Trevor Weeks MBE, the founder of East Sussex Wildlife Rescue & Ambulance Service, is currently over halfway through his Anniversary Trek across East Sussex, aiming to visit various rescue locations along his route.
Celebrating 40 years of dedication to wildlife rescue and conservation, alongside the charity’s 30th anniversary, Trevor commenced his journey on Monday, March 3rd, at Bewl Water, situated on the Kent and East Sussex border.
- Day 1 – Monday, March 3rd: Trevor walked 9.9 miles via Wadhurst, concluding at Mayfield. He visited the site of his Marine Mammal Medic training with British Divers Marine Life Rescue, a deer rescued in a steep-sided stream bed at Tolhurst, and an albino stag caught in a rope swing near Mayfield.
- Day 2 – Wednesday, March 5th: Continuing his trek, Trevor covered 7.5 miles from Mayfield, winding through the countryside to Heathfield. He stopped at the site where a White Tailed Stork was rescued and recalled his first deer with it’s antlers entangled in a a rope swing in 2005.
- Day 3 – Friday, March 7th: Trevor walked 9.1 miles from Heathfield to Framfield, passing two locations where badger rescues occurred near Heathfield and Cross In Hand. The route also included several deer entanglement rescues and a baby deer trapped in a stream.
- Day 4 – Wednesday, March 12th: Covering another 9 miles between Framfield and Isfield via Uckfield, Trevor visited sites of previous deer rescues, the first Badger Vaccination work in East Sussex, and a location where over 100 ducks were found wandering on a busy road at Ridgewood. Also a location where he rescued a deer trapped behind a chain-link fence and where he aided two mother ducks with their ducklings in Uckfield, including one duck that nested in a false chimney, requiring help from the Fire Service. Additionally, he visited the site where a sparrowhawk was rescued at Isfield.
- Day 5 – Friday, March 14th: Trevor walked 8.8 miles from Isfield to Lewes via Barcombe Mills, where he encountered the site of a baby hedgehog caught in a the loop of a Christmas bauble. Barcombe Mills has seen several rescues, including orphan duckling rescues and an entangled swan. His route led him down the old disused railway line at Malling Down to a collapsed badger rescue site and to the Pells Pond at Lewes, where he found an injured duck and needed to call out WRAS rescuers. Pells Pond is also notable for a duck rescued in 2015 with a blow dart stuck in its neck, as well as a seal rescue after it became trapped.
- Day 6 – Monday, March 17th: Trevor embarked on a 10.1-mile journey starting at Lewes Railway Station, where a pigeon entangled in netting was rescued and where a pheasant hit by a train needed help. The route took him through Kingston, where he encountered a herd of cattle wandering across the road whilst returning from a night-time rescue. He also passed sites of two swan rescues, a location where a seal needed checking near Piddinghoe, and Newhaven, where he rescued a starling from a chimney, a sparrowhawk from a warehouse, and a fox caught between two walls.
With five days remaining, Trevor will conclude his trek on Eastbourne Seafront on Friday, March 28th, where the charity will host a celebration evening at the Cumberland Hotel for supporters, staff, and volunteers.
Trevor’s remaining journey:
- Wednesday 19th March: Newhaven to Exceat via Seaford.
- Friday 21st March: Exceat to Arlington via Alfriston.
- Monday 24th March: Arlington to Hailsham via Hellingly.
- Wednesday 26th March: Hailsham to Hampden Park via Polegate.
- Friday 28th March:: Hampden Park to Eastbourne Pier via Sovereign Harbour.
Trevor has been documenting his journey through a video diary available on the charity’s website https://wildlifeambulance.org/trevors-anniversary-trek-for-wras/. He shared, “I’ve now walked 54.4 miles, which is further than I anticipated. I wouldn’t be surprised if my final distance exceeds 90 miles. I’ve experienced a few blisters and aches, but at 53 years old, that’s to be expected. Reflecting on the number of rescues we’ve conducted and the diverse situations we’ve encountered, from tiny baby birds to massive stags, it’s astounding – over 75,000 casualties have been addressed since I began in 1985.”
As the charity does not receive government funding, it relies on public donations to maintain its critical community service, assisting individuals who find sick, injured, orphaned, or trapped wildlife.
Anyone wishing to support Trevor’s Anniversary Trek can do so online or by calling 01825-873003.
Press Pack, Video & Photos: Media Page – East Sussex WRAS
