Cumbrian animal rescue centre feels the impact of the pandemic

An animal rescue charity in Cumbria has seen its numbers of volunteers fall by two thirds during the Coronavirus pandemic. 

Eden Animal Rescue, which has a base near Temple Sowerby, used to have 100 volunteers and fundraisers but that's fallen to about 30, making it more difficult to provide the same high level of care.

It puts the fall down to people being worried about mixing too much and trying to limit their social contacts. 

The general manager, Sarah Bean, fears their job could become even harder if fewer people come to help due to fears about the Omicron strain of the virus. 

The centre currently has more than 70 cats and kittens and 15 dogs, all needing a long term home. One of the newest arrivals is a small black and white kitten which they've named Holly. 

Sarah said: "She came in yesterday. She was found under a bush, all wet and dirty. But we have cleaned her up and we'll keep an eye out here for a few days and see if we can find her owner and if not, she'll be ready for rehoming." 

It is not just volunteers that are becoming scarce. The charity also needs fundraisers to bring in the money needed to keep the operation going. 

"Like every charity, we have had a real fall this year with our fundraising," explained Sarah.

"So we're hoping going forward into next year, we'll be able to go to events and have stalls and coffee mornings. But it's having people to help us organise them because we've only got two fundraisers at the moment."

She said it is very important for animals like Holly that she and her colleagues can continue to operate as they did before the pandemic. 

The plight of the rescue centre is a sign of the impact the pandemic is having in so many different ways across society.