Peeblesshire News | News | Beasties' last bash

Friday, 5th December, 2008

Published: Friday, 19th October, 2007 12:30

Beasties' last bash

By Caitlin Smith

Comments (0)

Print Article

RED tape and a lack of volunteers has killed off fundraising for a life-saving animal charity.

Borders Beasties in Peebles say they have been forced to close in face of rising charity bureaucracy and on-going difficulties with recruiting volunteers.

Although hedgehog care and rescue will continue, co-founder, Alison Pearson said the fund-raising operation is to end in mid-November.

With the help of a small group of committed volunteers, Borders Beasties has raised between £3000 to £4000 every year with coffee mornings and baking, craft events and car-boot sales.

But membership had declined in recent years, hitting the charity hard.

Alison wrote of these difficulties in her final Border Beasties newsletter.

She said: “Nowadays, charities are increasingly under pressure, keeping up with legislation regarding insurance, particularly public liability, and health and safety regulations.

“We do have a core group real stalwarts who do a fantastic job, but they’re getting older and sadly we’ve lost a few of them through illness.

“We’ve tried to recruit new people and either they sign up and never show or lose the motivation after a few meetings and we never see them again.

Alison set up the charity with Selkirk-based Irene Campbell in 1997.

The pair worked hard to raise cash for welfare centres such as Arthurshiels Animal Rescue Centre and the Donkey Sanctuary, as well as keeping the Tweeddale Hedgehog Rescue hogs in feed and bedding.

Shona Middlemas, of Arthurshiels in Newtown St Boswells, told the Peeblesshire News that Border Beasties would be sorely missed.

“Border Beasties have been a real life-line over the years.

“We've built three kennels and a cat run from the money they’ve made fundraising.

“They’re going to be a big miss.”

Border Beasties’ last official duty will be at the Charities Market on November 17 in Peebles.

Comments