This Volunteers Week (1-7 June), I would like to take the opportunity to thank our fantastic volunteers who give so much of their time, skill and dedication for the benefit of cats in our care.
At Cats Protection we were grateful to involve over 11,200 volunteers during 2018. Volunteers are truly the foundation and life-blood of the charity. Whether volunteering in our shops or populating our social media channels; researching advocacy campaigns or fostering kittens, they ensure that every day we move closer to our vision of a world where every cat is treated with kindness and an understanding of its needs.
Without them, we would not have been able to help rehome or reunite 44,000 cats and neuter around 143,000. Nor would we have delivered 1,693 education talks to 52,343 people. They are vital to every aspect of everything we achieve.
I would also like to thank players of People’s Postcode Lottery who are supporting volunteering across England, Scotland and Wales. Their support for our Volunteer Team Leaders means that we can share best practice through our adoption centres and out to our network of volunteer branches and shops.
We will be sharing a new animation for Volunteers’ Week on our social media channels about the many volunteering roles available with us and would love to hear from cat lovers who would like to help cats locally. They can visit www.cats.org.uk/get-involved/volunteering to find out more.
Yours sincerely,
Julie Meredith
Head of Volunteering Development
Cats Protection, National Cat Centre, Chelwood Gate, Haywards Heath RH17 7TT
Did you know that the DWP has created a website dedicated specifically to Universal Credit? The site is designed to help claimants and supporters negotiate their way through the often complex and confusing benefit labyrinth.Continue reading As we see it: the two different sides of Universal Credit
Help the Animals at Christmas.For the first time in British TV history viewers have the chance to ‘Help the Animals at Christmas’. Join Channel 5 for three hours of festive entertainment, fun and fundraising
Channel 5 has officially announced Help the Animals at Christmas, a new live show on 21st December. Channel 5 will be promoting the Help The Animals Appeal, raising funds for UK animal welfare charitable organisations and showcasing the work of five incredible UK animal charities, RSPCA, Scottish SPCA, Blue Cross, The Donkey Sanctuary and Wildlife Aid Foundation.
Broadcast live on Channel 5 from Salford’s Media City, the presenters confirmed for the live show are Susan Calman, Gethin Jones, Gaby Roslin, John Thomson and Michael Underwood. Jeremy Vine’s Storm Huntley will also be on hand to manage the live social media hub.
Across the night there will be special episodes of Channel 5 favourites, all of which have teamed up with one of the five charities to present the amazing work they do every day; Ben Fogle’s New Lives in the Wild, The Yorkshire Vet, The Dog Rescuers with the cast of Neighbours and Jo Brand’s Kitten Rescue.
Many animals are suffering in silence this Christmas, with many abandoned, neglected and abused. It is heart-breaking to see so many animals without a home to call their own at this time of year. Animal cruelty doesn’t stop just because it’s Christmas. Help the Animals at Christmas aims to raise awareness of the issues and threats facing animals and tell the stories of some of those who need rescuing, rehoming, or need some extra care this Christmas. Viewers will be given the chance to get involved and join the fight to prevent cruelty, provide rehabilitation and alleviate suffering to animals.
Help the Animals at Christmas.For the first time in British TV history viewers have the chance to ‘Help the Animals at Christmas’. Join Channel 5 for three hours of festive entertainment, fun and fundraising
Ben Frow, Director of Programming at Channel 5 said: “Christmas should be a happy time for all, including those who don’t have a voice – animals. So this year, along with a host of famous faces, we are going to shine a light on animal welfare, raising awareness and money for five animal charities who work tirelessly to bring comfort and joy to animals all over the UK.”
The RSPCA, specialise in animal rescue and improving the welfare of all animals, whether they are pets, farm animals, lab animals or wildlife. Over the Christmas season the RSPCA is braced for around 1,800 calls a day as it continues its vital work caring for abused, neglected and sick animals across England and Wales Just this festive season the charity expects to take in around 19,000 animals – with many, many more already in its care patiently waiting to find their fur-ever homes.
