50 years of Animal rescue - 1975 to 2025

50 years of Animal Rescue          1975 to 2025                   

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It’s now 50 years since The Kit Wilson Trust for Animal Welfare came into existence.  In 1975, a legacy left in the will of Katherine (Kit) Wilson, a renowned cat show judge, led to the formation of an animal welfare charity that would see its work transition over the years from the rescue, neutering and rehoming of lost, abandoned and feral cats to that of the present day Animal Rescue Centre, which is now home to dogs, cats, rabbits, rodents, horses and ponies, ferrets, goats, as well as many varieties of bird from parrots to finches, to name just some of the many residents.

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By 1986, the ongoing rescue of cats, had for some time already expanded to include dogs and rabbits, and the need for permanent premises was becoming ever more urgent. Then, thanks to a legacy gift from a dedicated supporter of the Trust, we were able to purchase a derelict pig farm with 35 acres, nestled in the heart of the East Sussex countryside at Hadlow Down, which grew and developed over the years and became the Animal Rescue Centre we know today.

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The setting in this beautiful part of Sussex provides the peace and calm so vital to alleviating the stresses many of the animals have gone through before coming to the Centre.

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Over the years, many of the original farm buildings were either adapted or new buildings put up to accommodate the growing number of animals taken in, and all this was made possible by the generous donations and fundraising efforts of our wonderful supporters and the general public.

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It was through the dedication and sheer determination of a small group of people all those years ago, who saw the need for rescue and rehoming and realised the importance of neutering and the need to promote this policy to the wider community, and wanted to provide the best care and kindness for as many animals in need as possible, that the Trust has been able to continue it’s work.  Some of those individuals still play a leading role today in the running of the Centre and of the Trust itself. We are immensely  proud to have reached our 50^th Anniversary and look forward to many more years helping animals that need us.

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        The Kit Wilson Trust for Animal Welfare

                                   Kindness Wins Trust

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