“At Santander in Colchester High Street we like to celebrate Harvest by supporting local charities. In 2018 we supported Colchester Foodbank for people and this year wanted to support an animal charity.
We chose Sesaw, which is based just outside Colchester, as it is a small animal charity. They have brought us newsletters, pictures of animals to rehome, and a larger banner, with pictures of animals they help, to promote the charity.
We have an area in the branch for food donations, money donations, which Santander will double through their charity giving and to increase this further staff have been donating old books and all this money is also added for the charity.
To date we are so pleased with the customer response and are really pleased to support a lovely local charity, which do such great work”
Everyone is exhausted after working in stifling heat to prepare for our Open Day in July. The temperature was back to normal as visitors flowed in, many brought their ex-SESAW dogs to see those who had cared for them. Homemade cakes flew off the shelves and an appreciative audience sang along to well know songs performed by the Hadleigh Ukulele Group. Several declared they didn’t like ukulele music – until now! Most important to me and my pals was the Fun Dog Show and there were plenty of handsome entrants. Naturally I abstained to give the others a chance. We send a huge thank you to everyone who attended, helped or donated items for the event. A massive £4000 was raised which will help us look after the rescued animals at SESAW.
Next is our Autumn Fair on 15th September at Great Bentley Village Hall, CO7 8LG. There will be collectables, quality clothes and accessories, crafts and a big selection of books,CDs, DVDs, pet accessories, homemade snacks, refreshments – and you can meet me! Tables are available for outside stallholders at our Christmas Fair at the Old School, Long Melford on Sunday,17th November. Please visit www.sesaw.co.uk or call 07912 007617 to book your space. Much hard work goes into preparing for a sale and we are in need of people who could spare a few hours occasionally. If you could distribute posters, set up tables, unload the van, put up banners or just make the tea when we hold an event close to you, please call/text 07881 785535 or email info@sesaw.co.uk
We also need volunteers to help generally around the Sanctuary and care for the animals including Bella, an 18 month old lurcher. This lovable girl is as mad as a March hare, loves tummy tickles and cuddles, needs a couple of walks to let off steam before crashing and watching the world go by. Interacts well with similar sized dogs, not particularly interested in cats. Please get in touch if Bella is the dog for you, or if you would like to look after the cats, rabbits, chickens, sheep and dogs including me, Kenny (the Boss) Chihuahua.
Acknowledgement to Lizzie Ferdinando and Abbie Rossington for photos, and Holly Butler for the video!
Watch the video of Open Day here:
This means Etsy, Uber Eats, Thomas Cook, HomeAway, Lakeland, Clarks and many more will donate TWICE as much to Suffolk & Essex Small Animal Welfare – SESAW when you use #easyfundraising to shop with them before 5th September – at no extra cost to you! Visit: http://efraising.org/RVdqHUDdCw
Where does that dog get his airs and graces? Kenny asked me to write this month’s news because he is “indisposed” with a bad leg. Anyone would think he had run the Nayland10K! Over 900 people did take part and we send them and the organisers a a great big THANK YOU. By mid July over £1600 was raised for SESAW via JustGiving to help care for the many animals at the Sanctuary.
We have more people to thank, starting with the employees from Colchester based Informa who helped prepare for our July Open Day. As you can see in the photo, they were still smiling after a hard day’s work. Another willing group that helped us get ready was the cheery gang from Colchester Pets at Home. Unfortunately, that was almost the hottest day of the year and everyone was too exhausted to take a photo before they left. Nevertheless, they were also still smiling. We welcome volunteers throughout the year, to help care for the animals or fundraise. If you would like to join our fantastic team please leave a message on the answerphone. Everyone has something to offer, no special skills required – except a sense of humour!
Finally, thanks also to Phil Goodyer for inviting us to the enjoyable 1940’s Vintage Day in Sudbury. Over £100 on the SESAW book stall and lots of people stopped to say hello including our volunteer Brenda with her ex SESAW dog.
The hedgehogs that Mother nursed through the winter have been safely released. Dubbed the Gardener’s friend, they eat lots of pesky bugs but many die crossing the road in their search for food. Providing cat or dog food (WITHOUT fish) or dry hedgehog food from pet shops plus water each day may encourage them to stay put. Cover ponds or create a means of escape from the water, check bonfires before lighting and avoid using slug pellets,
It’s dinner time so I’m off to the kitchen to see if Kenny has found his feet. He needs to get better soon to write next month’s news instead of me, Ollie (the Black) Cat.
Let me start with a big THANK YOU to The Shepherd at Langham for supporting SESAW over the last six months. The pub donated £371 from the proceeds of it’s Charity Quiz Nights. This is much appreciated and will help look after the rescued animals.
