Charity: Kit Wilson Trust Celebrates 50 Years
- Viv Norman
- May 27
- 3 min read
It’s 50 years since the Kit Wilson Trust, a local, independent animal charity, came into existence! Viv Norman, Trustee of the charity explains about the history of the Trust and its vital work
A legacy left in the Will of Katherine (Kit) Wilson, a renowned cat show judge, in 1975 led to the formation of an animal welfare charity that would see its work transition from the trapping, neutering and rehoming of lost, abandoned and feral cats to the present day Animal Rescue Centre which is home to dogs, cats, rabbits, rodents, horses and ponies, ferrets, goats, pigs, as well as many varieties of bird from parrots to finches, to name but some of its residents.
Nestled in the heart of the Sussex countryside at Hadlow Down, between Uckfield and Heathfield, the acquisition in 1985 of a derelict pig farm with 35 acres allowed the rescue of cats to expand to includea wider range of animals, all needing a new home through adoption and a refuge while waiting for their forever home. The setting in this beautiful part of Sussex provides the peace and calm that is vital to alleviating the stresses that many of the animals have gone through.
A cornerstone of the Trust’s founding policy, then, as it is now, was to promote the spaying and neutering of pets. The necessity of the Trust’s work in rescuing and re-homing unwanted cats and dogs would be significantly reduced by this simple action.
Animals come to the Centre for a variety of reasons. It could be a change in the owner’s circumstances which has necessitated their surrender or, sadly, an animal has been abandoned or mistreated and needs medical care and a lot of love and understanding. One of the rescued goats came to the Centre after finding her way into a local lady’s front garden from a busy main road. She had neither ear tags nor identifying markings. After closing off all escape routes, a team from the Centre managed to secure the goat and transport her safely to the Centre. A week later, staff at the Centre were surprised and delighted to find a small white newborn kid in the stable. Mother and daughter were a happy addition to the existing herd.
Wherever possible, the charity work hard to find new forever homes for the dogs and cats and other small animals. It is so rewarding for all who work with the animals to see them get a second chance to find the love, companionship and care they deserve. And each animal that is given a new home means there is space to take in more animals that are in need from the daily calls and emails the Centre receives.
When it is not viable to re-home an animal, they are given a home for life at the Centre, where they can be assured of care, comfort and love by the dedicated staff who look after them.
To assist with the running costs of the Centre, the Trust leases three shops locally in Uckfield, Hailsham and Heathfield. They are always overwhelmed by the generosity of the public in donating goods and clothing to the shops, which are then sold to raise funds. They also have an invaluable group of volunteers who freely give their time to assist in the shops and at the Animal Centre.
The Trust does not receive any local or central Government funding and so donations, income from the shops, fundraising events and legacies are all essential to continue their work. The Chairman/Centre Manager and the Trustees all work on a purely voluntary basis which means more money can be devoted to paying for the care of the animals.
The Trust produces a newsletter, Tails, which gives information aboutthe Centre, what’s new, what’s pending and updates about the animals and their stories. A new, user-friendly, website is being launched soon which will give more information about the Trust and it’s animals.
The Kit Wilson Trust is very proud to have reached its 50th anniversary and are looking forward to many more years helping animals in need.
01825 830444
Animal Rescue Centre,Stonehurst Lane, Hadlow Down TN22 4ED
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