News

Prickly Experience for Local Children…

Thursday February 12th 2009

Children from Two locals school where treated to a very special experience recently when Trustee Patsy Fagan and Head of Wildlife Lyn Gawith from the Freshfields Animal Rescue centre brought along a hedgehog to show them.

The reaction from the children ranged from looks of complete disbelief at these wonderful creatures to expressions of joy at getting so close to hedgehogs that don’t normally come out until after the children’s bed time or they have only ever seen on TV.

Some of the children watched the hedgehog scrambling across the floor whilst others spoke about the pictures they had drawn and the clay hedgehogs they had made. One of the questions that was asked was 'Do hedgehogs have tails?'. The answer to this was YES and not knowing had posed a problem when the children were making their models.

“The children loved it, we enjoy introducing children to our animals it is a great opportunity to educate them to respect their pets and treat them well as they grow up.” Says Helen Stanbury Manager at the rescue centre.

“Freshfields has an important role in the local community and we try to support local schools wherever possible. We do of course so often rely upon our volunteers to assist us, but we will endeavour to visit any school that requests it when we can fit it in with our busy schedule of helping the animals.”

If any school has animal news that may be of interest to others please email your story and pictures to us to us and we may showcase it on our website. Please send to 

If you would like a visit from Staff & animals from the rescue centre or information on the centre and how your school can help raise funds for this very worthy cause please email our fundraiser

We look forward to hearing from you.

Great News for our Kennel Block

Wednesday February 11th 2009

Freshfields has received a donation of £20'000 towards the rebuilding of the kennel Block that was damaged by fire at the end of last year. A long term supporter graciously donated this incredible sum via our charity shop in Formby. This will now be added to the other donations received and will set us in fine stead to start moving on this project.

Ladygreen Garden Centre makes Freshfields Charity of Year

Wednesday February 11th 2009

Ladygreen Garden Centre have announced that Freshfields is to be one of their three Charities of the Year for 2009.

Ladygreen in Ince Blundell, Liverpool has been servicing the gardening community since 1986 at their 10 acre site. The rescue would like to say thank you very much to Lady Green for giving them this opportunity. We look forward to some interesting events throughout the year.

Rescue Still Devastated by Fire in Kennels Block

Wednesday February 11th 2009

As most of our readers will know, the Liverpool rescue suffered a terrible fire just before Christmas 2008 resulting in the loss of one of our kennel blocks. The fire started as a result of what is believed to have been an electrical fault in the kitchen area. The courage and quick thinking of two of the members of staff here, meant that all but one of the dogs in the block were unharmed and the fire brigade were summoned quickly, tragically it was too late to save young Staffy cross Marnie.

We are now into the month of February and the after effects are with us still. The number of dogs we can house has been greatly reduced with our fosterer's at full capacity and the number of dogs we can take in and rehome therefor far less. The damaged block is totally unuseable and we still await a final decision from our insurers. We estimate the costs for knocking down and rebuilding the block to be in the region of £30'000 although from the insurers perspective we are only likely to receive funds to repair, not replace.

Over the Christmas period many supporters have made their seasonal donations and expressed their sorrow over the news of the fire for which we are very grateful.

It is to be hoped that the 2009 will bring happier tidings for the rescue.

Snow Makes an Impact in Wales!

Wednesday February 4th 2009

Harsh weather over the last few days has provided a fun time for certain residents at the Welsh rescue. Pictured here are William, one of founder and Welsh rescue manager Lesley Tarletons permanent dogs, Tasha (a Collie with problems who will need a very special family to take her on) and three of the youngsters frolicking in a field. The Welsh rescue was cut off for a couple of days with no visitors able to make their way in. It is a testament to the staff at the rescue that they still managed to turn in for the animals...even though it did mean parking at the bottom then trudging up the hill through the snow on foot!

Helping Freshfields in Your Local Area……

Tuesday February 3rd 2009

One of the effects of the Recession is that Company and Charitable Trust donations become harder to get.