Thank you also to everyone who attended or helped at our £1 Sale at Newton Green. That includes the lovely ladies who baked some tasty cakes which contributed to the £550 that was raised. We are also grateful to the organisers the Monks Eleigh Dog Show and the 1940’s Vintage Day at the Delphi Centre for inviting us to have stalls at their events.
We have yet another stall at the Eight Ash Green Music Festival on 20th July. A full day of musical entertainment to suit all tastes and ages. And the week after that – hurrah!! It’s our Open Day and Fun Dog Show on the 28th July when old friends and new join us for an afternoon of fun, food and furries! Once dubbed our “happiest day of the year”, visitors can browse, buy or simply enjoy the stalls of games, gifts, pet supplies, BBQ, refreshments, homemade cakes, ice cream and music from the Hadleigh Ukulele Group. Pooches can have a go at the Scurry and enter many classes including SESAW Dog of the Year, for those homed by us.
Most important of all, visitors can meet the animals, both residents and those looking for a new home.
The paw prints in the wet cement incident is forgotten, in fact I suspect Mum quite liked a four-footed autograph in the new path. Now she is mystified over the sudden appearance of her missing spectacles at her feet on the kitchen floor, having search high and low for two weeks! All I can say is, don’t look at me, just because Chihuahuas have a reputation for stashing trinkets! It’s cold and wet but I must pop outside to thank the friendly team of volunteers from Waitrose. They spent two days sprucing up the Sanctuary ready for our big day. Please visit us on the 28th, gate opens at midday. We will be ready to greet you, whatever the weather. You might even see little old me, Kenny (the Boss) Chihuahua.
Earlier this month. Waitrose employees Sam, Katie, Abi, Richard and Paul came to Sesaw for two days to help with our pre Open Day spruce up. They worked hard, but looks like they had fun too! Many thanks to you all for your help and good humour. Hope to see you back at Sesaw sometime 🙂
Kenny is searching for his buried treasure leaving me to give you a cat’s eye view of life at SESAW. Although he had plenty to say about dogs last month, I can forgive the little upstart as he mentioned the sad fact that black and black/white cats are often overlooked. Even sadder are Betty, a black cat and a pretty tabby and white called Fat Cat. Please don’t be put off, she does not have a weight problem. They came in last May when their owner died and need a quiet adult-only home as they are very timid. Can you offer them the love and time they deserve, maybe a new name too?
The Sanctuary should be looking spruce if the new paths are finished, ready for our Open Day next month. Meanwhile, we are holding a £1 at Newton Green Village Hall, School Lane, CO10 0QS on Saturday 15thJune. Bargains include clothes, accessories, household, pet goods, collectables, books, DVDs, a raffle, homemade cake and other refreshments. We are also selling books at the 1940’s Vintage Day, 10-5pm on 22nd June, followed by a Swing Band Dance in the evening at the Delphi Centre, Sudbury, CO10 2RR.
All great fun for you humans but I prefer the quiet life, shadowing Mother on her rounds each evening. The sun goes down, the geese go to bed and a cosy hollow in the topmost hay bale calls to me, Ollie (the Black) Cat.
Kenny’s May Blog:
I can’t believe I missed the SESAW Easter Fair at Long Melford! They said it was too tiring for a little Chihuahua like me. Just between you and me, I thoroughly enjoyed staying home, ripping up a tasty biscuit wrapper in front of the Rayburn.
Undeterred by the bitter wind the visitors kept arriving at the Old School. Some stopped for a chat and a tasty snack, most left with bags stuffed full of bargains and prizes. A big THANK YOU to our hard working volunteers and the Public who all helped raise a fantastic £2,700 for the animals at SESAW.
As you read this, Easter will be over and you might be enjoying a relaxing May Day break. Our volunteers always turn up, even on Bank Holidays, to care for the animals including Sky, a Whippet/Lurcher and Biscuit, a Chihuahua/Jack cross. They are a friendly pair that will not be separated and so they will stay with us for as long as it takes.
We are holding a £1 Sale at Newton Green Village Hall, 11-3pm on Saturday 15th June. This is a popular event so grab a bargain and a snack. We always include a raffle with good quality prizes often donated by kind supporters. Any unwanted gifts gratefully received, please leave a message on the ansaphone if you need them collected.
Talking about snacks reminds me it’s supper time so I’m off to find a special dinner for me, Kenny (the Boss) Chihuahua. Suffolk & Essex Small Animal Welfare, Reg.Charity No.1124029, Stoke Road, Leavenheath, CO6 4PP, tel: 01787 210888. Usually open 10am – 1pm Thursday to Sunday inclusive, but please check first.
