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The RSPCA is looking for volunteers to cuddle cats and rabbits in Manchester

In 2021 alone, the team at RSPCA Manchester & Salford had 624 animals admitted into their care, and saw 503 animals rehomed.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 17th January 2022

The RSPCA is looking for volunteers to lend a hand in looking after its cats, rabbits, and more across Greater Manchester.

If you’ve ever wished that cuddling and caring for animals could be a hobby for you, then that could actually be a reality in 2022, as now that a new year is here, a number of volunteer roles have become available at the Manchester and Salford branch of the RSPCA.

In 2021 alone, the team had 624 animals admitted into their care, and saw 503 animals rehomed – 259 cats, 117 rabbits, and 127 smalls.

And you could be a valuable part of that rehoming process this year.

While the Eccles Road-based centre – which opened its doors back in July 2019 – may be a local branch of the RSPCA, it is also a separately-registered charity too – which means that it is required to raise all of its own funds to operate, and also relies on the help of volunteers for things such as cleaning and spending some quality time with the rescued animals to socialise them, so that once they get adopted, they’ll be more familiar with human company.

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So, if you’ve got a bit of free time on your hands, and you’re looking to do a good deed, then these roles would be perfect for animal lovers.

No matter whether you’re looking to help out during the week or at weekends, or whether you’re flexible with your time and commitments, or you have a full time job, there’ll be an opportunity to suit you.

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Volunteers will undertake comprehensive training.

The RSPCA is looking for volunteers to lend a hand across Greater Manchester this year / Credit: RSPCA Manchester & Salford

An advertisement for the volunteer positions by RSPCA Manchester & Salford reads: “Join our wonderful team of volunteers at our small animal centre in Salford.

“We are looking for folks who can commit to a weekly slot (a couple of roles are available fortnightly) for at least the next three months, and this is because a lot of time is taken training volunteers and so temporary placements are not manageable for us.”

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For “insurance reasons”, RSPCA Manchester & Salford says it is looking for volunteers who are over 18 years of age, and and if you have any cats/dogs/rabbits or ferrets in your home, then they would need to be up to date with their vaccinations 

This is said to be “for everyone’s safety”.

The roles on offer are:

  • Cattery Cleaning: 8:30am/9am start on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, either weekly or fortnightly.
  • Small Animal Room Cleaning: Start between 8:30am – 10am on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays.
  • Cat Socialising: Anytime from 1pm until 4pm on Mondays – Fridays.
  • Rabbit Socialising: Anytime from 12:30pm until 4pm, seven days a week.
Volunteers will undertake comprehensive training for the variety of roles on offer / Credit: RSPCA Manchester & Salford

Fancy it then?

If you would like to join the volunteer team at RSPCA Manchester & Salford and help the animals, then you can email [email protected] for more information.

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Donations to RSPCA Manchester & Salford can be made here, and you can find more information about the centre here.

Featured Image – RSPCA

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Inside the Grade I-listed Cheshire mansion currently on the market for an eye-watering £11.4m

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

A Grade-I listed manor house has gone on the market over in Cheshire, and to say it’s absolutely stunning is a serious understatement.

Oh… but you will need a spare £11.4 million to fork out on it though.

Of course, it goes without saying that the vast majority of people reading this article right now won’t see a sum of £11.4 million ever in their lifetimes, and properties of this size and stature are not the kind we’ll ever get to call home, so the next best thing we can do is just snoop around on good old Rightmove and have a nosey at all the jaw-dropping pictures instead.

Like us, if you’ve got no shame in admitting that one of your favourite internet pastimes is looking up houses you can’t afford in places you’ll probably never visit, then allow us to introduce you to this absolute beast of a mansion in Cheshire.

We’re talking a Grade I-listed, 10-bedroom, has its own library, lake, tennis courts, self-contained lodges, a venue for hosting weddings and corporate events, and is sat in extensive farmland kind of ‘beast’.

This is Dorford Hall, in the Nantwich area of south Cheshire / Credit: Savills

This is Dorford Hall.

