made aviaries.

Graham and Donna are able to deal with the majority of injuries and illnesses that bats sustain but more serious problems are dealt with by their vet Dr. Ian Green of Green Forster & Hallum.

To get the message across that bats need help and that they are not the evil blood sucking monsters that that have been portrayed to be, Graham carries out around sixty bat talks a year to different schools, clubs and various organisations. This publicity along with good local media coverage has helped in making people more aware of the plight of the British bat.

The Bat Hospital also has its very own bat ambulance, one of their two family cars was traded in for a Ford Transit which boasts a very unique Bat Hospital livery. This vehicle helped to reduce the running costs and also acts as a good form of local advertising.

Running the Bat Hospital now takes up all of Graham and Donna's spare time and will quite often see them up to the early hours tending to bats especially during the summer months when the hospital is at its busiest. Running the Bat Hospital has also meant that they have sacrificed their holidays as this very rewarding venture is in operation seven days a week, fifty two weeks a year. Donna has built up quite a knowledge in caring for sick and injured bats and is very often found giving out help and advice to other bat carers all over the country.