NAWT_History_V1_Layout 1 23/08/2011 10:22 Page 1 Paws and passion 40 years of the NAWT NAWT_History_V1_Layout 1 23/08/2011 10:22 Page 2 A time to celebrate Welcome to our souvenir booklet. An important milestone like our 40th birthday cannot go by without some sort of recognition of our history and role and achievements in animal welfare over the past four decades. While the pace of life may have changed, our rescue and re-homing work remains constant thanks to the enormous contribution from our supporters, staff, volunteers and friends who have worked tirelessly David W over the years to ensure we’re able Centre arner with Ber M anage to celebrate this special year. r, Aliso kshire n Mer cer We’re unable to name you all but please remember we’re hugely grateful to everybody even if we don’t mention you personally. I’d like to also say a special thank you to Sidney Hicks, our founder, whose vision led to the charity’s establishment in the first place. We’re officially recognising Sidney this year by installing dedication plaques at each centre to ensure this year is one to remember in the years to come. David Warner Chief Executive Contents 02 03 07 10 12 15 17 19 Introduction Looking back over 40 years Watford: a window on the AWT Somerset: West Country wonder Cornwall: rags to riches Berkshire: caring for the elderly pets The only branch is Essex Timeline 1971 2011 NAWT_History_V1_Layout 1 23/08/2011 10:22 Page 3 Looking back over 40 years Early years with the BUAV The roots of the National Animal Welfare Trust lie in the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV). It established a BUAV Dog Rescue service to save the fate of dogs bound for animal experimentation in laboratories. Members would frequently visit markets in the North to buy puppies before transferring them to London for homing. The Union needed someone to run the operation and was put in touch with Sidney Hicks who owned the Hendon and Aldenham boarding kennels on Tyler’s Way, Watford. Writing about his first dog rescue many years later in the Trust’s 1981 annual report, Hicks said: “I shall never forget the day in June 1958 when we met 22 dogs at Kings Cross station. British Rail had transported them in a large horse-box and they spilled out on to the platform, all very fit and barking their heads off much to the astonishment of the press, who had turned up in force to witness the arrival of the unusual passengers.” By the mid-60s, the division was renamed BUAV Animal Aid to reflect its work with other animals. Hicks’s role also grew and he became the Union’s General Secretary at around the same time, a post he maintained until the late 1970s. ney Hicks Founder Sid sheepdog & Misty the NAWT Celebrating 40 years 03 NAWT_History_V1_Layout 1 23/08/2011 10:22 Page 4 The Animal Welfare Trust is founded It wasn’t long before the BUAV Executive Committee felt that animal aid was departing from the Union’s campaigning aims and so it was agreed to establish a separate charity known as the Animal Welfare Trust (AWT). Recollections of Sidney are rare. Former Executive Director Patricia Fraser was the first employee to be recruited by him in 1972. She said: “He was a kind man, a true gentleman. He was passionate about animal welfare and was by then an active Executive of the World Society for the Protection of Animals with which he was involved until his death.” Volunteer Joan Fitzgerald remembers first meeting Sidney Hicks when she offered to fundraise for BUAV Animal Aid. As it turned out it was an auspicious occasion as Joan became one of his most fervent supporters acting as a member of the BUAV Executive Committee and then becoming a trustee of both the AWT and the second charity set up by Hicks – the Dr Hadwen Trust for more than 30 years. Joan and colleagues – Audrey Evans, Cat pe Brenda Field, Mary James, Ann Linehan, ns fro m 19811982 Jean Saville, Mary Simnett and Maureen Willis – run Homeless Unwanted Lost Animals (HULA) in Hertfordshire, which is still affiliated to the Watford Centre to this day. Dr Hadwen Trust At the same time as the AWT was born, Sidney Hicks established the Dr Hadwen Trust in 1970 in memory of the physician and anti-vivisectionist Dr Walter Hadwen. Its purpose is to offer grants for the development of procedures and techniques to replace the use of animals in biomedical research and testing. Since 1970 it has funded more than 160 research projects in the fight against diseases such as asthma, Alzheimer's, cancer and heart disease. Chief Executive Kailah Eglington said: “We have come a long