Charity N E W S
A Trichy Patient This handsome barn owl, one of the latest patients at Tiggywinkles, was rushed over to the hospital after he was found grounded. It was obvious straight away to the nurse on duty at the world’s busiest wildlife hospital that the owl, named Benji, was very thin and weak. On closer examination, the nurse discovered an infection of his tongue. Poor Benji was unfortunately suffering from trichomoniasis. This highly infectious disease, commonly known as ‘trich’, affects the upper digestive tracts of birds and causes a build-up in the throat, making it difficult for the bird to eat, which would explain why Benji was emaciated and struggling. It is more common in garden birds, so the team were surprised to admit a barn owl with the disease.
Bransby Horses face their biggest challenge Founded in 1968, Bransby Horses is one of the UK's largest equine welfare and rescue charities, dedicated to improving the lives of horses, ponies, donkeys and mules through rescue, rehabilitation, rehoming, education and providing specialist sanctuary care. They have nearly 1,000 equines in their care across two sites in Lincolnshire and foster homes around the country, many of whom come from situations of neglect and mistreatment. The charity have been facing the most challenging time since serious flooding of their land due to heavy rainfall in 2019. During the flooding, an additional £200,000 was needed to urgently move some of the equines from the Bransby site to Barlings, and set up temporary facilities there. At the end of 2020, the charity estimated that so far, the COVID-19 pandemic will have cost them around £100,000 in lost fundraising income since the first lockdown in March 2020.
Once Benji had received initial treatment, the experienced vet team drew up a treatment plan to bring the trich under control. Poor Benji understandably didn’t feel like eating much in his first few days at the hospital but with medication and a dedicated nursing team looking after him, the trich cleared up and he is now steadily putting weight back on! It won’t be long until he is back in the wild. If you have bird feeders or baths in your garden, it is important to regularly clean and disinfect them, as trich is spread through food or drink contaminated by a bird with the infection. Use a good disinfectant or dilute bleach and make sure you rinse them thoroughly and allow them to air dry! www.tiggywinkles.com
Bransby Horses rely solely on support from the general public to continue their mission to improve the lives of horses, ponies, donkeys and mules, and sadly, there are always more equines that require their help. Thanks to continued public support and people remembering them in their Will, Bransby Horses are able to continue with their welfare work and take on more equines in need during what is proving to be the most challenging time in their history. Without the legacy income they receive from generous supporters, Bransby Horses simply wouldn't be able to operate with the same scope or at the same scale as they do. With the impact of COVID-19, the charity are preparing for another tough year for equine rescue and welfare. When you leave a legacy for Bransby Horses, you are making a world of difference to this caring, hard-working charity and all the horses, ponies, donkeys and mules they look after. If you would like to remember Bransby Horses in your Will, please contact their Legacy Team on 01427 788464 or email legacy@bransbyhorses.co.uk for a free Leaving a Legacy guide.
Making Surgery their Legacy
Choosing to leave the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCSEng) a legacy in your will can have a direct impact on the future of surgery and on the patients who receive it. Legacies have enabled them to purchase essential equipment and support a wide range of projects in surgical education and research. A one-year research fellowship, costs in the region of £65,000 and a recent bequest funded a urology surgeon whose is looking at determining the genetic drivers of bladder cancer. Bladder cancer affects approximately 10,000 people each year in the UK and is more common in older adults and men. This research aims to help sufferers of bladder cancer by looking into the genes, which play an important role in driving the cancers and their responses to treatments. In the short term, the project hopes to discover new ways to diagnose bladder cancer and predict patients’ responses to treatments and in the longer term, will aim to identify treatments that are more effective. Since the surgical fellowship scheme was founded in 1993, the number of high calibre applications has doubled and they are unable to support 80% of applicants. They are always in need of more funding to enable projects that address the health challenges of modern society, supporting the development of pioneering ideas across the NHS. With each small success, the Royal College of Surgeons of England takes another step towards the next big breakthrough. www.rcsend.ac.uk RETIREMENT
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