Woodlands – Could you give the gift of time for your animal local charity?

Woodlands Animal Sanctuary care for around 350 animals on their site 365 days a year.  I’m sure you can imagine that this in no mean feat.  The team of staff therefore really appreciate it when friendly, reliable, hardworking people volunteer their time to help look after the various animals.  Knowing that they will have the assistance of reliable volunteers can make a big difference to the type of day the staff have. 

Mornings are all about checking the animals and cleaning out the pens, stables and houses of the various animals and birds, so this is the time that the team most appreciate hands on help.  It is definitely not a glamorous job, especially when the Great British weather does what it does best – but it is incredibly rewarding, knowing that you are making a real difference to another creature’s life.  Full training will always be given, and volunteers are never left with an animal they are not happy to work around.

Weekdays, especially Tuesdays and Wednesdays, are very quiet at the sanctuary with volunteers.  If you think you could be available on either of these days then please give Woodlands a call to talk through with them going for a trial, to see whether you like it.  Because full training is given, Woodlands ask that if you do want to become a volunteer, you can give at least one half day per week to them.  This is so that they don’t spend all of their time training people who will never come back again. 

Lou, an Animal Carer at Woodlands, who works usually on the stables and also does night checks, knows the significance of helpful volunteers “On the days we have no volunteers it is very difficult because it is such a physically demanding job.  The difference it can make having just one person for one hour is massive – because you know that there are a couple of jobs ticked off your to do list.  We really appreciate the volunteers we already have and I think that is why we find is so much harder on the days we have no-one.  Sometime, just having someone to work alongside you can also make the day go that little bit smoother.”

So if you have a couple of hours free, especially on a Tuesday or Wednesday and don’t mind physical work and getting your hands dirty then contact Woodlands Animal Sanctuary, either by telephone: 01704 823293 or email:  info@animalsanctuary.org.uk