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Our Past, Present and Future: Saving the Tyrwhitt Bird
You might have noticed the embroidered bird featured on some of our range. This bird is the lapwing - and without it, we wouldn't be Charles Tyrwhitt. Read on to learn about our history with the lapwing, and what we're doing to help preserve this now-endangered species.
Our Lapwing History
You may wonder why a little bird appears on some of our products. Not any old bird, but a bird close to the heart of our founder, Nick Wheeler. When Nick started Charles Tyrwhitt back in 1986, he needed to come up with a name for his fledgling shirt company. “Nick Wheeler” didn’t cut the mustard, but his middle names Charles and Tyrwhitt felt right. Tyrwhitt was the name of Nick’s great-great (and a few more greats) grandfather Sir Hercules. Not even Nick is old enough to remember him, but Hercules was quite the man about town in 1107AD. Residing in Northumberland, during the Norman Conquest he was severely wounded defending a bridge against several assailants. He fell exhausted among the rushes of an adjoining swamp and into a nest of lapwings (in some counties called “Tyrwhitts”). Hercules’ friends found the spot where he lay thanks to the lapwings singing and hovering above him. From that day on, Hercules acquired the name Tyrwhitt, and Nick will be forever grateful to the little loud chirpers for inspiring the name of Charles Tyrwhitt.
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Restoring the lapwing
With more space dedicated to farming comes less space for the lapwing's ground nests. It's on the conservation red list in the UK due to its decline - and this is where our work with Nature Broking and farmer Rob Wainwright comes in. Nature Broking helps companies like Tyrwhitt invest in nature and sustainability-related ventures, and they're helping the lapwing by assessing the land management in its natural habitat. You might already know Rob - the former Scotland and Lions rugby legend now farms on the Isle of Coll. He's helping promote the plight of the lapwing and increase the population with innovative farming practices and working with local wildlife experts. It's a real team effort to improve outcomes to help this special bird flourish!
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Get your very own Tyrwhitt lapwing! Most notably featured on our range of Washed Oxford Shirts and Piqué Polos.
Shop The Lapwing Collection
was
$109
now
$109
$64.75 Multibuy price
was
$109
now
$109
$64.75 Multibuy price
Rob and Alex Wainwrigh
Rob, an ex-doctor and former rugby player, has farmed on the Isle of Coll for 25 years since moving with his wife and four kids in 1999. His son Alex recently joined the farm after working in New Zealand and Scottish Fire and Rescue. They produce suckled calves and lambs sold across the UK and enhance wildlife habitats on their farm.
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Sasha Roberts
Sasha, a former modern languages teacher with a passion for wildlife and environmental restoration, is now the Director of Nature Broking Ltd. The company helps businesses meet sustainability targets and reduce carbon footprints by investing in environmental restoration.
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