Newcastle Dog and Cat Shelter in Longbenton has a brand new roof on its main admin building, as well as a new purpose-built volunteer hub, thanks to a grant from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).
The shelter’s team of staff had been working with a gaping hole in the roof and no suitable space where they could base their volunteers.
Now they have a pristine new roof complete with new guttering. A new volunteer hub has been built, with lockers to safely store belongings, an area for training, a kitchenette, new tables and chairs.
North Tyneside Council is partnering with North Tyneside VODA to deliver the UKSPF programme, which is funded by the UK Government with the North East Combined Authority as the lead authority. Through UKSPF, North Tyneside Council has invested over £1.2 million through a range of grants in the North West of the Borough. They were made available to any voluntary and community sector organisations that provide services in Camperdown, Weetslade and Longbenton wards.
It is part of the Council’s Ambition for the North West, creating attractive places to live, new opportunities for work and business, and inspiring spaces to play and visit.
Newcastle Dog and Cat Shelter was established in 1896 and helps animals that are lost, unwanted, neglected, abused and abandoned, covering the whole of the North East from its base at Benton North Farm in North Tyneside. The charity reunites lost animals with their owners and finds new homes for those no longer wanted.
Newcastle Dog and Cat Shelter Chief Executive Chris Bray said: “The new roof was badly needed. We dreaded the words ‘there’s a storm coming’ as we knew this would likely mean more damage to a very old roof. It was not a good environment for our fantastic team to work in.
“Our funds are always prioritised to help the animals, but to do this well we recognise we need to make sure our staff and volunteers are well looked after, with well-maintained facilities. Repairs to the roof were no longer viable but a new roof is expensive. It has given the team a real lift to know that the new roof was coming, making the building fit for purpose for the future.
“The capital grant from UKSPF has paid for a new volunteer hub in a former shell of a building on the end of the kennel blocks that had no side walls, just a roof. It’s now being transformed into a comfortable space for our loyal and dedicated team of volunteers. We recruited a new volunteer manager earlier this year who is doing a fantastic job of bringing the community in and getting them involved in our work.
“It’s brilliant to be able to provide a space on site where we can keep our volunteers safe and warm. It’s being decorated to create a nice place to sit, with lockers and an area where we can provide training.
“We’re using another UKSPF grant to pay for portaloos that will allow us to host our Christmas market at the start of December, which is a staple fundraising and community event on our calendar. We’ll have a stand there to encourage people to become volunteers, both at the shelter and in our shops.
“Nothing we do would be possible without our amazing team, they put so much energy into caring for our dogs and cats, and it’s brilliant to be able to provide them with decent buildings to work and take breaks in, which they absolutely deserve.”
Councillor Karen Clark, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing said: “Newcastle Dog and Cat Shelter does vital work caring for unwanted animals, reuniting lost pets with their owners, and finding them loving new homes.
“Their fantastic team of volunteers work hard and have very rewarding roles that bring benefits for their mental health and help them build friendships and connections in their communities. We are delighted to have helped the shelter with this important investment in their new roof and volunteer hub.”
With a focus on creating a sense of renewed pride, identity and connectivity in local communities, UKSPF aims to increase life chances across the UK by investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills.
