Alison Hales - Chairperson

Alison Hales

Chairperson

Alison Hales grew up with Paradise Park, the tropical bird garden started in 1973 by her parents Mike and Audrey Reynolds, which later became the home of the World Parrot Trust. Alison became chairman of the Trust in 2006.

Paradise Park, originally called Bird Paradise, focused on parrots from the start, with pheasants, cranes, flamingos, penguins, softbills (especially touracos), and birds of prey after. Later the park saw red pandas, red squirrels and otters.

After taking a degree in fine art and a one-year business course, Alison joined the Lintas International advertising agency and worked in London for five years before returning to Cornwall to rejoin the "family business". Gradually taking on financial, design, marketing and PR roles, she now runs the park with her brother Nick Reynolds, husband Ray Hales and curator David Woolcock. A keen photographer, Alison takes most of the pictures used in the advertising and aviary signs that appear around Paradise Park.

Alison became a trustee of the World Parrot Trust in 2001. She has a strong interest in field projects, natural habitats and the diets of parrots, and in communicating information on these to the general public and pet parrot owners. Her favourite parrots are the Palm Cockatoos, for their ability to communicate by blushing and stamping.