Guernsey

This August we had 14 more amazing Northern Trust staff volunteer for the GSPCA.

Over the previous four years 134 volunteers from Northern Trust have helped out at the GSPCA, with 38 staff helping in 2014 and a further 26 helping in 2015, 34 in 2016 and 16 in 2017, 48 in 2018 4 during June this year and with the 14 in august it takes the total to 180 in total.

With winter drawing in fast the GSPCA wanted to extend a huge thanks to the Skipton Community Fund for an amazing donation of £1500 earlier this year for much needed emergency equipment.

With 16 buildings on site at the GSPCA we have many rooms and areas with animals, many of which arrive sick or injured and if we ever had a heating fault or power cut could be put those sick or young at risk, but thanks to the Skipton Community Fund we now have 15 portable gas heaters and bottles which can now be used if ever we had a real emergency and loss of heat in essential areas.

Over three mornings 11 staff from Investec spent their time helping out at the GSPCA this summer.

The days all took place in June and the GSPCA are hugely grateful to all of their help.

From planting 100’s of geraniums kindly donated from the OGH via GFF Gardening to helping care for our Memorial Garden the groups were a huge help in so many ways.

Tim Pellett GSPCA Community and Training Officer said “It was great to greet, meet and get the lovely team from Investec helping around the GSPCA this summer.”

This Summer Tiger a 12 year old tabby cat found his forever home and we recently got a wonderful update on how he is settling into his new home.

His new owner said “Tiger is settling in beautifully!”

“As you can see from the attached photo he is very happy in his new bed, loves to have cuddles watching the t.v., and is having great fun playing with the child.”

Anna Paint Senior Animal care Assistant said “It is so lovely to see Tiger so happy in his new home.”

We are very lucky that most of Guernsey's beaches are dog friendly during the summer months.  However from last week on the 1^st October the beaches where dogs are banned between 1st May and 30th September have the restrictions lifted and these are –

• Fermain
• Petit Bot
• L'Erée
• Vazon (Northern end)
• Cobo
• Port Soif
• L'Ancresse
• Pembroke

Dogs are not permitted on Lihou Island and Lihou causeway all year round.

Last night the GSPCA greeted a packed room of new and willing volunteers.

From 13 years and up there were 15 interested in helping volunteer in aid of their Duke of Edinburgh Award and 7 volunteers keen to help with our Charity Shop, with the animals, admin, reception, cake baking and fund raising.

This was our 11^th Volunteer Induction of 2019 and takes the numbers inducted through these events this year to an amazing 133 new volunteers some which help every week and others that help occasionally.

Tonight we hold our 11^th Volunteer Induction of 2019 having inducted 111 volunteers through this years events.

Steve Byrne GSPCA Manager said “We cannot achieve so much without the incredible volunteers and team we have here at the GSPCA.”

“We love to meet new volunteers and our next induction is tonight at 630pm.”

“You can come along no matter your age or interest and you can find out how you can get involved and help support and be involved with the work of the GSPCA.”

This week GSPCA Honey has gone on sale at the GSPCA for £6 a jar.

On site at the GSPCA the Guernsey Beekeepers Association have a training apiary and have been on site with us since the 16^th May 2017.

There are a number of hives and the Guernsey Beekeepers use the GSPCA for training their members and those interested and they hold a number of events at the GSPCA each year.

We recently said a thank you to Grow Ltd for some wonderful donations of fruit and veg and we have had even more through the month of September which the GSPCA and in particular the animals are extremely grateful for.

Invideo who help create promotional videos saw our online thanks and educational message about feeding the correct food types to tortoise and kindly made a video as a way of us to promote the message.

Below and featured on our social media you can see the wonderful video which we are very grateful for.

At the GSPCA Animal Shelter in St Andrews we have two permanent and a casual post which we are currently looking to recruit individuals with excellent customer and animal care skills.

Working for the GSPCA is a diverse and often challenging position with great rewards from the 3000 animals we help through the doors 24/7 each year to the community we serve here in Guernsey.

The posts currently advertised are –

Full Time Animal Care Assistant Post (with Animal Ambulance Collection Officer, Reception & Night duties) Post – Primarily Kennels