Southport’s Woodlands Animal Sanctuary community hub thanks locals for support after busy opening period

The Woodlands Animal Sanctuary community hub has enjoyed a busy six months since opening in Southport town centre earlier this year, as local people were thanked for their support.

The centre, which opened in a vacant former shop unit at 67 Eastbank Street in February, supports the continuous effort to rescue and rehome animals of all shapes and sizes at the Woodlands Animal Sanctuary which is based at Woodlands Farm in Holmeswood, Lancashire.

The community hub is keen to grow its presence in Southport, reaching out to more customers, more supporters and more volunteers.

Woodlands Animal Sanctuary community hub retail assistant Marc Lewis said:

“We opened on 3rd February and we are now nearly six months old!

“The progress we have made with the local community since we opened, and the welcome we have received, has been fantastic.

“This had been an empty unit for a couple of years before we moved in, so we are delighted to have been able to have made a positive difference to Eastbank Street.

“We have so much to offer here, whether it’s great value pre-loved clothes, toys, furniture and household goods; volunteering opportunities; or our pet food bank for struggling owners.

“We don’t refer to this place as a ‘charity shop’, but as a community hub, to reflect all that we offer more accurately.

“For years the people of Southport have stood by us. Now we’ve opened in Southport, in a town where people have supported Woodlands so well for so many years.

“During this cost of living crisis, we’re proud to be able to offer some high quality pre-loved items for sale to shoppers.

“We often provide animal encounter opportunities for all ages, including with our famous goats from Woodlands, who are all named after Toy Story characters!

“Our most popular one is Woody – he’s the G.O.A.T. of goats, he’s just brilliant.

“It’s lovely to see the reaction on children’s faces when they see our goats! It shows the variety of the animals that we rehome and care for at our sanctuary – cats, goats, and more.

“The goats were on show at our recent Woodlands Animal Sanctuary Fun Day, which was a perfect opportunity for members of the public to come out and have a look around our animal sanctuary and learn more about the work that we do.”

Established in 2005, the goal of  Woodlands Animal Sanctuary is to relieve the suffering of animals who are in need of care and attention, and in particular to provide or maintain refuge, secure homes, sanctuaries or other facilities for the reception and care of unwanted animals and the treatment of sick or ill-treated animals.

Woodlands take in a range of species, the only shelter in West Lancashire that caters for multi-species.

All of their staff are qualified in animal management or animal care.

Woodlands runs an education programme aimed at schools, clubs and groups in the local areas and also works with the local community taking our animals to meet and greet people in care homes, schools and day care centres.

They provide many opportunities for volunteers, including for volunteers with special needs.

Marc Lewis said: “Woodlands Animal Sanctuary and this community hub couldn’t function without the support of our amazing volunteers.

“We are always eager to welcome more people, with lots of tasks available depending on what suits you, and on what skills you’re looking to develop.

“Whether you’re a sorting enthusiast, a till whiz, or just someone who loves a good chat with customers, we’d love to have you on the team.

“You will be investing in animal welfare, building community resilience, and ensuring no animal in need goes without help.

“It’s great to see the volunteers who come in, and the positive changes we see while they’re here, whether that’s building confidence, or learning new skills.”

Woodlands also offers corporate volunteer days as part of its strategy to diversify its income streams and forge positive links with the Lancashire business community.

From team building days and animal carer experiences to fundraising partnerships and event sponsorships, the corporate partnership programme helps businesses invest in staff wellbeing while providing valuable support for the sanctuary’s work.

Marc added: “Experiences like these are a great way of giving back to employees, promoting teamwork and rewarding staff with time out of their everyday for their own wellbeing. They also play a vital role in helping us meet our running costs and enabling us to continue rescuing animals.”

Visit the Woodlands Animal Sanctuary website here.

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