The National Animal Welfare Trust (NAWT) has received a £1,500 donation from housebuilder Barratt Homes to support its work caring for homeless animals during one of its busiest kitten seasons on record. The funding will cover essential food and veterinary care for rescued animals in Bedfordshire, including kittens like Acorn, who was found abandoned and underweight.
Funding from Barratt Homes' Community Fund
The donation was awarded through Barratt Homes' dedicated Community Fund scheme, which allows staff to select charities in the areas where the company builds. The property developer chose NAWT to ensure vital funding reached local animals in need. The money comes from the Barratt Developments Plc Charitable Foundation, which aims to leave a lasting legacy in local communities by supporting national and regional causes across the country.
Alex Spurgeon, fundraising manager at NAWT, expressed gratitude for the timing of the donation. "We were absolutely over the moon to receive this generous donation from Barratt Homes. It couldn’t have come at a better time, amid one of the busiest kitten seasons we’ve ever seen," she said.
How the donation will help animals like Acorn
Spurgeon detailed the specific use of the funds: "We received £1,500, which will go towards our spiralling cat and kitten care costs, covering essential expenses like food, vet checks, neutering, vaccinating and microchipping. It will help kittens like Acorn." She then shared Acorn's story: "Little Acorn was found cold and alone in a car park, weighing less than half a kitten her age should. Nobody knows how long she had been fending for volunteers, but it was clear she desperately needed help. After being taken to a local vet by the kind people who found her, Acorn came to NAWT, and we all instantly fell under her spell! Full of sass and confidence but just skin and bone, Acorn was finally safe and warm."
Spurgeon highlighted the broader impact: "This donation will help more cats like Acorn and her adoptive family on their journey through rescue." She also praised the Community Fund scheme: "Barratt Homes’ Community Fund scheme is a wonderful way to support charities in the communities where it builds, and the beauty of the charities being selected by staff is that it will mean a variety of cause areas are supported, and therefore the funding can reach a huge number of local people and animals."
Support for NAWT's mission
NAWT supports local authorities and communities by offering rehoming services alongside emotional and practical support for pet owners. The charity works to keep pets and their owners together through challenging times while offering lasting support. The donation will help cover the rising costs of caring for rescued animals, ensuring they receive necessary medical treatment and care before finding new homes.
Simon Francis, managing director at Barratt Homes Northampton, commented: "We are delighted to be able to offer National Animal Welfare Trust a donation to support the fantastic work it does. As a leading housebuilder, we strive to support the communities in and around the areas in which we build." He added: "It’s brilliant to see charities like NAWT looking out for the wellbeing of our four-legged friends."
The donation will directly benefit animals in Bedfordshire, helping NAWT continue its rescue and rehoming efforts. For more information about the charity, visit their website at www.nawt.org.uk.
