As CEO of Ferne Animal Sanctuary, I have always known the critical importance of our work, but this year, it hit home harder than ever. In May, we launched an Urgent Appeal to address the growing financial pressures on the sanctuary and ensure the continuation of Ferne’s life-saving work for our animals in need. Over the last year, we have faced escalating costs in veterinary care, food, utilities, and staff costs, mixed with probate delays to access funds from gift giving in wills, leaving us facing an unprecedented downturn of vital funds to keep the sanctuary afloat. Our income had grown through the expansion of Retail, but it was impossible to keep up to pace with the trajectory of increased costs.
Considering these hurdles, we needed to act fast to secure the future of the 300+ animals we care for at Ferne. That is when we launched the Urgent Appeal, aiming to raise £100,000 to cover essential needs, from veterinary services to food and bedding, as well as to avoid further drawing down of the charity reserves.
Upon launching the Urgent Appeal, news publications, social media users, and the local communities took it upon themselves to spread the word of our asking for support far and wide.
As part of this, I personally committed to the CEO Challenge—sleeping rough for a week across multiple towns where our charity shops are located. The goal? To raise awareness of the harsh realities our resident animals face before being rescued by Ferne and to raise vital donations towards the Urgent Appeal.
Jessi rescued hours away from being put down.
While sleeping on the streets of Somerset, Devon, and Dorset, I learned how vulnerable it feels to be alone, yet I had the safety of knowing where my next meal would come from and who to contact if something went wrong. I discovered that the night is a time to be aware of your surroundings, for me understanding the words of those passing by my tent at night helped me to understand my level of risk, which made me reflect on how a kitten who has been left in a box by the roadside doesn’t have this privilege.
Sleeping outdoors, being exposed to the elements for seven consecutive nights, was not easy. But every uncomfortable moment was a stark reminder of the difficult situations many of our animals have endured before finding safety at Ferne. It was a small sacrifice to make compared to the immense hardship our rescued animals go through. Amidst the challenging elements, I had multiple heart-warming conversations with the local community and passers-by and contributed £4,300 to the Urgent Appeal, raised by 115 supporters.
From my personal CEO challenge to the Urgent Appeal – the support from our donors has been overwhelming. I am incredibly proud to say that we have reached the £100,000 goal we set out to raise in May, just five months on. This fundraising milestone is the largest in the sanctuary’s history and its impact has already been felt. Because of the funds raised, we will be able to save more animals like Jessi, a seven-year-old Shar Pei, who narrowly escaped euthanasia thanks to the community’s generosity and Rocky, a Labrador-cross needing a costly hip replacement surgery, who is now on the road to recovery and living a pain-free life thanks to the generous donations of both the local community and supporters farther afield.
Kitten rescued by Ferne Animal Sanctuary.
The entire team at Ferne Animal Sanctuary has gone above and beyond in supporting our efforts to raise vital funds, and it has been heartwarming to see their commitment and resilience during these challenging times. I am endlessly grateful for the hard work, sacrifice and support the team has put in.
This experience has shown me the incredible impact we can have when we come together. The compassion and generosity we have seen from individuals, businesses, and communities have been nothing short of humbling. As we move forward, we remain committed to our mission of providing a safe haven for animals in need and continuing the vital work that Ferne Animal Sanctuary has conducted for over eighty-five years.
Thank you for standing by us, for believing in our mission, and for helping us provide the care, love, and support that every animal at Ferne deserves.