Lee Stocker – Mr Tiggywinkle to the rescue

Lee Stocker, was a pioneer and trail-blazer with a powerfully determined chart. Born in London on 31 January 1943, he had an Aquarius Sun in an Air Grand Trine to Uranus Saturn in Gemini trine Neptune, formed into perhaps two Kites; one Sun opposition Pluto and the other Uranus Saturn perhaps opposition Moon. So he had talent, influence (Pluto) and struck a chord in the public imagination (Moon).

He also had a Yod of Uranus Saturn sextile Pluto inconjunct Mars – which tends in early life to mis-direct energy, until a new life direction is found which uses all of Mars’ courage, vigour and decisiveness. Plus he had his North Lode in Leo which gives leadership ability.

None of which was obvious when he trained as an accountant and started a small electrical business. Aged 40, he was bored and chucked it all in. At that point he was in his midlife crisis with tr Uranus (and Jupiter) opposition his Uranus Saturn, shaking his Grand Trine – this is when old, unfulfilled ambitions become much more pressing. Tr Jupiter was conjunct his Node, giving him a nudge about developing his potential; and the tr Saturn Pluto conjunction was moving to trigger his Yod, sextile his Mars and conjunct his Solar Arc Neptune in the years following.

His turning point came when he found an injured hedgehog that vets were unwilling to treat. It sparked his childhood interest in wildlife and he went on to found the St Tiggywinkles Hospital which has grown to the size of a small NHS medical facility, the largest such in Europe. It cares for 1500 inpatient animals – deer, badgers, foxes, squirrels, toads, multifarious birds. They are treated, sometimes with keyhole surgery in operating theatres, using many techniques developed by him through trial and error over the years.

He was awarded an MBE for his work and became an honorary member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons; and his last project, nearing completion, is a new college to teach vets about British wildlife. He died recently and his son remains as CEO.

He followed his dream and turned it into a national treasure.