South Yorkshire Animal Rescue saved from closure thanks to Star readers

A long-standing South Yorkshire animal charity has been saved from closure - after big-hearted readers donated thousands of pounds following an appeal in The Star.
Philip Slack at the shop.Philip Slack at the shop.
Philip Slack at the shop.

South Yorkshire Animal Rescue has helped thousands of injured animals including birds, squirrels and hedgehogs, since being set up in Sheffield 35 years ago.

But due to a lack of funding the organisation was faced with potential closure within months and a desperate appeal to raise £3000 was launched through the pages of The Star.

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Scores of generous readers responded and around £5000 has already been raised just a month after launching the appeal.

Philip Slack, aged 58, charity co-ordinator, said: "The report in The Star has done us a lot of good and we want to say a big thank you to everyone who has donated.

"This will keep us going past this year and into April next year at least.

"This is important because it will allow us to look after juvenile hedgehogs who struggle to survive the winter on their own.

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"We received about 60 last year and look after them before releasing them into the wild when it gets a bit warmer again next Spring.

"If we had to close this year then they would have faced a bleak future."

He added that the charity relies solely on public donations and needs about £30, 000 a year to stay afloat.

But takings at the organisation's shop in Walkley have been down the last couple of years, which left them with a shortfall.

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Mr Slack said: "People are just feeling the pinch generally, and some of our more active members are growing older so it is difficult for them to be as active as they once were."

Volunteers will now hold a meeting on October 2 to decide how to best support the charity long-term.

Mr Slack said: "This may include organising fundraising events throughout the year. If anyone is interested in helping us then please get in touch.

"We will look at numbers and then book a venue."

You can donate at https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/southyorkshireanimalrescue or contact the charity on 0114 234 9656.