Nestled in a secluded, yet still very easily-accessible corner of Nantwich in south Cheshire, the expansive Dorfold Hall Estate boasts a seriously-stunning Grade I-listed Jacobean manor house surrounded by breathtaking Victorian gardens that’s been immaculately-restored and renovated by the current owners over several years to now offer accommodation for modern living within a historic setting.

While the estate may now serve the dual purpose of being a cherished family home, and a picturesque venue for weddings and corporate events, that’s now how it started life in the 17th century.

Built in 1616 and designed in the characteristic Jacobean style, the Grade I-listed Hall is steeped in local historical and architectural significance – with rumours claiming its construction was even expedited to host King James I during a royal visit.

It’s a Grade I-listed manor estate rumoured to have been built for King James I to stay in during the 17th century / Credit: Savills

Now, estate agents Savills call it a “fine example of Jacobean architecture”, all thanks to its symmetrical design, red and blue brick diapering, stone detailing, slate roofing, large mullioned windows, ornate chimneys, and gables.

Accommodation is arranged over three floors, with the spacious reception rooms, bespoke kitchen and dining room, library, billiards room, and the separate lodges, cottages, and apartments for housekeepers, being just a few of the stand-out features it has to offer.

And the wow-factor doesn’t stop with indoors either, as the outside is arguably even more impressive.

It’s currently on the market for £11.4 million / Credit: Savills

Once you’ve entered the estates grounds through the electric gates and make your way down the impressive tree-lined drive, you’ll find acres of mature and historic gardens, new lawn and garden irrigation systems, several outbuildings, and even an enviably-beautiful walled garden with its very-own wildflower meadow, lake.

As mentioned there’s even tennis court within the grounds too, as well as a restored Clock Tower, and the small matter of a RIBA award-winning avant-garde event space and Coach House that’s licensed to hold civil ceremonies.

We know we’ve used the word ‘impressive’ quite a few times throughout this, but what’s one more… it’s all pretty impressive, right?

Read more:

Dorford Hall is currently on the market with Savills for a whopping £11.4 million, and if you fancy taking a closer look, then you can contact the property company to arrange a viewing.

Or take the cheaper route instead and just have a nosey at the Rightmove link here.

Featured Image – Savills

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New narrators to take over from Sir David Attenborough for special episode of Planet Earth III

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

The BBC has announced that some new narrators will be taking over from Sir David Attenborough for a special episode of Planet Earth III.

Sir David Attenborough is one of the most beloved British public figures of all time.

The BBC stalwart has been narrating nature documentaries for over 70 years now, and is known all across the world as the voice of nature – but, as our natural world faces even greater challenges than ever before, the broadcaster has claimed that “one voice alone is not enough to speak up on behalf of planet Earth”.

This is why, especially to mark Earth Day yesterday (22 April), the massively critically-acclaimed documentary series, Planet Earth III, decided to collaborate with BBC Children in Need for a one-off episode of the show.

New narrators are taking over from Sir David Attenborough for a special episode of Planet Earth III / Credit: BBC

But what exactly is it that makes this episode so “special”? Well, that’s because it’s uniquely narrated by dozens of schoolchildren.

The children – who are each aged between nine and 13, and are all said to be “budding naturalists” – can be heard reading from Sir David Attenborough’s original scripts in a bid to both “champion the power of youth voices” and, ultimately, “speak up for the planet”.

The BBC explained that the 50 student narrators were chosen from schools selected by BBC Children in Need as some of the most engaged fundraisers for the charity across the UK in recent years.

Alongside the airing of the special episode, the BBC also gave tens of thousands of children nationwide the chance to tune into a virtual assembly hosted by wildlife biologist, explorer, and presenter Lizzie Daly, as well as take part in a Q&A with the producers of the popular documentary series.

Clips from Planet Earth III were also made available so curious kids could have a go at narrating for themselves.

Read more:

The special episode of Planet Earth III narrated by the schoolchildren is now available to watch on BBC iPlayer here, but it will also be airing on BBC One on Monday 6 May too.

Featured Image – Mark Harrison (via BBC)

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