Woodlands Animal Sanctuary are beginning to feel the pinch following a rapid decline in donations

Woodlands – Could you help save a life?

With the cost of living rising at an alarming rate and the aftermath of COVID lockdowns, Woodlands Animal Sanctuary are beginning to feel the pinch following a rapid decline in donations. The Holmeswood-based sanctuary is asking the local public for help to cover some of their £5000 a week running costs. 

Whilst the team are being as frugal as possible and cutting costs where they can, there are some areas where that is just not possible. Woodlands are currently in the midst of a baby boom with kittens and baby hedgehogs, which in turn brings added strain with the amount of milk and food needed to see them through, as well as the electricity it takes to keep everyone warm and healthy.

Animal care manager, Eleanor Davies, oversees the day to day running of the sanctuary and knows all too well the challenge of maintaining the balance between saving and raising funds. “There are a lot of hidden costs that people don’t realise when you think of an animal sanctuary. Food, bedding and veterinary fees are all obvious costs but there’s also the electricity bills from keeping the cattery pens and hedgehog unit warm as well as gas bills to ensure we have hot water for washing food dishes and keeping hygiene standards at the best they can be. It all adds up rather quickly!”

The dedicated team are appealing directly to their devotees and the wider community of animal lovers to support their continuous, life-changing work by contributing whatever they may be able to give. A standing order may seem daunting to commit to at the moment, but for the same price as a cup of coffee each month you could save a life. Just £3 a month will buy a full course of medication for a single hedgehog or feed a litter of growing kittens for a day. Woodlands sponsorship packages and their Carer for the Day experiences make great gifts for special occasions and as with all donations made, every penny goes towards the care of the animals. They also have a lottery, run by Unity Lotteries, where you can play for just £1 and be in with the chance of winning £25,000 back!

For online shoppers there are even ways of raising money for free. By shopping through Amazon Smile or Give as You Live you can raise funds at no extra cost to yourself whilst shopping for the things you need. And by adding gift aid to donations if you’re able, you’ll raise an extra 25p for every £1 spent. You could also browse the sanctuary’s Amazon wishlist, which is frequently updated with their most needed items.

Woodlands are extremely grateful for any and all donations that come in and simply could not continue with their work without their network of supporters behind them. If you’d like to find out more about the various ways you can help, visit their website for more information.