way from the early days of not being taken seriously to new technologies being used in research now and in the future. Our work has been further validated with the new EU directive coming into force in 2012 which says that if a nonanimal replacement research exists then researchers must by law use it.” www.drhadwentrust.org 04 NAWT Celebrating 40 years NAWT_History_V1_Layout 1 23/08/2011 10:22 Page 5 No time to waste With Patricia Fraser onboard as organising secretary, the early years of the AWT were spent setting up and supporting around 20 rescue and supporter groups across the country from Blackpool to Brighton. Many had been inherited from the BUAV days and the majority of them run by volunteers, assisting where they could by renting spaces at local kennels while new homes could be found for their charges. One such group was Thurrock – the forerunner to the Essex branch which has been operating as a voluntary organisation for the past 30 years. ssa & Vane n e z t Ran fle Esther as raf at xm d n o B A large part of the job was ensuring the charity remained in the public eye. A regular stream of celebrities such as BBC newsreader Robert Dougall and That’s Life presenter Esther Rantzen would come to show support at fundraising events. Even the UK branch of the Doris Day Appreciation Society adopted the charity for a short spell. Life became even more hectic when in 1981, the Trust acquired the Hendon & Aldenham Kennels and Patricia and her team of just two Franca Cappuccini and Sally de Cata moved into the Watford Centre. Working at such close quarters to animal rescue work and seeing what needed to be done by way of refurbishment, fired the enthusiasm of the small administrative team. New initiatives in the early years were a children’s “Savapet Club” which promoted responsible pet ownership and a schools programme which established regular visits to the centre. Noticing how many elderly people were unable to look after their pets when taken sick, the AWT became olin Baker & the first organisation to launch the Celebrities C pported Emergency Pet Care Scheme in Bill Oddie su g fundraisin 1986 – a service which cared for your animals should you need to go in to hospital. This was replaced by the present day Pet Care Card scheme, which offers older pet owners peace of mind if their pet is left behind when they die. NAWT Celebrating 40 years 05 NAWT_History_V1_Layout 1 23/08/2011 10:22 Page 6 New centres open within a decade The fundraising was beginning to make inroads and within a decade a second centre was acquired at Heaven’s Gate Farm in Somerset. Sidney Hicks died in the January of the charity’s 25th anniversary year. That same year, the charity launched a £1m appeal to purchase a site for elderly rescue pets and added the word “National” in front of its name. By the 30th anniversary in 2001, the Trust had gone on to open two more centres in Cornwall and Berkshire and was now homing close to 1,000 animals a year. The trustees toughest challenge was in the early 2000s when The Charity Commission visited the Trust and requested it update its operational procedures in order to reflect modern workplace practice. David Cherry, who was chairman of the trustees at the time, said: “The changes weren’t easy for any of us then but what helped was all the trustees working together as a team. It’s the trustees who are ultimately accountable for the charity’s welfare and we all rose to the challenge.” new hands over Pat Coombs r se a Fr icia van to Patr The charity’s current CEO David Warner, who joined in 2003, has steered the NAWT through a period of re-structuring which has also seen it adopt a more sustainable approach to its operations with the use of alternative energy in its building schemes. Latterly, with the economic climate making life hard for all charities, the NAWT will have to brace itself for further uncertainty in the future. Peter Egan a Watfo t rd Ope n Day 2001 Whatever fortunes lie ahead, one thing will never change – the unstinting love and support for all the animals in NAWT’s care. 06 NAWT Celebrating 40 years NAWT_History_V1_Layout 1 23/08/2011 10:22 Page 7 Watford – a window on the AWT AWT’s first rescue centre Watford’s home - Hendon and Aldenham kennels in Tylers Way - has been in existence for 80 years. Records show it was established in 1935 by vet Major William Hamilton Kirk who used the site as a quarantine and distemper hospital for dogs. By the time the Trust officially took it over in 1981 it was in a poor state, with part of it being used as private boarding