About Us

East Sussex Wildlife Rescue was formed in the mid 1990s as a voluntary group. Up until then Trevor Weeks, one of the founding members of WRAS, was paying for veterinary bills out of his own pocket and as he became better known, the number of calls became greater and the cost of his rescue work grew. In a need for better funding and help to cover rescues and be able to respond 24 hours a day, East Sussex Wildlife Rescue was started. It was not until 2005 that East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service (WRAS) was formed with its first group of trustees and directors.

Trevor Weeks and rescued foxWRAS covers a large area and works with 11 different veterinary practices. One of WRAS’s main concerns about veterinary practices is the stress levels of wildlife whilst they are admitted. Dogs, cats and parrots to name a few of the animals which can cause noise as well as humans activity which causes stress to wildlife casualties which are trying to rest, relax and recover from their injuries or illness. However this recovery will be slow in such stressful environments. WRAS is now trying to fund a new Critical Care Unit at Horsebridge to help provide a veterinary facility which is less stressful for the casualty.

Over the years WRAS has also provided three large out door rehabilitation pens for rearing gulls and other birds at Lower Dicker, a fox rehabilitation and release pen at Hailsham and Bexhill, a holding shed at Seaford, Peacehaven and Eastbourne.

Thanks to a legacy received in 2005, WRAS was able to purchase two additional second hand transit vans which were sign written and equipped as rescue ambulances. One of these is based in Eastbourne, Trevor has one at Uckfield and Maz has the original van based in Brighton. So that at least one of these vans is available at any one time. These vehicles are currently only available 4-5 day a week on a rota basis through out the week. WRAS is working on developing a new rota and additional volunteers so that these vehicles can be available 7 days a week. Unfortunately the three large pens at Lower Dicker, worth over £s;2,000, were stolen at the beginning of 2007.

On average it costs WRAS £65 to be on call for and respond to a call-out. The vans, the mobile phones, veterinary bills, equipment stored in the vans etc are expensive and need replacing on a regular basis. This is why we need your help.