Rossborough dress down days help refurbish shelter’s seal pup facility

DRESS down days at Rossborough will feed two rescued seal pups at the GSPCA for the duration of their stay.

Over a series of dress down days throughout 2013 Rossborough staff raised £743.20; the company matched this amount, bring the donation to £1,486.40.

This will cover two months’ feed, new filter pumps for the unit and the remainder will go towards updating the facility, which needs tiling and decorating.

Steve Byrne, manager of GSPCA, said the donation was a boost for the charity, which has high overheads. ‘It costs £2,000 a day to run the shelter so every penny makes a massive difference. We are extremely grateful for the efforts of all companies, groups and organisations, however large or small, who help us to make it possible to keep this vital service running,’ said GSPCA manager, Steve Byrne.

‘We have been looking to update and improve the facility we have at the shelter for rescued seal pups. We are expecting it to cost about £2,000 to tile, decorate and renew the pens we currently have in the unit. This donation from Rossborough will go some way towards making this possible, as well as covering the cost of new filter pumps and 300kg of herring.’

The GSPCA currently has two seal pups in its shelter in St Andrew’s; Trinity and Eden were rescued on consecutive days earlier this month. It is expected that they will remain with the GSPCA for about two months until they are fit enough to be returned to the wild.  Mr Byrne said the pair gets through between 4kg and 5kg of herring a day.

Steve Moullin, director at Rossborough, said his staff were delighted that their dress down days were benefitting such a worthwhile cause.

‘I think a lot of people would be surprised how much it costs just to keep the GSPCA running on a daily basis,’ said Mr Moullin.

‘Dress down days are a great way of allowing staff to relax and feel more comfortable in their work, while at the same time raising much needed funds. We are continuing the initiative this year and our chosen charity for 2014 is the Priaulx Premature Baby Foundation, which is another very worthwhile cause.’

Jo Priaulx, co-founder of the Priaulx Premature Baby Foundation, said the charity relied on the generosity of others to thrive.

'We are always delighted and extremely grateful when we hear that the PPBF has been selected to benefit from fundraising efforts. We never under-estimate the time and effort that goes into raising money to ensure we can continue to support the Bailiwick's premature babies and their families at what is a very difficult time,’ said Mrs Priaulx. ‘The Foundation works closely with the team at the neo-natal unit at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital to provide additional equipment as well as providing support, both emotional and financial, to these families.'

Picture caption: GSPCA manager Steve Byrne shows Rossborough’s Emily Richardson, left, director Steve Moullin, and Caroline Renouf where money raised during a series of dress down days will be used. Inset, seal pup Trinity.

About Rossborough

• Rossborough was established on the 17th October 1936 by Reginald A Rossborough.  Little is known about Mr Rossborough other than he was a familiar member of the local social scene and a very proficient business “getter”.
• Rossborough is committed to being the broker of choice to buyers of insurance in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.
• In 2012, Rossborough became Jersey’s only Chartered Insurance Broker. This celebrated accolade, which only around 100 companies in the UK hold, is awarded in recognition of a company’s professionalism and high levels of customer service.
• In December 2013, Rossborough’s parent group was acquired by a leading global broker, Arthur J Gallagher & Co, giving Rossborough clients access to specialist insurance teams around the world.

To donate to Trinity and Edens Big Fish Appeal please call 01481 257261, pop along to the Animal Shelter in St Andrews, by post or by clicking the link below.

We will of course keep you up to date with Trinity and Edens progress and keep your eyes open for pictures and videos.

If anyone see's a pup with or without a mum we really do appreciate a call so that we are aware of its location and condition but here is some advice.

A healthy pup looks like a big, stuffed maggot without a neck. However, a thin pup looks sleek (but not bony) and has a visible neck, like a healthy dog.

PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH THE SEAL. They can give a nasty bite, which will become infected by bacteria that live in a seal’s mouths.

Note: Do not allow dogs or other animals to harass a seal.

If a Seal is scared back into the water, it could then be washed out to sea by strong currents and be lost. You should not put a seal pup back in the sea as it may get into difficulty.

If a Seal pup is sick, thin or injured then we would ask you to contact the GSPCA immediately on 01481 257261 day or night

When reporting an injured, sick or abandoned seal to the GSPCA, please make sure you are able to supply the following information:

• Exact location; nearest town / village
• Position on the beach, and state of the tide
• How long you have observed the pup; any disturbance / risk to it; whether the mother has been seen
• Any wounds / obvious signs of illness
• Length/colour/condition.

Caution:- Handling of any animal either domestic, wild, dead or alive may be potentially hazardous. Obvious dangers include bites, scratches and general hygiene issues. Common sense should be applied in all instances and, if unsure, seek additional advice or assistance. Personal hygiene should be taken into consideration after handling any animal, whether it’s domestic, wild, dead or alive.

To see some of the previous stories follow the links below

Seal Rescue to Save Jethou Bumblebee 25th November 2012

Hanois the grey seal pup rescued on Saturday by GSPCA staff 7th January 2013

Jethou Bumblebee & Hanois the rescued grey seal pups back in the wild 18th April 2013

The Rescue of Trinity the Seal Pup 9th January 2014

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The following are events planned for 2014

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