The Scottish SPCA, Scotland’s animal welfare charity, rescues, rehabilitates, rehomes and releases abused, abandoned and injured animals across Scotland. As the only animal charity in the UK recognised as a reporting agency to the Crown Office, their inspectors enforce the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006. Throughout the festive period their dedicated animal rescue officers, inspectors, vets and animal care teams will be on hand to save animals that are not so lucky.
Blue Cross is a national pet charity who have been helping sick, injured and homeless pets since 1897. For them, helping animals who are in need at Christmas is vital, as not all animals are lucky enough to be safe and warm over the holidays and have a true friend to look out for them. Help the Animals at Christmas will allow viewers to be a friend to pets in need and help change their lives as they change ours.
The largest equine welfare charity in the world, The Donkey Sanctuary, has rescued thousands of donkeys and mules from a life of neglect, abuse and abandonment since its establishment in 1969. The winter months are The Donkey Sanctuary’s busiest time of the year for welfare calls and visits, with the cold, wet conditions making life even harder for mistreated or abandoned donkeys.
Finally, the Wildlife Aid Foundation are dedicated to the rescue, care and rehabilitation of sick, injured and orphaned wild animals. Christmas time for this charity is very key with wildlife struggling during the winter as temperatures drop and food sources become increasingly scarce.
BTR Liverpool Santa Dash 2018
Help The Animals at Christmas is delighted to partner with the BTR Liverpool Santa Dash 2018 as the official fundraising event. Participants are invited to support the charity campaign by taking part in the UK’s biggest festive 5K fun run on Sunday 2 December and raise cash while they dash. Up to 10,000 Santas dashing round Liverpool city centre is a spectacular sight, and features a finish line at Liverpool Town Hall with ‘real snow’ and festive characters. Youngsters also have their very own 1K Mini Dash. There is a virtual run option for anyone who would like to get involved but cannot be there in person on the day.
More information on Help the Animals at Christmas and how you can get involved to raise money here
Help the Animals at Christmas.For the first time in British TV history viewers have the chance to ‘Help the Animals at Christmas’. Join Channel 5 for three hours of festive entertainment, fun and fundraising
The gardens at Caring in Craigmillar’s community centre have been given a new lease of life thanks to a team of volunteers from Fort Kinnaird.
Caring in Craigmillar offers support services to elderly, disabled and vulnerable members of the local community. Service users are collected from their homes and brought to the care centre where they enjoy tea, lunch and a programme of activities, which often take place in the garden.
Fort Kinnaird Deputy Centre Manager Lindy Watson recently attended a meeting at Caring in Craigmillar and saw the opportunity to transform the garden into a space that was welcoming and inspiring for the centre’s community.
She then invited property and construction consultants from Gleeds and Thomas & Adamson, who work on site at Fort Kinnaird, to join a team of staff from the retail centre to makeover the garden.
Lindy Watson said: “We are extremely proud to have worked together to transform the garden at Caring in Craigmillar.
“The centre does an incredible job of looking after the most vulnerable people in our local community, so donning some gardening gloves and picking up some tools was the least we could do.
“We hope the Caring in Craigmillar community enjoy the new space, and feel inspired and very much at home in the garden.”
The project involved the creation of new landscaped spaces, including the installation of a healing path with rock borders, as well as a general clean-up and planting.
Kellie Mercer, Manager at Caring in Craigmillar said: “Everyone at Caring in Craigmillar would like to thank the volunteers who gave their time effort and put in so much hard work to help us achieve a lovely space for our members.
“It has made a huge difference for our members who now enjoy spending time in the garden.
“Some of our members are no longer able to get outside in their own gardens at home, so with your help we have achieved a fabulous bright and safe space for everyone to enjoy.”
Today is the International Day of Charity, and to mark the occasion Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations’ Council (EVOC) staff, along with an elderly black Labrador called Sally, are to deliver ‘thank you cards’ to voluntary organisations across the cityContinue reading EVOC says thanks to Edinburgh’s voluntary organisations
This alert from the Charity Commission provides information and advice to charity trustees, employees and volunteers to help prevent falling victim to insider fraud.Continue reading Charities: be aware of insider fraud
