THEY are more used to providing homes for people than pets but Sanctuary Group has lived up to its name by raising £5,000 to provide new homes for cats and dogs.

Staff from Sanctuary Group pulled together to raise funds in support of Worcestershire Animal Rescue Service (WARS).

Worcester-based staff at the housing and care provider selected WARS as their local ‘Charity of the Year’ for the past 12 months, organising a range of money raising events to get involved in.

The employees have shown their support through bake sales and raffle draws while collecting hundreds of pounds worth of animal food and treats for the shelter.

The group’s Worcester choir also put on a special performance of pop songs through the ages for their colleagues.

As well as providing WARS with money, staff from Sanctuary Maintenance, part of Sanctuary Group, stepped in to provide skilled labour to finish a much-needed socialisation enclosure for cats.

A number of the group’s staff also chose to volunteer at the shelter as part of Sanctuary’s employee volunteering scheme.

Liz Hallam, trustee and voluntary fundraising manager at WARS, said: “I was absolutely thrilled when we were chosen to be Sanctuary’s local ‘Charity of the Year’ and I have really enjoyed working closely with all the staff that I have met during this period.

“Not only has Sanctuary raised a significant amount of money for us and increased our profile in the Worcester area, but we are also delighted to have welcomed many of the staff into our volunteer team."

Sanctuary’s chief operating officer Ian McDermott added: “Each year, our staff impress us with their continued enthusiasm and support for our selected charity and it has been no different for the Worcestershire Animal Rescue Shelter.

WARS is currently home to about 25 dogs and 12 cats, and has recently launched a rehoming service for battery hens.

With a purpose-built kennel block and a recently completed cattery unit, the shelter is relying on volunteers and donations to help them provide accommodation, medical treatment and lots of attention and exercise for the animals.

The aim is to rehome the animals and work closely with the people who take them in to ensure the new pets become a happy addition to the family.

The shelter can take any number of new animals daily, so it’s essential to sustain a regular income to meet running costs and welfare.

Money raised has been put towards this, as well as supporting a building programme to improve and provide even more accommodation for animals in need.