Trevor Weeks MBE founder of East Sussex Wildlife Rescue & Ambulance Service (East Sussex WRAS) is turning 50 years old on Saturday 22^nd January 2022.

Whilst many would be having big parties and celebrations, Trevor is concentrating his efforts on supporting the charity he started some 26 years ago in 1996.  Trevor has been undertaking wildlife rescue and conservation work since he was just 13 (1983) and grown East Sussex WRAS from a one man band to the award winning community charity it is today which now deals with around 5000 casualties every year.

Trevor has set up a Facebook fundraiser and Just Giving Page to raise money for East Sussex WRAS as its his 50^th Birthday instead of wanting gifts and offers of wrinkle cream.

Trevor said “I can’t believe how far WRAS has grown over the years. I never thought that what I started so many years ago would end up being my career, let along establishing a veterinary hospital and wildlife ambulance service.”

“I take my hat off to all my colleagues past and present who have come on board and helped work or volunteer at WRAS. Katie, Karen, Kathy, Ellie, Kristy, Amy, Holly, Julie, Faye and Rachel as well as all our volunteer and trustees who have been so essential to the success of the charity, they are my inspiration to keep going and pushing forward for the future. Having our veterinary surgeons Mike, Chris, Simon Sophie and our latest addition Lourdes who is now employed by WRAS has been essential to our success ensuring we are able to provide the best possible care to the casualties we deal with. This organisation is way bigger than just me now.“

Over the years in Trevor’s wildlife career he has deal with all sorts of rescues like swans stuck in trees, seals caught in power stations, the Sea Empress Oil Spill, ducklings stuck down drains,  various road casualties, deer with their antlers entangled in rope swings, and been kicked, scratched and bitten numerous times some resulting in Trevor being sent to hospital!

“Every year we expand our capacity and improve the service we can offer. But we have reached the limit of what we can currently do at our centre at Whitesmith, so we are now looking to purchase a new site where we can develop a new and improved veterinary hospital and rehabilitation facilities. This is not going to be cheap and the charity need as much funding as it can get in order to build the new centre and purchase the land. Luckily we have managed to put some funds aside over the last 5 years mainly from legacies specifically to help with this, but its not enough yet.”

Trevor will be having a well earned week off for his 50^th birthday. “I’m not getting any younger and although I try to keep active and fit,  Its not as easy to chase down deer, wrestle badgers or swim after swans like it used to be.”

Anyone wanting to make a donation can do so at East Sussex WRAS facebook page, Just Giving Page, or they can go to WRAS website www.wildlifeambulance.org or post a donation to: East Sussex WRAS, PO Box 2148, Seaford, BN25 9DE or drop off a donation at WRAS’s Charity Shop at 192 Terminus Road Eastbourne, BN21 3BB or over the phone on 01825-873003.

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Find out more about the history of East Sussex WRAS by clicking here.

Photos are available on request.

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