WORTHING CAT WELFARE TRUST

YES! I'm doing it again! I'm shaving my hair off for the FOURTH time!

In August 2013, I shaved my hair off raising money for Little Princess Trust & I donated my hair.

In October 2017 I also did a 1 mile charity swim, raising money for Spana.

In May 2020 I shaved my hair off raising money for NHS Charities Together.

In September 2022 I shaved my hair again in support of Mahsa Amini & to show my solidarity.

Now, I'll be shaving my hair off raising money for Worthing Cat Welfare Trust on the 26th April 2025!

I had two other ways I was hoping to raise money, but unfortunately due to how poor my health is at the moment, I have decided another hair shave is best.

Worthing Cat Welfare Trust are very special to me. On the 1st January 2019, I lost my 21 year old cat, Sheba, to Lymphatic Cancer. My world literally fell apart - I was absolutely devastated. She had been in my life for nearly 2/3 of my life & I felt empty without her. My heart physically ached from the pain.

We rescued Sheba at approximately 2 weeks old when her mother was sadly run over & killed. As a family we ‘raised’ her, being on shifts to feed her milk every 3 hours. She had no mother to learn from & we taught her what we could, but her natural instincts were amazing.

Despite many medical conditions, she lived until the age of 21 – so she really was a little warrior! She was an incredibly big part of our family & was very, very much loved. She has left a huge hole in our lives & is deeply missed.

I couldn't bare the empty house - to me, pets make a house a home. I was a mess without her - crying all day everyday. I still had so much love to give to another cat and, selfishly, I knew the thing I needed was the comfort of a cat.

I always rescue cats & so 15 days after Sheba died, I asked Worthing Cat Welfare Trust which cat had been there the longest & Mr Bennington had been with them for 9 months at that point. He was so shy that people didn't warm to him. However, when I went to see him, out of 9/10 cats there he was the one I immediately made eye contact with as I walked in. He was standing up against the enclosure trying to reach me - it's like he knew I was there to rescue him. Considering he would usually hide at visitors, it was obviously meant to be! I thought he'd settle better with some familiarity, so I asked the lady fostering them which cats he got on best with & she said Rainbow & Chandler - 4 month old kittens! They were playing so wonderfully together that I couldn't separate them! So I came home that day with all 3 cats & never looked back.

I've always said to Dad I have a "different" smile when with my cats & I think you can really see it in photos & videos. Most people will say their 'happy place' is maybe a holiday destination or the beach or similar - mine is relaxing in bed with all my cats with me.

Although I technically rescued my 3 cats, in all honesty, they actually rescued me.

I am so grateful to WCWT for allowing me to adopt my 3 beautiful babies. It's because of my huge passion for cats & I know how fantastic WCWT are, that I want to fundraise for them.

Worthing Cat Welfare Trust for a long time relied solely on donations. This is a charity that really needs as much support as possible.

They also have a fantastic scheme called "the Golden Oldies scheme" where WCWT will help towards financial aspects if you adopt one of the elderly cats. There is more information about this is one of the photos here in my Go Fund Me.

I am so extremely grateful for any donations - everything helps! And please can you all share this to friends/family and social media. Thank you so much for your support.

WORTHING CAT WELFARE TRUST'S STORY:

"Worthing Cat Welfare Trust was started 28 years ago by Iris Green and myself, with a lot of help and support from Carole, Sharon, Tina and Carole’s Mum, who bought us a van, so that Carole (our Welfare officer at that time) could carry on with her important work.

At that time we had 40 cats in our care and the princely sum of £40! We did car boot sales and any other fundraising that would help. We paid for cat food and vet bills ourselves. Carla Lane opened our first charity shop in Brighton Road, which proved to be very successful and started us out on the path to where we are today.

We couldn’t have done any of it without our band of fosterers, volunteers and loyal supporters. We all kept each other going through the ups and downs and, through sheer hard work and determination, have become the successful charity that we are today. We are so lucky and appreciate all you do for us.

We also have new Trustees and committee members, whose enthusiasm inspires us all.

We have an excellent network of temporary foster homes, which really equates to a ‘virtual sanctuary’ without the ruinous costs of setting up our own establishment. We will carry on with the excellent job that we do and that is rescuing and rehoming cats and kittens in and around the Worthing area.

