Here's the lowdown on some of our volunteers:
Fiona, Branch Coordinator and Fosterer
Fiona has been involved with Cats Protection for 18 years, firstly as a Fosterer and then for the past 12 years also as Branch Coordinator.
Why does she do it? “So many people out there don’t care about cats. Some people can even be extremely cruel to them. Cats need people to champion their cause and help make a difference in their lives.
Cats Protection focus on stray and unwanted cats, and it’s especially rewarding when, years later, you hear how well a cat is doing , still in its new home.
It can be stressful at times when you hear of cruelty to cats, or that one of the cats we have homed has been killed on the road, or when you get calls at all hours from the public, but the rewards outweigh these difficult times a hundredfold. One of the best bits for me is seeing a frail, sickly or neglected cat blossom and bloom into a beautiful feline. Recently we’ve had many older cats coming into care, especially when owners themselves become too frail to look after them or move into a Care Home, and these older cats can also enjoy many more years of love and comfort in new surroundings. Cats deserve this second chance.”
Marilyn, Fundraiser and more
Marilyn has been involved with Central Dumfries Branch since 1999.
She is our Fundraiser. Her job includes organising table top sales, tombolas, raffles, and indeed anything to help raise funds. She also gives out neutering vouchers to people who need help, and feeds the feral cats.
Marilyn’s interest in Cats Protection stems purely from her love of the cats.One day she and fiancé Ian found a stray kitten wandering and phoned Cats Protection to borrow a trap to catch it.That was the start of her involvement.
She joined the local Branch, and since then has helped raise a lot of money for the cats, getting her reward from seeing the results when a stray or poorly cat responds to TLC and can be rehomed in a safe and loving environment.
Dorothy, Treasurer
About 9 years ago Dorothy attended a Branch Open Evening when we were trying to find new volunteers, and this was the beginning of her involvement with CP. She ‘volunteered’ and later ‘volunteered’ to be Treasurer when a vacancy arose, and has done this ever since then.
Dorothy does all this because she likes cats. She no longer has a cat as she lives beside a busy road and thinks this would not be fair, but she feels by volunteering she can give something back for all the years of pleasure from cats in the past. She also likes meeting other cat lovers and volunteers from other organisations when she is helping our Branch.
Allan, Website Administrator
I took over from Ann earlier this year when she retired. It’s quite a challenge following someone like Ann who was so well versed and committed to the job. But I think I’m getting into it a bit.
We have had our own cats for years. Our first cat came to live with us from a neighbour across the road. She first started visiting because we got home from work first so she had her dinner earlier at our house! When her family moved away Cleo was getting quite old and they asked us to look after her so she came to live with us permanently. All our cats since then have been rescue cats. We currently have three; Simba, Bonnie and Paws. My wife, Diane, was the first of us to volunteer for Cats Protection after we moved to this area in 2006. She first worked in the shop and then we got a pen and started fostering. Before taking on the website I helped Diane with fostering cats who are waiting for new homes. It’s a real joy to see a cat, who comes in as just a nervous little bundle in the corner, come out of his shell and gain the confidence to jump up on your knee. And, although it can be a wrench when they leave, it’s really great to finally get a cat settled in a loving and permanent new home.
My other volunteering role is helping out at The Food Train, where I regularly go shopping and other times go delivering the groceries to the seniors and less-able in the community. Food Train Extra is another scheme I sometimes help out with. We do the little jobs around the house that less-able people find hard to do.
Could You be a Volunteer?
What does it take to be a volunteer? How about some of the following:
A love of cats
An interest in Cats Protection
A bit of free time
A wish to do something useful.
The great thing about the Branch is that there are lots of varied volunteer jobs, so there will probably be one to suit you. Maybe it’s helping at one of our fundraising events. That’s interesting and fun too, and you meet lots of cat lovers who never give it a miss.
Or if you are a driver, can you help with collecting cats when they have to come into care?
Or you may prefer writing. Maybe you could send us a good kitty story, an interesting article or a few jokes (clean ones only please!) for the website or the newsletter.
If you have a flair for photography, and a digital camera, could you take pictures of the cats in care so we can add these to the website?
And if it’s mainly the cats you love, then why not become a Fosterer and help us look after the cats in our care? You get help and support and all you need is a bit of time, a love of cats, and a space in your garden (about 4 metres by 1 metre or 12 feet by 3 feet in old money) where a catpen can be erected.
Then there’s always table tops, raffles and tombolas where again helpers are needed. This list is not exhaustive, but it can be exhausting if too few are trying to do too many jobs, so please, give it some thought. You won’t regret it.
Contact Marilyn on 01387 710844 if you would like to help with any of our fundraising activities or Fiona on 01387 710083 if you would like to do some volunteering involving fostering and the cats. They look forward to hearing from you.