Mansfield wildlife rescue appeals for donations to help pay for vets bill and equipment

Founder of Mansfield Wildlife Rescue Cheryl Martins has been paying out of her own pocket for medication, food and bedding when money has run short.

Mum of three Cheryl, who has been running the Rescue from her home on Brown Avenue in Mansfield Woodhouse for three years, said: “I just need people to be aware that I can’t keep going without donations.

The 47-year-old said: “Some people that come in with animals do give us a bit of cash or people have given us old cages and things which I am grateful for but we really do need more towards upkeep.”

“What people don’t realise is that you is you can’t always get treatment for free. Vets can’t just give away medication and some is more expensive than others.

“Sometimes hedgehogs need fours types of medications and we can’t just give them one. We need people to donate.”

“There’s an handful of volunteers that help enormously but we need as much as money we can get.”

Cheryl estimates running costs are around £150 every month.

She also said that more people are using the Rescue since other local services closed down.

“It’s just got worse and worse, I’ve had people contacting me from as far away as Nottingham and Sheffield because there’s no where else,” Cheryl said.

And because of this, Mansfield Wildlife Rescue is running out of space.

Cheryl said: “It’s ok in the winter, but when it’s Spring, people start bringing in more baby birds and other animals so we are trying to get ready for that.”

An allotment plot has been donated to the Rescue, which will serve as a pre-release area for wildlife that has been nursed back to health but more money is needed to buy cages, pens, bedding and food.

Cheryl said: “The allotment will be already around February time, which will be great because currently my garden is a temporary home for everything.”

To donate to the Mansfield Wildlife Rescue visit: www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/MansfieldWildlife23