kennels. Executive Director at the time Patricia Fraser remembers moving in: “We kept the boarding side of the business so that profits from this could be ploughed back into the charity. “Three of us worked out of a small caravan for the first year until we had sufficient funds to renovate an existing mobile home into an office. Once the public and supporters could see what we were trying to achieve, the funding started to come in.” nt s prese a m x ted 1985 Unwan ford in t a W at In 1989 the Watford centre decided to set up a fundraising branch of its own. Volunteer Pat Blanchard remembers attending the first meeting. She’d read about the NAWT’s Emergency Pet Care scheme and as a cat owner thought it was an idea worth supporting. Pat says: “It was a dark, wet November night but at least 20 people came along. I remember thinking the centre wasn’t looking very good and I guess it was proof enough to me that they were obviously spending the money on the animals.” The West Herts Branch as it was known became an active fundraising force running a wide mix of activities including the Cards for Good Causes Christmas charity cards initiative. NAWT Celebrating 40 years 07 NAWT_History_V1_Layout 1 23/08/2011 10:22 Page 8 No two days are the same Ivor Cross worked as head of maintenance at the site for many years. Although his main responsibilities were repairing and building new areas like the X-ray wing, with few male employees around, he often helped with rescue work. Ivor recalls a particularly frightening experience collecting an abandoned manhating Rottweiler found in a Bushey park that ended up taking a shine to him. Another time Ivor had to take an unpleasant drive one hot summer’s day transporting 122 dog poo samples from Watford to Brighton which needed testing at a veterinary laboratory during an outbreak of the contagious disease canine parvovirus. ork s at w s o r C Ivor He said: “I loved the job because no two days were the same. I remember one time being called out to rescue an injured badger by a busy road. When I got there all I found was a stuffed badger toy – someone must have been having a laugh somewhere.” In 1988 Watford became the first of the Trust’s centres to open a veterinary unit and since then all routine veterinary work has been carried out on site. Another supporter group that contributes towards Watford’s operations is the Surrey supporter branch. Chairman Elizabeth Barron, Treasurer Nigel Holland and Secretary Ann Foss are joined by a regular band of supporters – Jenny Barnes, Caroline Barron, Ron Beeke, John Foss, Gaynor Friston, Andrea Holland and Lynda Ross. Their fundraising pays for all sorts of specialist uniforms and equipment for animal care staff. 08 NAWT Celebrating 40 years NAWT_History_V1_Layout 1 23/08/2011 10:22 Page 9 Twiglet’s vigil While the centre mainly homes dogs, cats and small mammals, two famous residents have been Twiglet and Albert, the pot bellied pigs. At Christmas 2009, poor Twiglet kept carer Tania Mazzoni and staff on a nighttime vigil in freezing temperatures when she developed an infection complicated by hypothermia. The centre’s annual open days, where staff, Twiglet’s vigil volunteers and supporters welcome the local community to Watford to share their work, are particularly memorable for many. With its proximity to Elstree studios, home to the EastEnders set, cast members have supported Open Days over the years, most notably Pam St Clement who plays Pat Butcher in the TV soap. Former Trustee Joan Fitzgerald said: “I always love to watch how the rescue dogs – who come back to visit at the open days – greet their former handlers so excitedly. It immediately shows you how well looked after they are when they’ve been looked after by the NAWT.” Watford also shares its premises with the charity’s small headquarters team and is in urgent need of a multimillion pound rebuild to re-develop the site to upgrade the quality of the animal accommodation. This year thanks to a £15,000 grant from the Pedigree Adoption Drive, a much needed indoor dog training and exercise facility was created from an uninhabitable kennel block. s unche ent la m le C t entity Pam S and id new br NAWT Celebrating 40 years 09 NAWT_History_V1_Layout 1 23/08/2011 10:22 Page 10 Somerset: West Country wonder Early years Ten years after the opening of Watford, the Animal Welfare Trust opened its second rescue centre at picturesque Heaven’s Gate Farm near Langport on the edge of the Somerset Levels. The West Country had been an active area since BUAV Animal Aid days and in 1982 a