Helena Finden-Browne is The Surrey Stuffer.
I am an amateur taxidermist working in Surrey since 2017. I mainly work with British Native Wildlife which has died accidentally or as result of pest control/culling. No animal or bird has ever been killed for the purposes of my taxidermy. I donate a percentage of any profit to wildlife rehabilitation.
I have always taken great pleasure in bird-watching (though definitely not a ‘twitcher’). As a teenager I had a fancy to become a vet, but allowed myself to be persuaded otherwise. I was fascinated by taxidermy from an early age, sparked by a visit to the Rothschild Museum at Tring (now part of the Natural History Museum).
So learning taxidermy became the new focus of my leisure time.
With help from my husband, I enjoy showing my work at craft fairs and similar events. This short video shows an example of setting-up my stand.
My primary interest is birds and, like most taxidermists, I strive for a naturalistic mount.
I also work on mammals; I occasionally pose smaller specimens in anthropomorphic poses.
I am a member of the Guild of Taxidermists, and follow all protocols and legislation related to protected species.
I am a member of the Surrey Hills Enterprises.