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Page Updated:

17/03/2011 17:29

 VOLUNTEERS WANTED

WHY VOLUNTEER? We asked  Tim and Jacki Woolmington ...

1. How have you been volunteering for Glastonbury & Wells Cats Protection over the years?

Tim: We started helping at one of the big fairs and then went on to help on stalls, even taking on new ones by ourselves such as at a local Dog Show and the Wells Rec Centenary spring fair, which even got us and the stall pictured in the Wells Journal! I then became chairman of the branch to help the committee with meetings and later Branch Co-ordinator for a bit.

Jacki: After the Fairs and doing stalls at events I wanted to be more involved so took on responsibility for New Goods. After that we took on Lost and Found for a year and a bit and then I volunteered to do the Raffle and that lasted about a year.

Tim: We did arrange a super Christmas Bash one year at Cafe Bleu where we had live Irish Music provided by Gill’s friends and it was after this that Jacki had the idea of a Barn Dance. So for the next five years we ran The Yetties Barn Dance in the Bishop’s Barn in Wells, always in June.

Other than that we’ve done home checks, vet runs, an occasional rescue and delivered adopted cats. We have continued to help at the fairs and on stalls. These days we’ve ended up as the recyclers for the fairs and have, on and off, helped Janet with the Moat Race stall in Wells.

2. How long have you been volunteering for the branch?

Jacki: Too long!

Tim: It's about 15 years.

3. How did you first get involved with the branch?

Tim: Jacki told me it would be a good idea!

Jacki: We rang up to join and soon volunteered to help at a Spring Fair and slowly got a little more involved with stalls. Then in, must have been ’98, we attended the Branch Open Day. When we got to Pauline’s we saw a young kitten who looked like the reincarnation of our second cat who had recently died. We then spent a number of weeks visiting Pauline to socialise Buster and his brother before we took them home. That regular visit somehow got us involved in the Branch Family.

Tim: Like the Mafia really. And that also triggered my first article for Mews.

4. What were your key motivations for volunteering with us?

Tim: We knew what it was about and thought it would be a good way to keep helping cats.

Jacki: Really it was a continuation of what we did before moving to Somerset. We’d had cats for all but the first year of our married life. We thought it would be easier than having kids – WRONG! So it wasn’t long before we were a multi-cat household which is when a friend introduced us to Animal Shelter. We really enjoyed helping at Animal Shelter’s Open Day in Cobham – we used to do the hot-dogs and burgers, all vegetarian of course, and we later took a small part of Woking CP, rattling a tin, running a stall for their Open Day.

5. What are your favourite parts of your volunteering role?

Jacki: Working on the stalls, interacting with people, hearing about their cats and knowing we’re not as weird as we think!

Tim: Probably. For me some of the best bits have been collecting a reported lame cat to find he had a leg through his collar which was a long way through his neck – cutting that collar gave instant relief but recovery took months. Then there was answering the door to a neighbour reporting a lost cat and at the same time answering the phone to a report of a found cat. I just handed the phone to our neighbours and they were soon off to collect their cat. Oh, and winding Gill up.

6. Can you briefly describe what you do to help at the fairs for our readers?

Tim: Mostly I follow Gill around with my camera hoping to get some good candid shots with which I can embarrass her! Mind you, she and Andy have had their revenge a couple of times. Ok, other than that it’s helping on stalls and then, for the last half of the afternoon, the real reason we’re at the fair - recycling. That’s sorting and bagging all the ‘rubbish’ into the separate categories that our licence allows us to recycle.

7. Why do you choose now to help at the fairs as opposed to the many other volunteer roles that are available?

Jacki: They are regular and predictable which we need because our life doesn’t let us respond to the demands of other roles. They also give me great satisfaction when I’ve been able to enjoy a lot of interaction with the public. There’s lots of variety and the volunteer has to get something from it to keep going.

8. What skills do you have that help you in your role?

Tim: Experience, interest, belief and background. All you really need are the usual ‘life-skills’ to be a volunteer.

Jacki: None but people like to talk to me. A sense of humour helps and I know how to listen. I like to be amenable.

9. Why would you recommend volunteering to others?

Jacki: If someone said they wanted to give something back then I’d say volunteer for an organisation that matches your interests.

Tim: You can make a difference.

WHY VOLUNTEER? We asked  Emma Challis of Shepton Mallet, our newest fosterer...

1. How long have you been volunteering for the branch, Emma?

Six months and I’ve already homed 4 cats in that time!

2. And how did you get involved with the branch?

Well, I’ve always known about Cats Protection due my 20 years experience as a vet nurse and I’ve been involved with some CP cases via the vets I’ve worked for. I became involved with the local branch as I’m acquainted with Harriet and Andy Wright who are also fosterers in Shepton Mallet and they approached me to see if I‘d like to get involved. After much consideration and meeting some of the other main local branch volunteers, I became a local branch member and soon got my pen!

