ANNUAL OPEN AFTERNOON 21st August 2021

And what a day! Having been unable to welcome visitors to our Rescue Centre for two years and with fears of heavy rain on the day, it was a joy to be able to open the gates and see 123 of our faithful supporters arriving. It was good to meet up again and also to hear how many of our adopted cats are getting on. Everyone was very generous as they went from stall to stall, and also enjoyed tea and homemade cakes in the Memorial Garden. On that note, a big thank you to the amazing cake makers for their baking of a wide variety of delicious things to tempt us, which included muffins with an icing cat or a paw print on top!

So many thank yous are necessary for making the day such a success, even despite rain at times.

Undaunted, hoods and umbrellas went up! Preparations went on all week to set every-thing up thanks to the team of helpers, and thanks also to those who looked after all the stalls and the car parking on the day.

The raffle table was filled with good things to win as was the ever popular tombola. There was also a large book stall and one with a huge variety of things for young people. Jigsaws were selling like hot cakes. Other stalls had plants, jewellery, quality gifts, catmobilia and our own Paws & Claws 2022 calendar plus the notepads, cards and books about the cats, that we produce.

Our sincere thanks, also to ‘The Ferals’, Graham, John and Keith, three highly talented musicians who came together especially for us. They really put a smile on our faces and even had some folk dancing, or just moving to the music and singing along to the popular hits of the 60s. Clearly everyone enjoyed them, and for those of us of a certain age it brought back happy memories of our teenage years!

The amount of money raised on the stalls and gate came to £1,552, plus other generous donations given to enable us to help the many needy cats we have rescued, and as we prepare them to be ready for a new life. And we’d also like to thank everyone who brought cat food.

Our Grace disappeared in the paddock after breakfast when she sensed all the activity, but returned at tea time to check her usually peaceful life was being restored, and on a full tummy, went to sleep in her cosy bed for the night.