Woodlands Animal Sanctuary Receives £25,000 Grant from Jean Sainsbury Animal Welfare Trust
Woodlands awarded 40th Anniversary grant from Jean Sainsbury Animal Welfare Trust
Woodlands Animal Sanctuary were thrilled to welcome Mark Spurdens, the Chair of Trustees from Jean Sainsbury Animal Welfare Trust (JSAWT) to their site last week, to be formally presented with a cheque for £25, 000.00. Woodlands were awarded this grant as part of JSAWT 40th Anniversary celebrations. Woodlands were one of four charities, who were chosen from thirty who applied for this extra special grant.
Woodlands first received support from JSAWT back in 2011, with a small donation of £250. Since then, Woodlands have been extremely grateful to JSAWT because they have supported them in paying for vets fees; which if you are a supporter of the animal rescue will know is a never-ending expense for them, as well as running costs. Woodlands also reached out to JSAWT during the Covid pandemic, when fundraising efforts hit their biggest hurdles yet, for emergency funding. They are so proud and grateful that The Trust felt they were a good enough cause, amongst all the other amazing causes out there to support during this time. To have built up this relationship with JSAWT is amongst one of the charities greatest achievements and they are incredibly appreciative to everyone at Jean Sainsbury Animal Welfare Trust. It was therefore a great privilege for the team to welcome Mark Spurdens to their site and be able to show him where their money has gone over the years.
Vickie, one of Woodlands founding trustees said “to receive this money from JSAWT is huge for us. Allowing us to carry out this essential upgrade helps to secure the future for the animals here and all those who are yet to pass through our doors. Funding our work here is such a huge part of what we do but finding that much extra to do essential upgrade work, especially in the current financial climate, was virtually impossible for us and this lifeline from JSAWT really does make such a huge difference to the service we can offer animals in their greates hour of need.”
Woodlands will be using this grant to upgrade their electricity supply, enabling them to power their site more efficiently. The trustees at JSAWT “were impressed with the application and felt that the proposed project made excellent use of the award, providing long term energy security and significantly impacting on the way the charity will be able to operate.”
The Jean Sainsbury Animal Welfare Trust was established in 1982 by Mrs Jean Sainsbury, a passionate animal lover and supporter of good causes. Since the first donations were made in 1983, it has donated almost £12,000,000 to over 1000 animal welfare charities, with donations made during 2022 reaching £605,000. The Trust endeavours to follow Mrs Sainsbury’s wishes of supporting smaller animal welfare and rescue organisations, where a relatively modest grant has the potential to make a big impact. The trust is not linked to the Sainsbury’s supermarket family.
If you would like to support Woodlands and keep up to date with the animals in their care, you can sign up to one of their sponsorship packages and receive regular updates about your animal and life at the sanctuary. Visit their website: www.woodlandsanimalsanctuary.org.uk/sponsorship/