Sandra Collins – WCWT Co-Founder

Mission Statement

We exist to provide and finance a safe and caring environment for abandoned, unwanted and distressed cats and kittens in the Worthing area, to arrange veterinary care, neutering, microchipping and to find loving, permanent homes wherever possible.

Charity Overview

The charity was formed in July 1995, granted charity status in October 1995 and consists of a team of experienced and professional carers watched over and supported by a board of trustees.

Prior to re-homing, our cats are cared for in a number of shelters (one of which is dedicated to mums & kittens) and by a number of foster-carers, who take them in as part of the family. We also have a location for cats, who are unfortunately unsuitable for re-homing due to old age, illness or severe trauma, in order that they can spend the rest of their lives in safety and tranquillity."

A few of the staff members at Grove Lodge have decided to take on the challenge of walking from Cissbury Ring to Devils Dyke & back (a total of 20 miles!) to raise money for Worthing Cat Welfare as they’ve helped & supported us for many years with stray cats that have been brought in. The walk will be taking place on the 22nd March 2025, any donations for this amazing charity would be greatly appreciated!

Do you want to join us in making a difference? We’re raising money in aid of WORTHING CAT WELFARE TRUST and every donation will help. Thank you in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much to us! 

You can make a difference by donating today to WORTHING CAT WELFARE TRUST.

Little Gibson is only 11-months-old but he's just undergone major, life-transforming surgery to save his leg.

Worthing Cat Welfare Trust is supporting the owners by funding surgery costs but we urgently need help to help ensure this sweet-natured little cat keeps his mobility.

Gibson suffered a complex fracture to his leg, which required specialist intervention.

The veterinary practice has been very supportive - and the owners have paid some of the costs - but we are facing a combined bill of £3k, after the charity discount.

please share post

Thank you very much indeed

Update 09May23

The owners of the dogs have come forward, they’ve paid the rest of the vets bills, and apologize for their dogs coming off their leads and causing Ruby such awful injuries.

A massive Thank you to everyone that has donated - because of you she is alive

You are all amazing and Ruby's owners THANK YOU all very very much for the kindness you have shown Ruby .

Urgent appeal to help Ruby please

Earlier today Sunday 30 April , a kind human being saw poor Ruby being viciously attacked by 2 dogs , not on leads - owners no where to be seen ! A terrier and staffi type have caused Ruby awful injuries.

Ruby's very upset owners called our charity spoke to Mike our chairman who agreed to help take them and Ruby to the lovely Vets at Southdown Emergency vets .

The kind human who saved Ruby today was covered in blood and very upset . The dogs were not on leads or under control .

Update 30April23 2130

Her front paw is a huge problem, either pin in or amputate , she also has bruising to her lungs x

If you can please make a donation towards the vet bills that would be fantastic

Every single donation will help and is really appreciated

We will keep you updated with Ruby’s recovery

We hope the owners of dogs gone forward and let the police know.

You can make a difference by donating today to WORTHING CAT WELFARE TRUST.

Update 01May23 1530 from Ruby's family

Ruby not out of the woods,on very strong pain killers, being closely monitored and the orthopaedic vet will see her tomorrow as they are not sure on the extent of the nerve damage , she is not eating and a good chance her leg could be amputated x

Yes but she is purring x

Update 02 May 1130 am

Ruby will soon have operation to remove her leg

she has several injuries which the lovely vets at Southdown emergency vets have been helping her with

vets bill is £4700 so far with operation

Update 03 May23 1200

Ruby will be coming home today - will

post more photos and what she’s had done by the fantastic vets

Every donation helps - Thank you so very much

Ruby is a much loved family cat

Just look at that little face!

Meet lovely Luna - a four-month-old kitten who has been transferred into our care after she sadly fell and fractured her femur.

WCWT is funding the costs of surgery to help give her a chance of normal life. Costs are estimated at £1,500.

We're not looking for a new home at this stage, as she will need a period of quiet and recuperation. Thankfully, a vet nurse has offered to take care of her in the meantime, free of charge.

We'd welcome any donations - however small - to help cover the costs. Very sadly, the alternative was to put her to sleep.

You can make a difference by donating today to WORTHING CAT WELFARE TRUST.