Bristol and District branch was established. By 2000 there were seven charity shops operating in Bridport, Falmouth, Street, Taunton, Wellington, Weymouth, and Yeovil. Prior to being taken over by the AWT, the Langport site had run for seven years as the Heaven’s Gate Animal Rescue Centre charity but had been struggling to raise funds to carry on its work. The AWT’s president at the time, the Hon. Lisa Lascelles, had heard about the problem and wanted to see if the Trust would take it on, which it did. Like all the Trust’s properties, the need for animal rescue in the area was great but as ever the conditions of the buildings were in a poor state. Angela Niven, who was secretary at Heaven’s Gate from 1994 to 1999, said: “I remember the farm being a bit run down when I first worked there. Everything was centred round what we used to call the army hut, which is now the offices.” The centre and the Trust set about fundraising and within the first year Animal Magic presenter Johnny Morris launched a buildings appeal. is y Morr Johnn 10 Angela Niven NAWT Celebrating 40 years NAWT_History_V1_Layout 1 23/08/2011 10:22 Page 11 Triumph in adversity The Trust’s first foray into sustainability started at Heaven’s Gate with the reed pond sewage treatment system inspired by a visit to the organic Sheepdrove Farm in Berkshire. The system runs sewage through the waterbeds where the reeds extract the contaminated water before it is returned to the Somerset Levels. Rainwater harvesting is also in operation and the new cattery, which opened in 2008, has lowenergy under floor heating with solar powered hot water, and a wind turbine. erset’s Some of Som ; rs te suppor wards Ed ld ro a Vera & H Despite its rural location Heaven’s Gate has a loyal band of support stretching from Taunton in the south, to Bridgwater to the west and over to Glastonbury in the east. The Bridgwater Supporters Group, established by Angela Niven in 1994 when she placed an ad in the local paper asking for volunteers, has reached the £50,000 mark this year. The foot and mouth crisis of 2001 prompted the establishment of the dog rescue agility team. The centre was closed to visitors for five months and staff wondered how they would promote the 100 or so animals in their care. It was Christine Fowler, Heaven’s Gate’s then dog trainer, who came up with the brainwave of a dog agility display team. Relying on donated equipment, five members of staff and a couple of dogs formed the initial group and went on to show at country fairs in operation that year. Owners were found for the dogs on display - a tradition which continues to this day. Pat & Tony Noakes nd Shirley Garla Every summer the display team attends around 20 different events. Volunteers from the Bridgwater Fundraising Group accompany the agility team to most fairs to rally support. NAWT Celebrating 40 years 11 NAWT_History_V1_Layout 1 23/08/2011 10:22 Page 12 Cornwall’s tale of rags to riches Molly Wyatt’s legacy It was while on holiday in Cornwall in the mid-90s that Patricia Fraser had a chance meeting with Molly Wyatt – wife of England cricketer Bob Wyatt - who was known for dog rescue work in Cornwall. Pat Fleck, who has worked as a volunteer home check coordinator for Cornwall from the beginning, first worked with Molly when she found an abandoned black Labrador cross. She said: “When he was eventually taken to a new home a few weeks later, I casually said to Molly that if she ever got stuck, she could give me a call if she needed me to look after another dog. She called three weeks later and I’ve been hooked ever since.” When Molly was diagnosed with terminal cancer, she approached Patricia to see if the Trust would bring her rescue work under its umbrella. Sadly before legalities were sorted Molly died and there was some concern over whether her vital work would stop. The Trust held a public meeting in Truro in September 1997 where friends, helpers and supporters unanimously voted to carry out Molly’s final wishes and support the NAWT to become the guardians of her life’s work. The rescue worked out of privately-owned boarding kennels for three and a half years, fully funded by the Trust’s headquarters in Watford. Then, after the Trust was given notice to leave the kennels, a local campaign was launched to generate publicity and support in trying to find a new place to house the dogs. Other kennels around the county offered space and a local farmer offered an unused cow shed. 12 NAWT Celebrating 40 years NAWT_History_V1_Layout 1 23/08/2011 10:22 Page 13 Move to Wheal Alfred