Whitby Wildlife Sanctuary opened in 2009 and its founder, Alexandra farmer and her team have been involved in rescuing around 6000 animals each year. In 2020, 1053 seabirds were rescued, as well as foxes, feral cats, wild geese, rabbits, hedgehogs and many other animals.
The organisation has over 50 volunteers as well as a charity shop to help raise money to care for these animals.
In early January 2023, Alexandra visited our school to talk to the students about how they could help this worthwhile cause. Since March, as part of our Good Citizenship scheme, each week several students have contributed to the welfare of the animals and land management of the sanctuary by helping to clean the hedgehog cages and putting hard-core into ditches to support fencing for the animal enclosures. They have also planted trees to landscape the environment.
This wonderful opportunity has proven invaluable in upskilling our students and promoting team work. Also, the outdoor environment has had a positive impact on their mental health and general wellbeing and it has also helped them in their personal development and their concept of understanding work ethic and discipline.
It is hoped that our young people will develop skills in public speaking about the sanctuary in the near future in educating other students about the project.
