The Voiceless Victims

This is Billy Thompson, known as the founder of The Retreat Animal Rescue Farm Sanctuary and Cafe. One of the biggest Animal Rescues and Sanctuaries in the UK and Europe. We rescue ALL animals; wild, domestic and farmed. 

I’m starting this campaign with 3 purposes in mind: 

1. TO HELP YOU BETTER UNDERSTAND what it really takes to run an animal rescue and sanctuary of this size. We currently have more than 1,250 animal residents. And we’ve saved more than 20,000 animals through our last 30 years of operation. 

2. THE VICTIMS NEED US ALL. The Victims are all the angels enslaved, forcibly bred, kept captive their whole lives and slaughtered by humans either for their flesh and secretions or recreational purposes. So won’t you agree the least we can do is to try and save as many Victims of this ongoing “holocaust” as possible? ... We have this huge opportunity to double The Retreat in size and what we simply ask from you is your help - we wouldn’t be here without you and we can’t double in size without you either. We are all one and we need to make things right for the animals. With more than 1,250 animal residents on site, we manage this huge rescue and sanctuary with only 5 amazing full-time staff as well as our dedicated volunteers. We rely heavily on the help of our lovely volunteer community. We wouldn’t have survived without them. Without our loyal and dedicated staff either. 

3. THE RETREAT ANIMAL RESCUE IS NOT ONLY ME, IT'S US ALL! It would have been nothing close to what it is today without the help of you all! From our lovely visitors, to our generous sponsors, to the amazing volunteers, and the stars that have been working here through the years. We are here today ONLY thanks to you! And we need your help now! We constantly get calls about animals needing a home or care before getting rehomed and we sometimes have to refuse them due to lack of space. We strive to not just pack all our residents in the meadows and barns, as it’s a top priority for us to provide them a happy life and pleasant environment. We already occupy 50 acres of land and there is 60 acres of land next to The Retreat that is on sale and we really have to buy it and double in size. Why? Cause then we’ll be able to help more than double the animals we are capable of helping today! It’s not about me or us or The Retreat - it’s about the Victims; the bigger The Retreat gets, the more the Victims we can help! 

Now let me break it all down for you.

1. WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO RUN THE RETREAT ANIMAL RESCUE?
Imagine all 1200+ animals that need to be taken care of on a daily basis. Be it rainy, be it cold or hot, we are 24/7 365 days a year here to look after them. Not only do we look after our residents, but we rescue any animals we get a call about within a 50 mile radius on a 24/7 365 days basis. There’s no bank holiday for us when the phone rings on Christmas day and it’s regarding a rescue. Our running costs excluding vet bills are £500 a day. That’s £15,000 a month. All this includes salaries, equipment, feed costs, cleaning, utilities, barns/fences maintenance and repair, tools and more that don’t come to mind right now. Now if we add all vet requirements on top of all that and the total expenses per month can reach up to £25,000. I personally have an outside The Retreat job Mondays to Wednesdays 8am to 10pm to cover for the extra 2 days so I can be at the Retreat for the open to the public days. Plus my whole salary goes to The Retreat. 
NONE OF THE FOUNDERS (MANAGEMENT TEAM) RECEIVE A SALARY - WE DO IT FOR FREE; AND MORE IMPORTANTLY FROM HEART.

2. MEET SOME OF THE "LUCKY" VICTIMS
I see all animals as my children, yet what they really are is Victims. Victims of us humans; that chose to destroy their habitats all around the planet. We captured them and have been breeding them for their flesh, secretions or just for fun. More than 8,000,000,000 (8 billion) land and sea animals are being slaughtered in the UK per year only for human consumption. The least we can do is help as many as possible. 
You already know some of our friendly residents through facebook, instagram or from your visits. There’s many more you don’t know. I’d like to invite you to visit us and get to befriend them all. Animals are magical you see. Once you get to know them, a whole new world opens up to you. From the smallest baby duckling to the loving pigs and the largest horse they are all phenomenal.
The land on sale next to the Retreat will enable us to double in size, therefore save and rehome double the amount of animals we currently rescue. It’s now or never!

3. YOU ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU THINK
You have the power in your hands to help us. We wouldn’t be here without you and we won’t be able to help more Victims without you either. We wholeheartedly invite you to visit us during our opening times to experience what it feels like to be a part of The Retreat. Visit us to become friends with our lovely friendly residents. You cannot imagine how much of a lasting relationship you can build with a cow, pig, horse or duckling. What?! You thought you could only be friends with a cat or dog? The world of The Retreat awaits you to enrich your life with compassion, love and kindness. There have been people that first visited The Retreat without knowing anything about it and they’ve now become regulars; they’ve become volunteers, sponsors and even employees. Visit us and see for yourself all the work that’s being carried out here - you’ll love it. You’ll love it and you’ll come to realise Your Help is the most important thing for all Victims right now. They are crying for our help and we have to act! We must act with compassion and kindness - and save all the many we can! It’s your time to shine. 

We are asking for your help in order to raise £225,000. The 60 acres land on sale costs £400,000. And the bank guaranteed they will lend us the rest if we get to have a bit more than half the asking price. 

Action plan once the campaign is over:
1. We apply for the loan
2. We get the loan
3. We buy the land
4. Fast as lightning we’ll start reforming the new space to welcome new animals meaning we’ll build all things necessary (huts, fences, reshape meadows, etc) 
5. We are good to take in more of the lovely beings you met and will meet!

Peter Egan's Appeal to you to help The Retreat - he pledges to help too if you do :)
(yes, it's Peter Egan of Downton Abbey!!)

Peter Egan interviewing Billy, founder of The Retreat - 30 years animal rescue, sanctuary and education <3

Join Peter and Billy for a tour around The Retreat. Meet only a few of our numerous lovely residents and find out more about our history as well as vision for the future!