Farm Jane Virot, volunteer Chair of NAWT Cornwall from 1996 to 2009, said: “We needed to keep all our dogs together and Pat Fleck remembered some kennels in Hayle. We arrived unannounced and three hours later left with a verbal agreement for use of nine kennels until we found a more permanent home. We moved in a month later with two part-time staff - Jackie Thomas and Lyn Hanrahan - with me as volunteer chair of the management committee. Conditions were incredibly basic - the nearest water tap was some 50 yards down the drive and the only source of electricity was a 15-amp plug. The animal food preparation was carried out in an old donkey shed with two sides missing and shared with a tractor.” Jane added: “We officially opened to the volunteer Jane Virot, 09 Chair 1996-20 public on 1st August 2000 and things really started to happen then. A supporter arrived with a two-berth caravan which became our office for the first 18 months and visitors started to arrive with food, towels, blankets. All the things so desperately needed.” Of course the one major concern was finances and while Watford took care of salaries and vets bills, a fundraising drive begun in earnest to help with running costs. A generous anonymous supporter paid the rent for the first five years while fundraising steadily grew. Some of the activities included a volunteer who dressed as a dog and was sponsored to sleep in one of the kennels for the night. To maximise impact stalls were set up and the public invited. With a boost of publicity from the local press, the community response was amazing. Meanwhile Pat Fleck and the animal care team started to build awareness of the charity’s work in the county, working particularly hard with the local authorities to promote their work. She said: “We asked the council to extend the dogs’ length of stay in the pound so we could take them in and re-home them when we had a vacancy.” NAWT Celebrating 40 years 13 NAWT_History_V1_Layout 1 23/08/2011 10:22 Page 14 Funding the future The main fundraising committee was formed early on and consisted of Marie Carter, Esmie and Ken Richards, Angie Martin and Rosa Moulton who went on to become the catering co-ordinator and famous for her teas and cakes. Joining them were Jackie Tregellas, who edited the Cornish Canine World newsletter to keep supporters abreast of the centre’s appeals and activities, Jill Brown, who continues to sell NAWT products to this day, and fundraisers Rosemary Hawman, Gill Head and Val Holderness. Norman Thompson, husband of the late staff member Janet Thompson, who set up the Cornwall agility classes. NAWT secretary Pamela Wootton and craftmaker Shirley Barrett, also assisted. This crack team organised dozens of events including a stall at Helston Floral Day to a 10-mile walk around Helford River. Jane said: “We pulled Misty the plastic mascot dog on a trolley from Truro to Falmouth. We took part in street pageants at Truro, and collected at supermarkets where one time we were left with an abandoned litter of five week-old kittens.” The centre’s vet, Patrick McCotter, hosted annual BBQs to help raise more than £10,000. First sustainable rescue centre Ten years on from Molly’s death – and with more than £320,000 of funds in the bank - the Wheal Alfred Farm site came up for sale and was purchased for £160,000. The rest of the money went towards the £1.2m rebuilding costs and the new state-of-the-art rescue centre was officially opened in 2009 incorporating sustainable designs. Jane adds: “Even the excavated earth from the building works was used to create an artificial hill and a sensory garden that is enjoyed by humans and dogs alike.” “When it officially opened it was a moment of sheer pride and thanks in no small part to all the support of the local community and the people of Cornwall.” 14 NAWT Celebrating 40 years NAWT_History_V1_Layout 1 23/08/2011 10:22 Page 15 Berkshire – caring for the elderly pets Old but not forgotten While puppies and kittens can be homed within a matter of days, elderly pets are some of the hardest residents to re-home. There are many reasons for this. Sometimes people are put off by the health problems associated with older pets. Other times it is because they don’t present themselves as well as younger animals when members of the public come in to view them. The Trust recognised this early on and launched an appeal to buy and convert a purpose built site for older pets. A suitable place was found in farmland near Great Shefford in Berkshire. It took some time to gain planning permission but