How it all started
Whilst Anne was out walking with her dog in early 1988 she found a small hedgehog stuck in a fence. He was too fat to go through and his prickles wouldn’t let him go back. He had been pushing so long in an attempt to free himself that the wire had cut into his body and his leg was bleeding where he had pushed and pushed against the ground. Anne had in her handbag a pair of pliers (no surprise to anyone who knows her). She cut part of the wire and removed the hedgehog. A simple act for her but not so easy when you are a prickly ball living in the wild. As he was bleeding she took him to the vets.
She hadn’t removed the wire from his middle and had a large chunk of the fence with her. On the way to the vets, it struck her that if you are a tiny hedgehog and you got into trouble there is no one to help you. He would have remained there until he had died. Either starved or been eaten alive. The vet treated him straight away. When the wire was removed from his body he started bleeding and it became swollen.
The vet praised her for not removing the wire from him and said she was a natural. Her vanity let her think that she was very clever but in fact it was the vet who was very clever. Not only did he save the life of the tiny hog with his medical skills and his time but he also found himself a carer. He had flattered her enough to give her the confidence to bring home the little creature and care for him. The injuries weren’t too bad, but he needed time to heal. Anne had grown up surrounded by animals so she agreed to be this little hogs carer. She bought a cage, some food and went to the library to find out more about them (no internet in those days). He recovered well and was released several weeks later. It was a simple act to do and it saved one tiny life.
Well, she has cared for various creatures over the following years from her garage. It was crammed full with cages, an incubator and a tiny operating room. It’s now many years later, and more volunteers have followed and more animals have been cared for.
Sometimes we are not successful but we always try. We give our best and we are always passionate. Our success rate and determination to improve is a quality that drives us as we constantly learn about the wildlife we share our space with.
Dr Brian Mays (one of the world’s greatest guitarists and founder member of Queen) home was being used for the soft release of Anne’s Wildlife in Windlesham. As time went by Brian became more and more involved with the rescue and was always in and out checking and getting updates on patients.
In 2009, they set up the Save Me Trust to give wildlife a louder voice on a national and global scale. Their HQ was finally set up in 2013 in Westwood Road in Windlesham and remains there today.
Together Anne and Brian have been at the forefront of many of the animal welfare issues of our time. Lobbying in Parliament against fox hunting and the badger cull to name but two.
The trust specialises in forming unique partnerships, breaking down the barriers and myth that surround some of our most divisive animal welfare issues. Both charities are well known and work hand in glove too achieve mutual goals for the benefit of wildlife, in a sustainable manner, supporting both the wildlife and commerce.
You couldn’t find a more passionate and formidable team who seem to survive with very little sleep and are able to work 24/7 to give wildlife a voice.
OUR VALUES
MISSION STATEMENT
We are committed to encouraging through knowledge the integration of wildlife into our countryside and our gardens alongside us in a natural balance. We help to preserve wildlife in its natural environment by talking in schools and reaching the next generation, and via worksheets, direct animal contact and talks.
We encourage children and adults to care for their environment and reduce the use of pesticides. We help to remove the myths that surround our spectacular wildlife and encourage the next generation to learn and understand that any space can be balanced and can be a great environment for both humans and our native wildlife.
OBJECTIVES
“For the benefit of the public to relieve the suffering of wildlife in need of care and attention and, in particular, to provide and maintain rescue homes or other facilities for the reception, care and treatment of such wildlife to enable rehabilitation and release back into the wild.”
“To promote humane behaviour towards wildlife by providing appropriate care, protection, treatment and security for wildlife which is in need of care and attention by reason of injury, sickness, poor circumstances or ill usage and to educate the public in matters pertaining to wildlife welfare in general and the prevention of cruelty and suffering of wildlife.”
WHY WE DO IT ?
Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work. One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance on the beach in the day and so he walked faster to catch up. As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects and throwing them into the ocean.
He came closer still and called out, “Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?”
The young man paused, looked up, and replied, “Throwing starfish into the ocean.”
“I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?” asked the somewhat confused wise man.
To this, the young man replied, “The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them in, they’ll die.”
Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, “But, young man, do you not realise that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can’t possibly make a difference!” At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish and threw it into the ocean.
As it met the water, he said, “It made a difference to that one” ………………….and that’s what we do one at a time.
Each year our support grows and each year we rescue more creatures. You too can throw a few starfish back!