Luckily, Freshfields has hundreds of Supporters across Merseyside and, if we want to keep the doors open for animals in distress then we really need  to enlist their help.

We are setting-up a local network of volunteer Support Groups across Merseyside. These Groups (with help from George Kearton, our Fundraising Manager) will organise local fundraising events on a regular basis as well as spreading the word about Freshfields and the work we do.

SOUTHPORT SUPPORT GROUP – was established at the end of November and is now planning its first events which will include a Hot Pot Supper with live entertainment, a Fashion Show, a Spring Coffee Morning and participation in the Southport Charities Fair and the Southport Flower Show.

ST HELENS AND KNOWSLEY SUPPORT GROUP  - will hold its first meeting at the Wellington Hotel in Prescot (junction of St Helens Road and St James’ Road) at 7.30pm on Monday 16th February – all local supporters of Freshfields are welcome.

CROSBY/WATERLOO/LITHERLAND SUPPORT GROUP – will also be holding its first meeting towards the end of February or early in March and we’ll be writing to all local supporters with details shortly.

ORMSKIRK AND DISTRICT SUPPORT GROUP  (including Scarisbrick, Aughton, Melling, Maghull and Lydiate) – an initial meeting is currently being planned to take place in March.

NORTH LIVERPOOL – we have a few interested people but could really do with some more expressions of interest before we launch……….

THE WIRRAL -  we have a good number of supporters on the Wirral and one of them has expressed interest in setting up a local group if there are other people willing to lend a hand….

Helping Freshfields in this way will really make a difference – so if you live in one of the areas listed above please contact George Kearton, our Fundraising Manager today for further details.

Telephone number(we’ll ring you straight back !):  07748 115727

Email:

New Childwall Ghost and Murder Tour

Tuesday February 3rd 2009

TOUR STARTS SUNDAY 8TH FEBRUARY AT 8PM AT THE HALF WAY HOUSE IN WOOLTON ROAD.

Sundays & Thursdays at 8pm

£9.00 Adults £8.00 Children and concessions

Good news for Haunted Liverpool enthusiasts: a brand new walk will be running from February 2009, when the historic Liverpool village suburb of Childwall will host an innovative Tom Slemen Ghost and Murder Tour. Murder!

The new route takes in the key location in Liverpool’s most horrible murder mystery (so notorious that it was turned into a film). The Man from the Pru is the infamous tale of mysterious phone calls, unbelievable coincidences and the brutal murder of the wife of an insurance salesman. Who was responsible? Tom Slemen has his own ideas, and walkers on the new tour can follow in the footsteps of the chief suspect, hear the evidence and make up their own minds.

Wizards and eerie whistling

The Childwall Haunted Liverpool Ghost Tour route is also packed with spine-tingling stories from Tom Slemen’s archives. Resurrection Mary, the Wizard of Calderstones, a whistling apparition, the death coach and a terrified vicar make the evening one to remember ­ preferably in broad daylight!

Sign up now!

Starting at the Halfway House on Woolton Road, the Childwall Ghost and Murder Tour takes in a mile and a half of walking ­ and several centuries of terror.

Payment can be made on the night, but we do require people to book in beforehand.

Hope to see you there...or on our City Tour

Psychic Night is Huge Success!

Tuesday February 3rd 2009

The Haunted Liverpool Psychic night held at the RAFA club in Formby on Friday January 30th and hosted by international mediums Agnes Davies (of TV and Radio) and Ron and Carol Duffy, proved to be a great hit, with 80 people turning up on the night and net profits for Freshfields Animal Rescue of £740.50.

Congratulations to Jan Robinson and her team for organising yet another successful event!

FORMBY SHOP

Tuesday February 3rd 2009

The shop in Queens Road, Formby has been refurbished and will be opening again for business on Monday 9th March 2009.  We look forward to welcoming customers old and new.