A Frankby charity that rescues and cares for neglected animals will be able to help even more pets and wildlife, thanks to a £25,000 donation from Omaze.
The funding has paid for a brand new van, something Jackson’s Animal Rescue desperately needed. Previously staff and volunteers had to use their own cars, with multiple trips often necessary. The donation also included a contribution towards insurance costs.
The charity was launched by former support worker Steph Baines in 2015, and rescues and rehomes domestic animals from across the region, cares for sick, injured and orphaned hedgehogs and provides a sanctuary for farm animals at its wildlife centre in Frankby and a second facility in Mold.
Steph and her team of staff and volunteers will use the van to collect and transport animals in need, as well as moving bulky donations between three Jackson’s charity shops, including one in Hoylake.
Steph said: “The van is something we’ve wanted for so long, especially since we’ve been split across two sites. It’s been on our wishlist forever.
“For our dream to finally become reality, and a brand new van simply arrive one day thanks to funding from the Omaze community, is just incredible. It’s made our lives so much easier – and will make a huge difference to the work we do and the animals we care for.”
Charity founder Steph Baines
James Oakes, President of Omaze, said: “We’re delighted to support Steph and all the team at Jackson’s Animal Rescue in a way that will have an immediate and positive impact on the animals they help. The charity does a fantastic job in transforming the lives of animals across the Wirral and beyond, and we wish them all the very best with their work in the future.”
Steph launched the charity after adopting her own rescue dog, Jackson. Realising how much need there was for support in the Wirral and the surrounding area, she put a call out on social media to see what level of interest there might be.
It cares for up to 150 hedgehogs at a time, as well as rabbits and hares who are nursed back to health by trained staff and volunteers, with further support from local vets, before they are released back to the wild.
Steph added: “The new van means we can collect more animals at once, transporting them safely and efficiently to the rescue centre. Previously, when we’ve encountered large numbers of cats in need of rescue – sometimes as many as 30 at one time in hoarder cases – we’ve had to make several trips for a single job, and we’re delighted this will now be a thing of the past.”
Top photo: Steph Baines with Natasha Walker from Omaze