Sanctuary Land Purchase Fund

Aim

Raising funds to increase our land budget for a permanent animal sanctuary and wildlife haven.

New Haven Project is an animal sanctuary for ex farm animals, horses and dogs. At the moment we are very small and renting land in Somerset but our budget is running out. We are desperate to purchase our own land, so that we can give our current animals the security they deserve. We are looking to purchase our own land with the hope of expanding and being able to offer more animals a safe and secure future.

We have a dwindling sum of money set aside to purchase land  from  our house sale back in 2016 but land prices keep increasing and we keep being outbid on land auctions as land is snapped up quickly. This has meant that our initial budget has been shrinking monthly. If we can increase our budget into the next price bracket, with help from donations, it will drastically increase our ability to find the sanctuary appropriate land for our current and future rescue animals.

The Plan

To purchase at least 3 acres of land, with a water source if possible, in Carmarthenshire, Wales.  The land will need to be fairly level because of the age of the horses and their arthritis, secured with  stock proof fencing (which will cost approximately an additional £2000) and have stables/field shelter/barn built to house the animals in adverse weather and for storage of hay, feed and equipment. We are prepared to erect shelter if the right land does not have pre-existing structures; this is estimated to cost £3-5000. 

We have already started planning our One Planet Development (OPD) application, which is a program that assesses our suitability to live sustainably on land in Wales. This would give is 5 years to prove that we can support ourselves, through growing and selling our own produce, and managing the land in both an environmentally aware manner, while in-keeping with our own ethical, vegan core beliefs. Once we secure a piece of land, we will plant a mixed orchard of fruit and nut trees, as well as food-producing plants (fruit canes and vegetables), We have been selling our own preserves and vegan honey over the last few years, using organic plants which we have grown while in rental accommodation. Additionally, over this time we have built a Not For Profit brand in New Haven Project, selling ethical, vegan soaps, shampoo bars, moisturiser, lip balms, bath bombs and eco-soy wax. 100% of our profits from this part of our venture, along with our baking (which we have have sold online and at various markets/fairs) have been paid into a bank account set-up to solely support the animals upkeep, in the long-run.  

Once we are established on land, we hope to continue making and selling our products, to support our animals, have space to support further vulnerable animals and nurture a haven for wildlife. Working with other organisations, we hope to become a wildlife release site; having already consulted with the Butterfly Conservation, we are very keen, depending on where the land is, to help reintroduce and support endangered species of butterflies as well. 

In the future, we would also like to welcome community involvement in the Project. We look forward to being in a position where we can welcome vulnerable and marginalized (disabled, mental health and refugee support groups etc.) to experience classes/day-trips/placements with us, when we have the correct infrastructure in place. 

Background

I have ALWAYS loved animals right back to my early childhood and although I was surrounded by pets I dreamt of saving farm animals and stopping them going to slaughter. Even if it was only one or two. My first animal rescue was at the age of 11 way back in 1977. My mum brought home 6 baby wild rabbits that were only a couple of days old. They had been found in a wood yard when machinery had disturbed them. I spent the next week feeding them with eye droppers and a tiny dolls bottle  and luckily they all survived.

We always had animals turning up from feral cats to weasels from then on. I became vegetarian at 13 years old and carried on having a 'normal' life, college, job, marriage and children but always yearned to do more for animals. As the children grew, we always had animals around and the children were vegetarian and then vegan too, we dabbled in rescue and helped raise money for rescues too but it wasn't enough.  After a year of indecision it was decided to take the plunge and put the house on the market, it wasn't an expensive house and after the mortgage was repaid didn't leave much. Also started selling off personal items to go into the 'animal fund' it's all or nothing. I rented a house for a year with a paddock and started setting up New Haven Project, getting the products certificated while looking into marketing. I've always wanted to be self sufficient and to be able to guarantee funds for the animals health and wellbeing, I've not gone into it lightly. 

https://new-haven-project.fwscart.com/

Over the last 2 and a half years, since the sale of our house, we have looked for land every morning, visited plots and put offers in. However, we have yet to have an offer accepted. While we have been hunting for land, looking after the animals and making our products, our land budget has halved. We are now very anxious to secure land, as the sanctuary's position urgently requires. 

Having spoken to a lot of people, while building New Haven Project, the consensus appears to be that we should ask for help with donations, so that we can offer the animals already in our care, better land and therefore better long term prospects. Although we have never wanted to take donations, we (and our budget) are at breaking point and we urgently need to make a stand for the sanctuary's future. All animals in our care live full, happy lives, so we owe it to them to try our absolute hardest to find them the best that we can buy. 

This is where your support comes in. With your donations, no matter how big or small, our ability to secure land for the sanctuary's future will increase. Thank you so much for reading this far and please consider making a pledge to increase our land budget for our wildlife and animal sanctuary. 

Our wonderful rewards are listed at the side, so please have a look and share our campaign! Thank you <3 

Expected Expenditure

Land - £30-40k

Fencing - £2-3k

Water Supply - £1k

Building Stable/Barn - £3-5k

Moving Animals  - £500+

Caravan - £1-2k

Fees -£1k

Hardstanding - £1k

This project successfully funded on 29th August 2018