A Nottinghamshire wildlife rescue that cares for everything from mice to deer has received a £1,000 donation from The Wilkins Group, marking the final cheque in the company’s year-long ‘12 Months of Giving’ initiative.
The donation has been made to Mansfield Wildlife Rescue, a Mansfield Woodhouse-based organisation providing a lifeline for injured and abandoned animals, and will help cover vital winter costs including veterinary bills, animal feed and rising energy expenses as demand for call-outs continues across the county and beyond.
The cheque was presented by Aron Wilkins of The Wilkins Group, the family-run packaging firm headquartered in Colwick, Nottingham.
Aron said: “This final donation felt like a very fitting way to round off our 12 Months of Giving campaign. Mansfield Wildlife Rescue does incredibly demanding work, often behind the scenes, and Cheryl and her team are there at all hours helping animals that would otherwise have nowhere to go.
“These smaller, highly specialised organisations are so often overlooked, yet they make an enormous difference locally. We’re really pleased that this donation will help support the rescue through the colder months, when demand and costs are at their highest.”
Mansfield Wildlife Rescue was founded after Cheryl’s long career working in parrot rescue, which started 35 years ago, during which she travelled the UK attending steam rallies and events. Over time, members of the public began bringing injured and abandoned animals directly to her home, which eventually led to the creation of the rescue.
Cheryl Martins said: “Today we help rehabilitate all kinds of wildlife, from mice to deer. Some animals are able to return to the wild after a period of care, while others need permanent homes. Although most of our call-outs are local, people will travel from much further afield if they have an animal that needs help – in fact, we recently had animals brought to us all the way from Manchester!
“We’re often called out in the middle of the night by the police or by drivers who have hit animals such as badgers or deer, and we always do our best to attend. Over the past year alone we’ve rescued everything from dumped kittens and puppies left at the roadside to foxes currently being rehabilitated on site and even piglets. Donations like this make a huge difference, helping us cover vet bills, feed costs and energy bills, especially during the winter months.”
“There are very few rescues locally that will take in all types of injured wildlife, and that means we receive a huge number of enquiries. Donations like this make a real difference, helping us cover vet bills, keep the lights on and make sure every animal is properly fed and cared for.”
The donation completes The Wilkins Group’s ‘12 Months of Giving’ campaign, which has seen the company donate £1,000 each month throughout the year to charities and community organisations across Nottinghamshire. In total, £12,000 has been donated to causes that are often small, niche or under-funded, but provide vital support in their communities.
The Wilkins Group produces food packaging for the likes of Pukka Pies, Pizza Express, Harrods, and Cadbury.
It also is credited with producing bespoke and award-winning items such as eco-friendly coat hangers and the iconic M&S light-up glitter gin bottles. The company also won at this year's Business of the Year Awards for the East Midlands.
For more information about Mansfield Wildlife Rescue, visit their Facebook page. For more information on The Wilkins Group, visit www.wilkins.co.uk