eventually, it opened its doors to the public in 2001. Anyone who visits a NAWT Centre will know the efforts made to give elderly pets a more comfortable life. At Trindledown every domestic pet is given its own “room” with a comfy armchair and TV. Pictures and curtains hang on the walls to give it that homely feel. Val Val Hounsell, the first centre manager, remembers starting her new job in the midst of a flood. “We had to wade about in wellies and it delayed our official opening. In those days the only landline was in the bungalow so I got very good at running from wherever I was to answer the phone.” Val’s first charges were five horses, two cows, sheep, two goats, pigs and, in particular, a couple of tortoises which were excellent at escaping down the track and on to the nearby road. Soon Val and her husband were joined by dogs and cats and a steady stream of local wildlife brought in at all hours by the local stable lads. NAWT Celebrating 40 years 15 NAWT_History_V1_Layout 1 23/08/2011 10:22 Page 16 Promoting the elderly Val said: “At first a lot of my time was spent raising awareness of what we were about. Once people understood that we were interested in homing elderly pets then we got lots of support from all sorts of people too.” Val didn’t entirely rest from her work even when on holiday in The Gambia when she paid a visit to a cat rescue charity called Gambicats. The meeting resulted in the charity sending over their manager Dodou Bojang to learn about animal rescue in the UK. Dodou officially opened the Open Day that summer. Trindledown Farm has been strongly supported by its local community despite being a relative newcomer to the area. The late Beryl McDermott, supported by husband Bill, and together with Finchampstead Supporters Group, were the driving force behind the fundraising. In later years Pete Waight and the late Jenny Owen became involved in the barn sales which raise approximately £2,000 a month towards running costs. Jenny is the only person to have had ashes placed in the NAWT garden of remembrance, such was her devotion for the animals there especially Noel, the donkey. u Peers Volunteer Lo with Jess 16 The late Je nny Owen and Pete W aight NAWT Celebrating 40 years NAWT_History_V1_Layout 1 23/08/2011 10:22 Page 17 The only branch is Essex Oldest voluntary rescue service The oldest active rescue voluntary group of the NAWT is the Thurrock Branch, which began its life in 1977. Branch secretary Gloria Abbott explains: “Unlike the Centres who have paid staff, we are all volunteers and whether being responsible for animals or collecting items for re-sale, you can be at people’s beck and call from early morning to late at night. It takes a patient family to accept interruptions to their lives.” Gloria’s husband Brian has been treasurer since 1979 and over the years, without premises of their own, the group has juggled animal care and fundraising duties between them. Although Thurrock has rented spaces at a local kennels for 32 years, the team also fostered cats, rabbits and dogs in their own homes or gardens. Penny Fennell was one of the first branch secretaries. She left the post due to family commitments soon after but continued supporting the branch for the next 20 years, keeping injured birds in her aviary, fostering rabbits and kittens, particularly those that needed hand-rearing. Brian & t Gloria Abbot Brenda Campion was another early volunteer who ran the dog section for a year before Gloria took it over 25 years ago. Brenda went on to foster puppies, rabbits and injured birds. This included a windblown, maggot-infested Tracey Nich Little Owl that needed round-the-clock care. olls He grew up knowing no one but Brenda and withPaula W atts a representative from the Department for the Environment officially declared Brenda his main carer after agreeing that he would not survive in the wild. NAWT Celebrating 40 years 17 NAWT_History_V1_Layout 1 23/08/2011 10:22 Page 18 Horses count too Looking back Gloria said: “In those early days we were probably homing around 500 cats and dogs a year but now it is only about 200. Due to the high incidence of neglected horses in the borough, we also get involved with them as well.” Rita Lawson joined the group in 1984 after answering an appeal for local volunteers in the paper. As one of the few helpers not at work in the week, she would help Brian with taking the animals to vets as necessary. Paula Watts became the branch secretary in 1984 and almost immediately began fostering cats. The following year she took charge of the cat