Young volunteer gives us Faith in the future
IN my last article I promised to update you on a landmark achievement of one of our youngest fundraisers. Well, when I say youngest, I think you need to look at the pictures to see what I’m talking about.
Faith Fellows decided from an early age that she wanted to help animals that were in the greatest of need; those that had been subjected to cruelty and neglect by their owners, or abandoned when their owners had moved on without them.
Sadly, this is something that repeats itself so often, with the only victims being the poor cats or dogs being left behind, without the slightest bit of care being afforded to them and leaving many in a damaged state.
Sometimes the national RSPCA can identify these people and do something about it, but it is the job of RSPCA branches to rehabilitate these animals once the damage has been done; pets often come into our care after having been beaten and/or undernourished, or after being subjected to an untold list of other misdemeanours. Faith, living close to RSPCA Southport, Ormskirk & District Branch, decided to focus her help on these disregarded pets whilst in our care. Not being old enough to be a handson volunteer on her own, Faith decided that she would fundraise on behalf of our Animal Centre, here in New Cut Lane, Southport.
Obviously, helping animals takes resources, and resources cost money! The Animal Centre is NOT funded by the national RSPCA and as a separately registered charity, needs to raise all its own funds.
Faith, initially with the help of her parents, utilised her time, energy and passion for the arts to establish her very own handmade greetings card business; established solely for the support of the Animal Centre and the animals in greatest need.
From then to now, there has been a learning curve for Faith in terms of identifying and applying new techniques in the creation of her cards.
Certainly, her time was one of the greatest resources being afforded to us, often spending hours producing a new batch of cards for resale.
But, that’s not all there has been to it, by a far reach! Faith has also marketed the cards, finding outlets in local shops, and personally attended events to sell, sell, sell! Along her journey she also had so much help and support from people around her, for example, the Post Office in Birkdale Village, Scarisbrick Hall School pupils and staff, neighbours supporting her table sale at the end of the driveway, Southport Rugby Club, and friends and family.
We would like to thank them all for helping Faith to achieve her goal.
Now in the early years of her teens, Faith’s time is becoming even more precious with the demands of education and her sports life, competing for
Southport Swimming Club. Faith now swim trains seven times a week and yet still finds time for us.
So now, without further ado, let me tell you that Faith has to date sold over 1,500 of her hand-made greetings cards, and donated all the proceeds for the care of animals at our
Animal Centre; a grand total of £2,000. (£1,000 by 2018, £1,500 by 2020 and now £2,000). Well done Faith, and thank you, keep up your good work, and enjoy life as much as we are proud of you.
You certainly are a good example to the youth of today.