Yesterday (Thursday 16th April) evening we held an initial meeting to explore how the Hull Feral Cat Legacy Fund could best support both our local communities and the organisations dedicated to helping feral and community cats across the city. The meeting was very well received and brought together a wide range of organisations, including Jenny’s Cat House, Hull Street Cats, Kat Cat House, Cats Protection (Beverley Branch), Harley’s Angels, and the RSPCA Hull & East Riding Branch CIO.
The discussion provided a valuable opportunity to reflect on how the Legacy Fund came about, the areas it can support, and—most importantly—how organisations can work collaboratively to maximise its impact for feral and community cats. There was strong agreement around partnership working to ensure the fund delivers the greatest possible benefit in the local area.
Draft partnership guidance has now been developed, along with proposed arrangements for how the Legacy Fund will operate to support organisations involved in trap, neuter and release work. Ahead of the meeting, the RSPCA Hull and East Riding responded to a number of questions about the fund, producing a set of comprehensive answers which now serve as a frequently asked questions document.
The next steps are to agree the final partnership arrangements and to confirm the exact process for how the fund will be allocated and spent.
While the £20,000 legacy is a significant, and a vital contribution to feral and community cat welfare, it is important to recognise that the organisations involved continue to rely on community support to meet their wider costs and sustain their vital work. As a restricted fund, the Legacy Fund is 100% specifically focused on feral and community cats and cannot be used for broader veterinary costs, despite
the very real challenges faced.
Jaycon Legal Solicitors have shared a statement about why they decided to allocate the Legacy Funding to RSPCA Hull and East Riding – read their statement HERE.
We are encouraged by the spirit of collaboration shown at this first meeting and look forward to working together to make a lasting difference for Hull’s feral and community cats.