section remaining secretary and running several fundraising activities. While family commitments eventually took over, Paula still remains a strong supporter. Today Rene Harrington is the current chairman while Carol Smith and Margaret Emmins continue their roles as stalwart fundraisers. Daphne Rider runs the cat homing and Jane Fenner the dogs. Gloria believes one of the branch’s greatest achievements is promoting animal welfare in the borough. “We worked with Thurrock Council to help produce an animal welfare charter and horse charter to promote responsible ownership. They are both used by the borough to this day.” ANIMA L WELF ARE PO (i) Pre LICY amble This Co u promo ncil being of te the the op w in enhan ce soci elfare of anim ion that to ety an als can can be d that judged th e tone but that en b of soci d, Thu y its treatme ety rr n asserts ock Bo t of an th ro imals to from e e right of all ugh Council xploita h cr e e re ature by ti sufferi ng in a on and the in s to be free ll it fl use its best en s forms AND iction of d rights and to eavours to p UNDERTAKE S to romote encoura those ge oth ers to (ii) Co do like mpanio wise. n Anim This Co als u Rights ncil supports /W th greate elfare Organ e Animal rp is other co rotection fo ations in the ir call fo r dogs mpanio and ca r and co n a nim ts a nsiders that su als in the com nd all duty o f the P ch matt munity e ers sho rmane Protect nt uld be io a the op n and in part Council for A inion th nim icular th at:is Coun al cil is of 18 NAWT Celebrating 40 years NAWT_History_V1_Layout 1 23/08/2011 10:22 Page 19 Our milestones 1971 1977 1978 1981 1986 1988 1990 1991 1996 1997 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Animal Welfare Trust charity established by Sidney Hicks. Thurrock branch established. Launch of Pet Concern – service for elderly people in times of emergency. Hendon & Aldenham Kennels purchased by AWT as first rescue centre. Later becomes the NAWT London & Home Counties Centre. Animal Welfare Trust Bulletin starts from HQ twice a year. Trust acquires adjoining 2.5 acre field in Watford. Launch of Emergency Pet Care. 15,000 cats and dogs rescued by the Trust since charity started in 1971. First veterinary unit opens at London & Home Counties Centre. 20 volunteer branches in operation from Blackpool to Brighton. Heaven’s Gate Farm in West Henley, Somerset, purchased and opened. Johnny Morris helps to launch building appeal in first year. Later becomes NAWT Somerset Rescue Centre. Founder Sidney Hicks dies. Charity celebrates 25 years by adding the name ‘National’ to Animal Welfare Trust. £1m appeal launch to find and purchase centre for elderly pets. Robbie from EastEnders filmed at London & Home Counties Centre when ‘Wellard’ the dog went missing in the show. Cornwall Branch starts operating Cornish animal rescue scheme run by Molly Wyatt until her death. New veterinary unit opens at Somerset Centre. Trust take on lease at Wheal Alfred Farm in Hayle for its Cornish rescue operations. Somerset Centre’s Dog Agility Team founded. 30th anniversary. Trindledown Farm opens as first purpose built home for elderly pets. Later becomes known as NAWT Berkshire Centre. New reception area completed and opened at London & Home Counties Centre. TV for animal rooms installed at Berkshire Rescue Centre. 1,500 animals homed that year. NAWT takes part in first animal rescue dog agility display at Crufts. It continues to do this to the present day. NAWT new logo and identity launched. Animate magazine launched. £1.2m renovation of Cornwall Centre starts following successful local fundraising campaign to purchase Wheal Alfred Kennels in Hayle. New stable block, reception and vet unit opens at Berkshire Centre. New cattery opens at Somerset Centre. Cornwall Centre opens to the public. Heaven’s Gate Farm receives Pets at Home grant for upgrade of dog intake area. London & Home Counties Centre secures £15,000 funding for dog kennel upgrade from Pedigree Adoption Drive. 40th anniversary. NAWT Celebrating 40 years 19 NAWT_History_V1_Layout 1 23/08/2011 10:22 Page 20 We hope you’ve enjoyed reading our history and if you are inspired to further support our work then please consider donating to our cause or following our progress by following us on Facebook or by subscribing to our Animate newsletter by emailing [email protected] Text NAWT40 and your anonymous donation to 70070, for example NAWT£5 to 70070 NAWT Head Office Tylers Way, Watford-By-Pass, Watford, Hertfordshire WD25 8WT T 020 8950 0177 www.nawt.org.uk
© Copyright 2026 Paperzz