Sompting Wildlife Rescue secures funding for vital summer equipment

A wildlife charity in Sompting is preparing for an active summer season after securing a grant to support its rescue efforts.

Sompting Wildlife Rescue, located near Worthing, has been awarded £4,370 by The Belforte Trust. The funding will be used to purchase specialist “reach and rescue” kits and construct three soft release pens designed to aid the reintegration of rehabilitated wildlife into their natural habitats.

The charity, founded in 2019, is run by a family team and a group of volunteers who provide emergency care and rehabilitation to injured, orphaned, and abandoned animals across East and West Sussex. In addition to hands-on care, the organisation offers public advice and delivers wildlife education programmes in local schools.

Founder Pete Foggon highlighted the challenges of accessing wildlife in distress, noting the impact of the new equipment. “Our new ‘reach and rescue kits’… help us get to animals in need from all kinds of otherwise inaccessible places and are a real game changer for us,” he said. The group assists a wide range of animals annually, including gulls, hedgehogs, and birds of prey.