HIS wife Pam wanted a marmoset from the pet shop, but Malcolm Freemantle persuaded her that a budgie might be more manageable.

That was half a century ago, and they ended up buying two birds so they would be company for each other.

Today he’s got 150 of them and has won eight world championships. “It’s taken my life over,” he admits.

Now Mr Freemantle and his fellow members of the Salisbury and District Bird Keepers’ Association are keen to spread the word about their hobby among the younger generation.

And a grant of £975 from Wiltshire Council means they can buy equipment to help them introduce bird keeping to the wider community.

It will include a projection screen, so they can give presentations to schools and youth groups such as the Scouts and Guides. They are also happy to visit old folks’ homes and chat to residents.

Between them, the association members own parrots, parakeets, lovebirds, exotic finches and numerous varieties of canary, as well as budgerigars. They intend to take some of their birds with them on their visits for people to meet. And for children, they will run painting competitions.

“We want to give them another dimension in their lives,” said Mr Freemantle, 77. “Many kids today don’t even know what the common garden birds are.”

The association has 45 members and meets at the St Michael’s community centre in Bemerton Heath on the third Thursday of each month at 8pm.

It also holds an annual show – this year’s is on November 22, at the St Michael’s centre – which is open to enthusiasts from all over the country, and show manager Mr Freemantle expects about 350 birds to be exhibited. The council grant will also pay for a laptop and printer so they can produce instant results’ sheets, rather than laboriously writing them out by hand.

Mr Freemantle’s own multi-coloured flock chirp away to each other in a roomy aviary in his back garden, and while they are highly sociable and happy with human company, are not pets.

Most members of the association are, like him, interested in the breeding and showing side of their hobby, although there are a few who keep just a single tame bird.

The show season, now coming to an end, takes retired British Gas manager Mr Freemantle all over the country, with the highlight being the Budgerigar Society’s World Championship Show in Doncaster every September.

Anyone interested in joining the association or booking a visit from the bird keepers can phone secretary Bryon (correct) Shaw on 01722 505087.