In this week's feature, our Spotlight on Volunteers campaign takes a look at the work done by the Ely & District Cats Protection volunteer group.
Who are the Ely & District Cats Protection?
The group are a volunteer organisation that work with pet cats and those living on the streets.
The volunteers work with cat owners by giving advice on cat care, and they also accept cats into the branch care, with the aim of helping them find their "forever home".
Some of the work offered by the volunteers includes a "Neutering Voucher", which for a small donation, allows people who cannot afford to get their cats neutered and microchipped to have it done at the Cats Protection branch.
The Ely & District Cats Protection volunteers also manage feral cats by humanely trapping them, checking their health and whether they're neutered and microchipped, and either release the cats or bring them in to re-home them.
The group fundraise by running a market stall in Ely, where they sell cat-themed gifts and items.
In 2023, the volunteers at the Ely & District Cats Protection group re-homed 377 cats and kittens across the area.
What kind of work do their volunteers do?
At the Ely & District Cats Protection group, several volunteers work as 'Fosterers', who offer a spare room in their own homes to accommodate cats waiting to be adopted.
The Fosterers may also have a cat-pen in their garden to house several cats and kittens at once.
Volunteers also manage media enquiries, run all aspects of the branch, including recruitment and administration, and also collected donated items of cat-care equipment.
The branch operates a 'Lost & Found' service, which some volunteers run to try and reunite lost cats with their owners.
Several volunteers also respond to reports of stray cats, where they scan them for a microchip and either take them home or bring them back to the branch.
The neutering service is also ran by volunteers at the organisation.
Volunteers also organise lots of fundraising activities to raise vital funds for the group.
How many volunteers do they have?
At the moment, there are 10 fosterers at the branch, but more are joining the team soon.
There are seven volunteers working at the branch itself, but again, more will be joining soon.
All of the volunteers can choose how often they volunteer.
Some volunteers will give several hours of their time everyday to the Ely & District branch, while some will work occasionally at fundraisers.
A spokesperson for the group said: "There is a role for all - however much time you have to donate, to help us help the cats!"
What does volunteering mean to the group?
A member of the Ely & District branch described volunteering as: "Working together with a like-minded group of volunteers as a team, to 'be there' for cats and their owners in our local area, and to encourage responsible cat ownership, so that every cat has the best possible life."
Where would the group be without volunteers?
"We would not be able to provide any help to cats and kittens, or to their owners, without our volunteers."
A word from the Ely & District Cats Protection
"Please: Follow us on our social media platforms; volunteer in response to our recruitment campaigns; donate cat-care items and cat food; go to our 'Support Us' page on our website for ideas; remember Ely & District Cats Protection when you write your will."
Contact
01353 468134
enquiries@ely.cats.org.uk
www.ely.cats.org.uk
Any volunteer organisations that would like to feature in our campaign can get in touch at: francesca.herring@newsquest.co.uk
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