3. What were your key motivations for volunteering with us?

Cats are my favourite pets and I’m good with them. I have always done my best to help them, to see that they’re happy and to make sure they have a happy home.

4. What are your favourite parts to your volunteering role?

The best thing is the satisfaction that I get when I drop a cat off at its new home and I can see that it all works out well for the cat. The last cat I homed (Podge) settled brilliantly and it was great to see him going round the house sniffing and sussing it all out. I also really like it that in my experience so far the new owners really listen. They ask for my advice and write things down. I really appreciate this respectful behaviour.

5. Can you briefly describe your daily fostering routine for our readers?

Of course. I go into the pen at least twice a day. I feed the cat, give it a cuddle, clear the litter tray and play with the cat. You can basically go in as often as you like and I get it to fit around what I need to do in the day. The pen, heating, litter, food, toys etc are all provided by CP and if I need anything I just ask.

6. Why did you choose to foster as opposed to other volunteer roles and what skills do you have that you can use?

Well, I feel that my job as a vet nurse lends itself to fostering and I’m good at handling cats. I’ve done lots of courses on cats and cat behaviour and I’m good at spotting problems with cats and getting something done about it quickly.

7. Why would you recommend volunteering to others?

There are lots of reasons! I’ve had lots of support from senior members of the local CP branch and the role itself is very self-satisfying and rewarding. It doesn’t have to take up too much of your time and you can choose how much you do. If you’re busy then you just use the minimum amount of time but if you’re not then you can do more. It’s very flexible. All the cats that I’ve homed to date have been very sweet and good natured.

If you like the sound of what Emma has to say about fostering then please contact Harriet on 01749 343319 to find out more! Maybe you’re the next new fosterer for our branch or know of someone else who’d love the role? We’d especially love to extend our presence up into the Cheddar, Axbridge or Wedmore areas

WHY VOLUNTEER? We asked Kim Sadd of Glastonbury, one of our active volunteers about how she helps the branch. She is perhaps best known for her cat suit at our fairs in Wells!

• How do you volunteer for Glastonbury & Wells Cats Protection?

I do lots of things. I help at the Spring and Christmas Fairs in Wells Town Hall; deliver the Mews newsletter by (literally) running around Glastonbury; send out Neutering Vouchers, pick up cat food and litter from our central store and drop them at our foster homes in Glastonbury, Street and Walton; and finally in 2008 I raised money by running the Flora London Marathon.

• How long have you been volunteering for branch?

Since 2002 at the Christmas Fair and I’m not planning to stop unless I have to!

• How did you get involved with the branch?

I was a CP member in Berkshire and when I moved to Somerset with my cats - Sugar and Spice - to start a new life with Richard Sadd (my then boyfriend), I met Bob Brightmore and Judith Davies and their cats, who live in the same road as us, and they gave me the forms to join. Bob started taking me out so I could learn the ropes in CP ways and get to know all the roads. Now I am let loose and do various jobs when required.

• What were your key motivations for volunteering with us?

Cats and kittens are my first priority and helping other members when they are busy or away.

• What are your favourite parts to your volunteering role?

Taking cats and kittens to either the vets, new owners or members. Meeting people at the 2 fairs we have with my cat suit on and selling Christmas Raffle tickets! The best part was adopting the CP cat “Tiggs” on 30^th April 2003 to keep Spice company since losing his sister.

• Can you briefly describe a typical day that you might do for CP for our readers?

A CP member rings up asking me to take a kitten to the vet and onto the new owner. After taking down all the details that I need on my own design CP message pad, I ring up the new owner to see if she will be in when I bring the kitten over. I leave the house armed with my message pad with house details, CP adoption form, a pen, Sat Nav, money, phone, CP cat basket and my blanket from my garage, and of course the car keys. I head to the foster unit where the cat is at the CP member’s garden in Butleigh and put the grey kitten into the basket and cover it up with the blanket so the kitten does not get frightened whilst travelling in the boot of car to the vet. She is then taken into the Orchard Vets in Glastonbury for her first jab and then onto the new owner in Street. The lady owner has decided to call the kitten “Polly” and she is now running around the room with the door closed while we sort out the CP adoption form and fee. She kindly gave us extra money for donation. On leaving her house with the cat basket and blanket, I on this occasion told her I will bring over a spare cat carrier to keep which was given to me which is too small for most house cats but will do until she is fully grown. I then headed home, washed the cat basket in the garden, the blanket and mat that were in the basket went in the washing machine and everything is ready for the next CP job. I did go back with the cat carrier and she had put a notice on the door to warn others coming in that there is a new kitten about. Later on rang I her up to see how Polly is – very well, settled down in the family house, had had her second jab, had been booked in at the Countryside Cattery in Blackford (excellent place if you can’t get in at Willow in Stoney Stratton) for later on while they go away and the kitten is ruling the roost now – as all cats do! Very happy ending.

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