As part of our 10th birthday celebrations, Cats in Distress held our annual Summer Fair, and thanks to the incredible support of our community, the event raised an amazing £5,000 for the cats in our care.
This year marks a very special milestone for the charity. Ten years ago, Cats in Distress began with a simple mission: to help cats in need. A decade later, that mission remains as strong as ever, and the support shown at this year’s fair was a wonderful reminder of how many people have joined us on that journey.
The fair was everything we hoped it would be – a fun-filled day of celebration, bringing together supporters old and new to mark ten years of rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming.
In the lead-up to the event, we were delighted to receive coverage in the Frome Times and to chat with BBC Somerset radio presenter Simon Parkin, helping us spread the word about our anniversary year and the work we do for cats across the region.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1426248677o#:~:text=Ginny%20Parratt%20started%20Cats%20in,in%20and%20rehoming%20unwanted%20cats.: A Fair to Remember – Celebrating 10 Years of Cats in DistressA huge thank you goes to our dedicated team of trustees, staff, fosterers, socialisers, adoption team, working cat team and transport volunteers. Their commitment and hard work make everything we do possible.
Special thanks also go to our marketing team, whose fantastic promotion of the event helped attract such an incredible turnout. Seeing the field full of cars and visitors throughout the day was truly heartwarming.
We are incredibly grateful to all those who baked cakes, worked tirelessly in the kitchen, manned the BBQ and bar, and kept everyone fed and watered throughout the day. (A note has already been made for next year: more pork!)
One of the highlights of the day was Jayne Shelbourne’s brave fundraising challenge. Jayne chose to have her head shaved to raise money for Cats in Distress, and we are hugely grateful for her support and enthusiasm.
Thank you also to Clearwood Cattery and Baskervilles Gymnastics for providing entertainment for visitors, to Joker’s Bouncy Castles Somerset, Pat Harper for bringing along her beautiful show cats, Diego for convincing Maggs to bring him along, and of course the ever-popular Wookee.
We would also like to thank the businesses and individuals who generously donated raffle prizes, including Lyons Seafoods, Portico Designs, Longleat, Emily Hampton, Lucy, Happiness Beauty Room and Liz Rayner. Apologies to anyone we may have inadvertently missed.
Most importantly, thank you to every single person who chose to spend part of their weekend with us.
Life is busy, time is precious, and everyone has many demands on their attention. The fact that so many people came along to celebrate our 10th birthday and support our work means more than words can say.
For ten years, Cats in Distress has been helping cats find safety, care and loving homes. The support shown at this year’s fair reminds us that we are part of an incredible community that shares that vision.
Thank you for helping make our 10th birthday celebrations so special. Here’s to the next chapter — and we look forward to seeing you all again next year.
