Oliver's Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb

Hi! I'm Oliver and will be climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Syndey Australia on Monday 20th February 2023 to raise much needed funds in aid of Wetheriggs Animal Rescue Centre, near Barnard Castle in County Durham. Originally I had planned to Skydive in Auckland, New Zealand. However, due to Cyclone Gabrielle this has now been cancelled.

I have volunteered at Wetheriggs for 5 years and they rescue a large variety of animals including pets, farm, exotics and wildlife. We care for them and rehome when possible. They rely on donations and income from the public to help the animals. They also provide a lot of education with the animals including taking some to schools and offering educational sessions at the centre.

However, in the national news you will have seen that the Bird Flu virus, which affects all bird species, is also now rampant within our captive bird population, in particular hitting poultry flocks.

As a precaution, along with many other rescue centres, Wetheriggs temporarily stopped taking in wild bird casualties and visitors were asked to walk over disinfected mats. These measures were implemented so that the Wetheriggs's birds would be safeguarded from the virus. But then the worst happened, a relatively small number of the birds at Wetheriggs exhibited symptoms of this nasty disease, DEFRA were called in and almost four hundred fit birds, showing no signs of the virus were euthanised. This was the worst day in the almost 19 year history of the Rescue Centre.

The risk to humans from Avian Flu is very small but as a precaution we had to close our doors to the public as required under the restrictions imposed on us. As it stands this could last for as long as a year.

The Centre is also home to numerous types of mammals, reptiles and amphibians. Almost all of the revenue used to feed and maintain the approximately 500 remaining animals comes from the centre opening as a visitor attraction.

This is the third blow in a trilogy of disasters to hit the rescue centre over the last few years; like everyone in Britain "COVID" then THE COST OF LIVING CRISIS with RISING COSTS, now this.

The charity has four employees and over 60 volunteers. As well as able bodied volunteers, volunteers from other sections of society enjoy the non confrontational atmosphere. Volunteers with various social, mental and physical needs work alongside students, work experience volunteers and Duke of Edinburgh Candidates forging unique bonds, friendships between people and animals alike.

Please donate if you can and also please share this with your friends and family too!

Check out their website at http://wetheriggsanimalrescue.co.uk