.png)
Crosskennan began to look back on what a year 2020 had been, counting up the numbers of animals helped, the number of new friends we've made, and changes around the yard.
On this day we want to begin with our thanks; because for us Christmas is a time for recieving; it's when people are most generous, and we never feel like we get enough thank yous shared.
But this year, more than before, we have thank yous for the full year; so if we miss you please don't be offended; we have been so overwhelmed by you all; your kindness and generosity knows no bounds!
At the begining of the year we were humbled by the sheer number of applications at the relaunch of our volunteering program for the year; and we are honored to have so many new and brilliant volunteers on the books now; helping regularly on the yard and spreading the word.
When lockdown hit we were grateful for our admin team, who seemed to be working double time (voluntary!) to cope with the sheer number of calls and emails from people concerned about pets and covid, or those sad cases of owner's becoming ill or being made homeless. The team worked tirelessly to ensure calls and messages were answered as quickly as we could; and these calls were answered with some form of solution.
Thank you to the staff, who cut back hours and did more voluntary time when cash was short. Who came in and worked when the rest of the country was in lockdown and our volunteers had to stay home.
Thank you to the businesses and individuals who offered transport, delivery, and mechanics on short notice and so often free of charge!
Thank you to Horslyx who were the only feed/supplement company to come back when we contacted to ask for help. Not only did they donate 15 tubs of licks for the horses, but they offered us an extremely generous discount on purchases between May and December this year from Fane Valley Stores; an offer that we have gladly made use of to stock up on a few occassions with your financial support!
Thank you to Top Spec, and Shirley, who donated multiple pallets of food over the past 7 months. When the first lorry arrived with two pallets of food we had no idea what it was for or who it was from. It had been so out of the blue; but so incredibly welcome and needed at a time when we were working with cash flows week by week.
Thank you to Support Adoption For Pets for their emergency funding grant of £5000 which we used for vet bills and feed.
Thank you to Jean Sainsbury Animal Welfare Trust for the donation of £5000 through their emergency funding grant. With Special thanks to Madeline, a trustee of Jean Sainsbury's, who talked over the grant with us and helped us formulate some fundraising ideas.
Fundraising ideas like our Ark Appeal; which we have to thank you all for donating to and helping us keep animals fed throughout May/June.
Thank you to The Petplan Charitable Trust (PPCT) who joined together with World Horse Welfare and NEWC to create a Covid-19 Equine Rescues Emergency Fund and awarded the sanctuary £5000.
Thank you to Everyone who sent us money to help cover costs; cheques, cash, pounds and pennies! Every little really has helped this year!
Thank you to everyone who donated bedding, food, toys, papers, carrots, supplements, etc. You have helped us focus all income on covering the most essential costs; while providing the animals with everything they need.
Thank you to John for lending us his electric fencer and fence so we could make use of all of the grass paddocks for turn out in the summer.
Thank you to everyone who responded to all our appeals and requests for items or help; even if you couldn't offer help at the time, you shared or tagged friends and helped spread the word.
Thank you to all of our equine volunteers for continuing to shovel poo and groom horses and cart about heavy wheelbarrows for very little reward. We promise that as soon as we can we will be back providing proper educational rewards so that you do get to learn when you work!
Thank you to all our fosterers who have taken on dogs, cats, and horses!
Thank you to all the small animal volunteers who have been swamped in their workload this year with nearly triple the cat numbers this year verses last year.
Thank you to our cat team (again) for all the traveling you've been doing and the long days catching up ferals and strays and the many scratches!
Thank you to the staff and volunteers who have gone above and beyond in assisting with rescues and visiting homes to help with training of animals to help the owners keep them.
Thank you to Alan, who has been trying to build our new shelter with all the material shortages and problem after problem; and going beyond his job and taking home wheelbarrows, and quad trailers for fixing repeatedly and leaving them back good as new in his free time and as a favour to us and has promised to collect another two that's broken now and fix them for us.
Thank you to the many new friends we've made across the country who have helped do calls and checks when we couldn't.
Thank you to Rose, Bear and Bonnie from Bear's Paw it Forward for the multiple donations and support.
Thank you to you; we don't know who you are, but if you've stuck with us this year then we are grateful; so very grateful.
This year has been a lot of doom and gloom but we don't want to reflect on that; yes it's be hard, and it's not over yet, but to be honest the first week of lockdown we had to cancel fundraisers, events, bag packs, etc. cheques and cash donations dried up and many people contacted to apoligise that they had to cancel their sponsorships and standing orders due to job losses or income changes.
It's been an incredibly difficult year for all and that first couple of weeks we looked daily at our bank balance and wondered how we would survive the next week.
When we did make it into the following week, we wondered how the next week would go, and so on. It has been a constant wonder of how will we survive but somehow we always do.
No, there is no 'somehow'; the truth is we survive because of you. Your sup
port and your time. Everyone we have thanked; we thank you double; and if you haven't been covered in the above, this final thank you is just for you!
Thank you!
Lots of love,
Crosskennan Lane Animal Sanctuary
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday! :)
Hope you are all safe and well!