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Charity fears losing money after events cancelled

Kaleigh Watterson
BBC Cheshire political reporter
Reporting fromSandbach, Cheshire
BBC Callie the cat sitting on a chair. The chair has a blanket on with a penguin design and there is material with a cat design behind the cat. BBC
Eight-year-old Callie is one of 34 cats in the charity's care

A cat rescue charity in Cheshire said losing access to a council building for its regular fundraising events could leave it thousands of pounds out of pocket.

Sandbach Animal Rescue said it has hosted monthly coffee mornings at the town hall for a number of years, but was recently told by the town council the authority had cancelled three months of events.

The charity said it raised about £1,000 at each coffee morning so faced losing that fundraising.

Sandbach Town Council said "severe staff shortages" had led to the bookings' cancellation and it was looking into whether the group could use a smaller room.

Samantha Moss, chair of trustees at Sandbach Animal Rescue, standing in front of the charity's logo. She is wearing a black t-shit and glasses.
Samantha Moss said money they raise covers "a big chunk" of their vet bills

The charity has been running for about 40 years, and is based in a property donated to it in the 1980s.

It currently has 34 cats in its care, either in pens at the home or in foster care.

Samantha Moss, chair of trustees, said the money raised by the coffee morning funded "a big chunk" of their vet bills.

"Every coffee morning is about £1,000 of funding we make, and it's absolutely going to kill us now losing £3,000 worth of funding," she said.

She added the mornings were not just about raising cash.

"It is not just the income, it encourages the town folks to come and support us," she said.

"From there we get adoptions, other people coming to give us donations just on the back of it."

Two black kittens which are being cared for by the charity.
The charity has been running for about 40 years

Ms Moss said the town council needed to "understand the impact they're having".

"We've offered to move every table, unlock a door, anything it takes to run the coffee morning," she said.

"If it was just one month then you think ok, but to cancel three months?

"I'm just absolutely devastated that they could put such a plan into action with what we feel is very little thought."

Sandbach Town Council said it was "extremely sorry" the charity was unable to use the town hall's ballroom.

" Unfortunately, there are severe staff shortages with no capacity to provide any service other than honour wedding bookings," a council spokesperson said.

"It is hoped the situation can be resolved quickly and it may be that the group is able to return before May."

It may be possible, they said, for the group to use the boardroom if available.

"However, this is a much smaller room with no kitchen facilities but would give an opportunity to raise some funds," the council added.

Jessie a cat with a white belly, legs and face and black back, ears and tail. She is inside her pen at the charity's premises.
Jessie is one of a number of younger cats being cared for

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