STAFF at an animal rescue centre threatened with closure are determined not to give up.
Denbighshire Wildlife and Avian Rescue Centre in Bodelwyddan needs £150,000 to survive are volunteer are carrying on fund raising efforts to try to keep the centre going.
Geoff Leedham, 42, who opened sanctuary for injured animals after losing a hand in an accident, said: “We’ve just got the news we at the centre have been dreading.
The bank are going to start proceedings to evict us from our property, therefore the rescue centre I have set up will have to close if we can’t find somewhere else to move to, or we can raise £150,000.”
Despite rising fuel prices and costs, staff are determined to save the centre, which Mr Leedham credits with helping him survive suicidal depression after the loss of his job as a driver.
They recently ran a competition for children to name a rescued owl, which was won by Kallum Dungar, of Ysgol y Faenol, Bodelwyddan, who named the bird Cyprus.
Matt Purchase, the volunteer manager, said: “He was a captive bred barn owl, and the people who had him couldn’t look after him any more.
“We thought it would be an ideal time to have him to take round schools and teach people about what’s going on at the centre and the issues around taking on pets that people can’t really care for.”
Mr Purchase said the centre, which has cared for animals from fulmars to bats to baby hedgehogs, was “struggling”.
But concerned residents are rallying, with a fundraising bag pack taking place at Rhyl Morrisons today (Wednesday), and one anonymous donor sending £1,000.
Mr Leedham said: “We want to say thank you to the mystery donor. We have no idea where it came from, but it will go in the bank to help cover the vets bills.”