Your vote, our future

Since July 2023, Durrell’s Trustees have engaged patiently with a group of members concerned about the management of Jersey Zoo. This group represents less than 1% of Durrell's membership.  

We have listened to the group’s concerns and, through dialogue and independent mediation, made efforts to address them. Despite this, the group continued to make unreasonable and ever-changing demands. Their campaign has severely impacted Durrell’s financial and management resources, reputation and employee well-being.  

The group has called for an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM), which we welcome as an important opportunity to clarify the Trust’s position on these matters. 

This means that we are required to hold a general meeting for Durrell members outside of our scheduled Annual General Meeting (AGM).

Members are voting regarding a resolution written by the proposing party, which is: 

“Because the members have lost confidence in the ability of the Board of Trustees of Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust to protect and maintain the legacy of Gerald Durrell, the Board of Trustees should resign and an independent investigation should be carried out into all aspects of the current and recent management's running of the zoo.” 

The resolution is accompanied by supporting statements – one from the requisitioners (proposing party) and one from Durrell. The proposing party’s one page statement is available on www.cesvotes.com/dwctegm24 using the security codes provided in your email/letter from Civica Election Services (CES). Members can also find more information about the EGM at https://durrell.org/egm

Members can either vote 'For' (which means they support the resolution) or 'Against' (which means they support Durrell’s Board of Trustees) or abstain. 

Durrell’s Board of Trustees recommends that members vote AGAINST the resolution. 

Members can vote by either: 

• Allocating a proxy vote. This is done by registering on the secure online platform provided by Civica Election Services (CES). Members will have received either an email or a letter with information on how to access this system with their unique security codes. Please check your junk folder for the email. 
• Registering to attend the EGM and vote in person. Registration to attend closes at 3pm on 1 May. Members can register to attend at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/durrell-egm-tickets-875867672787  

Anyone who is an active member and has not received an email or a letter in relation to the EGM should contact our Supporter Care Team by emailing supportercare@durrell.org or calling +44 1534 860111. 

You must have signed up to become a member by midnight on Monday 22 April to ensure you receive your email from Civica Election Services (CES) on how to appoint a proxy to vote on your behalf. The deadline for proxy votes is midnight on Saturday 27 April.

In order to attend the EGM and vote in person, you must sign up to become a member by 3pm on Wednesday 1 May. However, attendance at the EGM is subject to availability and members must register their place.

Tickets to the EGM will be allocated on a first come first serve basis. Once all tickets have been allocated no further tickets can be released. We will not hold a waiting list. Tickets are not transferable. 

No, the EGM is only available to active Durrell members that are aged 16 and over. 

You can register to attend the EGM here. Registration is open until 3pm on Wednesday 1 May.   

Members are required to register to attend in advance. This is so we can verify membership details and ensure all votes at the EGM are valid. Therefore, members who have not pre-registered are unable attend the EGM. 

If a majority FOR vote, signalling no confidence in the Board of Trustees, is passed at the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM), they may be required to step down. In this eventuality, the following steps will be taken:  

• The current Board of Trustees will begin to transition to a new Board. At least two Trustees will need to stay on temporarily to support recruitment.
• To ensure the new Board effectively fulfils its oversight and strategic responsibilities, recruitment will start for new Trustees who will need high levels of expertise in areas such as conservation, governance and finance. Trustees are external professionals who volunteer their time, and it may be difficult to attract high-quality candidates after the EGM.  
• New Trustees are approved at Annual General Meetings (AGM), so the appointment process will need to be accelerated to meet this September deadline. This will have a financial impact on the Trust and will move funds away from conservation work. 

Despite the EGM resolution focusing on Jersey Zoo, there may also be a significant impact on how the Trust is run, including our global conservation programmes. This could include: 

• A risk of Durrell failing its legal obligations as a charity. 
• No movement forward with Durrell’s vision, strategy or projects and the inability to develop our new 2026 strategy to follow on from ‘Rewild our World’, which ends in 2025. 
• Delays to Field Programme developments, impacting conservation progress and efforts across the globe. Work to attract new conservation partners may also be hindered. 
• Delays to changes and improvements at Jersey Zoo, including new species, the new gorilla house build, planning of a new reptile and amphibian house, storm repairs, events, fundraising plans and commercial operations. 
• Impacts on staff morale and the possible loss of key employees. 
• The risk of Honorary Director, Lee Durrell, stepping down and moving away from the charity.  
• Damage to partnerships that Durrell relies on to raise funds.  
• The deflection of funds and senior management time from conservation to instead recruit a new Board of Trustees. 

The Board of Trustees recommends you vote AGAINST the EGM resolution. If a majority AGAINST vote is passed at the EGM, then Durrell will: 

• Continue with the daily operations of the Trust, which have been hugely impacted over the past few months because of the current campaign regarding the management of Jersey Zoo.
• Reinforce internal communications to rebuild confidence within the Trust.
• Proceed with our annual staff survey.
• Continue professionalising management systems in line with projected growth and to meet the ever-growing challenge of species extinctions around the world.
• Focus on strategic planning with the participation of staff at all levels. 

• Ensure that the role of Jersey Zoo is clearly defined in the new strategy.

• Prepare for the celebration of Gerald Durrell’s centenary birthday in 2025.

To check the status of your membership, please contact our Supporter Care Team by emailing supportercare@durrell.org or calling +44 1534 860111. 

You can read both statements on the secure online platform provided by Civica Election Services (CES). Members will have received either an email or a letter with information on how to access this system with their unique security codes.