Volunteers praised at awards

Sean Hearn receives his NVQ from RSPCA chief inspector Beth Clements.

Cathryn Harris from Brighouse received the RSPCA Silver Badge for 15 years voluntary service to Halifax, Huddersfield and District as a branch officer.

She also serves as secretary to the board of trustees, fosters elderly dogs on the Elderly Animal Rehoming Scheme (EARS) and volunteers at reception in the animal centre on Wade Street in Halifax.

Allen Wright from Brighouse received the Special Friend to Animals Award for giving up six years’ of Mondays and Thursdays.

A spokeswoman for the Halifax, Huddersfield and District branch said: “Allen is a fantastic volunteer and is a pleasure to have around.

“All the staff really like him and we would be very stuck without him. Often fosterers and EARS clients ring up to request Allen to collect them as he is such a lovely man and takes the time to talk to them.

“Allen began volunteering for our branch in 2010. He comes every Monday and Thursday without fail to van drive starting at 8.30am and leaving at 5pm.

“Allen starts in the morning by dropping off our animals at the vets for operations.

“He then collects fostered and EARS scheme animals, with their adopters, for our veterinary clinic and drops them back off again when they are ready.

“Allen’s other duties include taking animals out to foster homes, dropping out food, litter, equipment and medication out to fosterers, regularly going to the wholesalers and generally helping out where needed.

“We are very lucky to have Allen volunteering for our branch and hope he continues to do so for a long time to come.”

Jessica Brown, also from Brighouse, was awarded the NVQ Certificate Level 2 in business administration.

She joined the branch as an apprentice in 2014 and is now employed full time.

Sean Hearn, from Halifax, also a former apprentice was presented with the City and Guild NVQ Level 2 in Animal Care and is now employed by the branch. The awards were handed out during the branch’s annual meeting at Brighouse Sports and Social Club.

Branch treasurer Kath Airey said: “It is important to remember that although we are proud to be part of the national RSPCA, we are an independent registered charity in our own right and as such we have to ensure that we raise sufficient funding to maintain the overheads and operational cost of running the branch, which is no mean feat.

“Anyone who chooses to fundraise or donate to us direct can be assured that the money will be used directly to care for the animals in our animal centre.

“They all receive the veterinary treatment and rehabilitation they need until they are ready for rehoming, some are in our care for just a few weeks but others many months, especially of their owners are subject to prosecution.”