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Volunteer Recruitment Day to help wildlife
19 February 2012
Due to expansion and an increase in workload local charity East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service (WRAS) is holding a Volunteer Recruitment Day at its Casualty Care Centre at Whitesmith on Saturday 25th February. Members of the public are being asked to attend on the hour at any time between 11am and 7pm where founder Trevor Weeks will give a short 20 minute presentation on the work of the charity and people will have a chance to discuss the various roles and how they can help.
East Sussex WRAS has been expanding its facilities over the past 2 years and needs to take on additional volunteers as their workload increases. The main roles the charity is recruiting all based as WRAS's Casualty Centre at Whitesmith are:
- Feed and Clean Shift Volunteers: These volunteers are required to work 3-4 hours once a week, either a morning shift start no later than 9am or a late afternoon shift starting about 5pm. The work involves helping to feed and clean all the casualties at the Casualty Centre at Whitesmith. This is a vital role in our work and is important to help with the recovery of the casualties under treatment.
- Baby Rearing Team: We are also looking for a new type of volunteer to help with the feeding and cleaning of baby birds and mammals at the Casualty Care Centre at Whitesmith. We need people who can work from 6am till 10am or 6pm to 10pm, we may be able to take a few people on during the day time too. Full training will be given and initially supervised. This role is for the Spring and Summer only during the rearing season.
- Rescue Volunteers: We are looking for volunteers to help form a new on-call service from our centre at Whitesmith. Volunteers are required to spend one day a week based at the Casualty Centre at Whitesmith being on-call. Driving licence required. Volunteers over 25 will be able to drive WRAS's ambulances. These on-call volunteers are required to arrive at the Casualty Centre by 10am and stay at the centre till 6pm. We are also looking for volunteers who are prepared to be on-call from the centre from 6pm till 10pm and 6am – 10am, plus 10pm till 6am overnight too but based from home. Training is very much on the job. Volunteers will start with basic rescues and assisting with more technical rescues. Whilst based at the Casualty Centre Rescuers will be expected to help out where necessary with various other jobs around the centre.
- Event Helpers: We are also looking for volunteers who can help out with manning stalls, helping at events and even for people to help with the organising of events too.
The Number 54 bus from Eastbourne to Uckfield goes past the Casualty Centre too and is a short 5 minute walk from the bus stop at Whitesmith. If you have any skills or work for a company which could provide a discounted service for WRAS of any nature then please also get in touch.
The Volunteer Recruitment Day is at WRAS's Casualty Care Centre at Unit 8 The Shaw Barn, A22, Whitesmith, BN8 6JD.
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Press Contact: Trevor Weeks, East Sussex WRAS, 07931-523958 (anytime) or 01825 873003 (office hours).
Visit WRAS's eBay shop to buy adoption packs, t-shirts, mouse mats, pens, cards, mugs, toys and much more!
It is very easy to assume a bird has been abandoned when you find it on the ground, but quite often it is a fledgling learning to fly. When a fledgling takes its first flight it is going to be unsuccessful, it is natural for them to spend 2-3 days on the ground sometimes before they can fly properly. Mum and dad will normally be nearby but they do not always fly down to feed every few minutes as they are trying to encourage the youngster to fly. Both the youngster and the parents are good at hiding themselves.