WRAS for me started in 2004. As a new volunteer I began travelling around with Trevor, helping with rescues and occasionally doing my own. As my confidence and experience grew I was given more responsibility and soon I was off alone.
Rescuing helpless injured wildlife is so rewarding especially when some time later that animal is re-released back into the wild.

WRAS began many years ago and was a one- man band run by Trevor Weeks. When I joined it was a relatively small organisation and pretty much a hobby for most. Trevor has nurtured it, encouraged and trained people and today with the help of others we have roughly 60 people working for WRAS in some way.
Two years ago I scaled down my rescuing and care work and joined the management committee and currently hold the position of chairman.
In my time as chairman, WRAS has continued to grow at an ever-increasing rate. We are already 800 incidents up on last year and it continues to get busier. It is a great feeling for all involved that WRAS is becoming a household name and that its success rate is so high. However, the increase in activity has brought many challenges including how we finance the charity.
WRAS is heavily reliant on mobile phones as many of our rescuers are on the road. The call costs have more than doubled in a short time. Our new rehabilitation unit is now full and we also have animals in varying places around the county. These all need feeding which again costs WRAS a huge amount. Our ambulances all need fuelling and our bills, again, have increased beyond belief. Our vets bills continue to grow as we rescue more and more animals.

Last week the management committee reluctantly made the decision that after undertaking a year's worth of work in just seven months and the associated costs, our unit being full to overflowing and a shortage of volunteers due to summer holidays, we will only be able to deal with a limited number of casualties over the next few weeks – depending on what facilities become available both in our unit and at neighbouring rescue centres. WRAS is not shutting down in any way nor are we planning to shut down, but we have to pause and take stock of what has become a large operation and recuperate funds.

Rest assured, Trevor Weeks, Tim McKenzie and the rest of the management committee strongly believe in WRAS, its aims and the hard work of its volunteers and are fighting for WRAS to continue the excellent service it gives.
However, we cannot continue to deal with an average of 25 callouts a day without increasing the kind and generous donations which are received. We urgently help your help.
Please can you take out a standing order with WRAS or increase your existing standing order by just £1 a month, make a one-off donation, get your company to sponsor our charity or an ambulance, organise a coffee morning or run a car boot sale table for WRAS. It all helps.

Our charity dog show this coming weekend at The Dicker Village Hall on Coldharbour Road, Upper Dicker, off the A22 at Hailsham is on Sunday July 27. Entries are £1 from 12noon and judging commences at 1pm. Details are available on www.wildlifeambulance.org

If you feel you can help WRAS at this difficult time, either with a financial donation, sponsorship or volunteering your help with the animals, please call the rescue line on 07815 078234 or send any donations to our address above or come along and meet Trevor on Sunday.

On behalf of the committee I would like to thank all our volunteers, supporters and all of you who read this column for your help and support. Thank you.


www.wildlifeambulance.org
24-hour rescue line: 07815 078 234