Spring into Action!

Each year and particularly each spring, wildlife sanctuaries around the UK take in countless injured or orphaned wild animals who would otherwise die. Bedfordshire Wildlife Rescue, based in Houghton Regis, is no exception being the only wildlife rescue facility in Bedfordshire. They currently admit over 1000 patients per year from hedgehogs to badgers, foxes to field mice, ducks to barn owls.

It is estimated that only 9% of wildlife casualties seen by carers are due to natural causes (British Wildlife Rehabilitation Council - 2000) and only 17% are due to parental abandonment. The remaining 74% are brought in as a result of negative contact with humans; be it accidental, as with most car casualties; negligent, as with litter casualties or deliberate as with shooting and poisoning casualties.

It was as a result of the high percentage of illness and injury caused by humans that Bedfordshire Wildlife Rescue was formed in Spring 2004. The organisation was set up by a small group of wildlife enthusiasts who had discovered that there were no organisations in the County that dealt with these sick and injured wild animals.

The day to day running of the organisation is managed by Sam Bedford who admits, treats, rears and cares for all of the incoming patients based at the small treatment room/ward at the rescue facility. The patients are admitted, taken to their local supportive vet or transferred to a foster carer until, if possible, the animals are released back into the wild.

To cope with the large amounts of baby birds which will be brought in over the next few months, Bedfordshire Wildlife Rescue urgently need local volunteers. Do you have a small amount of time to help clean and feed the patients at the rescue facility or could you foster an animal or bird in your own home? The work is far from glamorous but, if you feel that helping the Bedfordshire Wildlife Rescue team rehabilitate and release patients back into the wild is reward enough and are over 16 years of age then this may be the opportunity for you!

If you are interested in finding out more, please contact Rebecca or Lucy at the Volunteer Centre at Voluntary and Community Action on 01525 850559 or email volunteer@action-southbeds.org.uk. If you would like to explore other volunteering opportunities that are available in South Bedfordshire please contact the Volunteer Centre for a Volunteering Directory or to arrange an informal chat.

ENDS

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About Voluntary and Community Action South Bedfordshire

Voluntary and Community Action is committed to strengthening the effectiveness of the voluntary and community sector in South Bedfordshire by developing, enabling, promoting and supporting voluntary and community action. It seeks to achieve this through advocacy; capacity building activities; enhancing the provision of volunteering opportunities; the exchange of information; the provision of training; advice and consultancy; and by working in partnership with others.

Contact:          Lucy Crayk, Volunteering Officer
Address:         Bossard House
                      West Street
                      Leighton Buzzard
                      Bedfordshire LU7 1DA
Telephone:      01525 850559                                       
Email:             volunteer@action-southbeds.org.uk