New website giving.gg is launched with GSPCA Olivia the turtle appeal & the Association of Guernsey Charities & volunteer.gg
Submitted by Steve on 07:45, 22nd Jun, 2016 |
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Yesterday GSPCA Manager Steve Byrne met with the Chairman of the Association of Guernsey Charities Peter Rose and the wonderful volunteers behind charity.ggvolunteer.gg and the newly launched giving.gg
The reason for the invite was to help with the media launch of this wonderful new website that will help local charities have a free way to generate donations and appeals online.
Peter Rose gave the background and the reasons for the much needed local website and then asked Steve Byrne to help create the first appeal page which with her desperate need to fly to a warmer climate from the GSPCA was designed to raise funds for Olivia the loggerhead turtles flight appeal.
Steve took a seat and completed what was a very easy process and in a matter of minutes published the first GSPCA appeal page on the new giving.gg in front of the gathered press.
Once the page was live AGC Chairman Peter then made the first ever giving.gg online donation to the appeal as well as a kind comment to help Olivia and the GSPCA.
The running total of donations was added which now stands at £2460 towards Olivia's appeal. With a further £10,040 to raise to help cover the costs of a jet to take this endangered species to Gran Canaria the team at the GSPCA are very excited about the new site and how it can help benefit Olivia as well as many others.
The site has three options to donate with the best way for a charity if you choose the internet banking option as once your details are completed and you press this option an email is sent to your inbox. You can then complete the donation with no charges to you or the charity by your own online bank (if you have this set up) meaning every penny then helps the appeal or good cause.
Both the other options through paypal and via a card although have charges, giving.gg have negotiated an extremely low rate meaning as much as possible is donated to the charity.
One real hope that was discussed is that many countries operate a scheme called Gift Aid that allows charities to claim the basic rate tax on every pound donated and if a similar scheme was to become a reality on donations in Guernsey then this new website could easily accommodate a simple online option for those kindly donating that would qualify.
Steve Byrne GSPCA Manager "We would like to thank all involved in creating the new giving.gg website and being invited to launch the site and create the first page which was to appeal for help with Olivia the turtle who we need to fly to Gran Canaria."
"Every penny from each donation makes a massive difference to the work we do at the GSPCA, as it does for many charities and to have a local website that means that 100% of donations can go to a charity is hugely important as there are so many options online that take commissions, reducing the amount that helps that organisation."
"To create the appeal page for Olivia was really easy, straight forward and took a matter of moments and it was wonderful that the AGC Chairman made a live donation in front of all gathered to help Olivia home, being the first ever giving.gg donation to a good cause."
"We are really looking forward creating other appeal and event pages on our giving.gg web page and promoting it to help raise the much needed funds to run the Shelter which is in excess of £1600 each day."
"It was also encouraging to hear of the work going on in Guernsey trying to look at gift aid and the talks going on with the States which would be a fantastic help to the hundreds of charities across the island as the current tax relief is limited."
"Thank you to everyone involved in creating this wonderful website that will help so many Guernsey charities including ourselves at the GSPCA."
Below is a recent update on Olivia the turtle and the many ways to donate to her appeal and please do use the giving.gg page to make the most of your donation.
We really need your help to get Olivia back to warmer waters.
Olivia is now ready to be flown to the Canary islands and we are currently appealing for funds to help towards the costs of her flight.
With just over £2450 raised so far we are the fifth of the way towards being able to afford the costs of her flight.
To transport a loggerhead turtle from one country to another requires Cites documents which we are in the midst of awaiting completion from the Spanish authorities.
When we first rescued Olivia she was extremely weak, starving, dehydrated and close to death.
Just over two months later and she is now swimming and eating on her own which is difficult to achieve in captivity.
The next big step for Olivia is to get her back to a warmer climate and a rescue centre with experience to finish her rehabilitation.
We have arranged a place for Olivia in the Canary Islands and we need to raise the funds and arrange a plane to help transport her back to where she belongs.
Geoff George Ambulance Driver, Marine Medic and main carer for Olivia at the GSPCA said "Olivia is eating extremely well which is is a massive step in her rehabilitation as they are so difficult to feed in captivity."
"She is strong enough to travel but not only do we need to find the funding to transport her to the Canary Islands we are awaiting the relevant documents."
"She is doing very well at the GSPCA but we are appealing for funds so that when we receive the paperwork to transport her we can get it done quickly."
Steve Byrne GSPCA Manager said "Each day we move closer to be able to move Olivia to Gran Canaria and we are currently appealing for funds to help move her south."
"A huge thank you to everyone that has donated so far which has helped raise £2450 of at least £12500 we need to raise to cover the costs to fly her to a turtle rescue in the Canaries."
"Olivia was so weak, dehydrated and thin we were really worried for her when she first arrived, but thanks to the team at the GSPCA especially Geoff George, John Knight and the team at the Vetcare Centres, Les Van Blerk and the team at Vets 4 Pets, Spa De La Mare, Waitrose, Guernsey Reef, States Works, Guernsey Aquarium, Guernsey Builders and many others she has improved each day and is now ready for a long journey."
"Loggerhead turtles are listed as Endangered and facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources."
"In the wild they face many threats with the greatest threat being a loss of nesting habitat due to coastal development, predation of nests and human disturbances such as coastal lighting and housing developments that cause disorientations during the emergence of hatchlings."
"Other major threats include incidental capture in longline fishing, shrimp trawling and pollution. as well as incidental capture in fisheries is thought to have played a significant role in the recent population declines observed for these wonderful creatures."
"World wide the population of loggerhead turtles is estimated to only be between 40,000 and 50,000 nesting females which is less than the population of Guernsey."
"We are now desperately looking to find a plane that could help and donations towards the travel to help with costs of fuel and landing taxes."
"New Era Vets from Jersey have helped start the fund with a donation of £280 which was left after transporting the loggerhead turtle called Terri they rescued earlier this year and we are hugely grateful to them and to others that have donated towards her care."
"We are aware that costs just for fuel and landing taxes from the Channel Islands to the Canary Isles are over £12,500 so this is a huge appeal to help one very special lady."
"So far we have raised just over £2450 and need to raise a further £10000 to get this rare and beautiful animal back to where she belongs which is the costs we have been told by one very kind plane owner, although we continue to search for other options."
"If you know of a plane that could help or would like to make a donation we would love to hear from you."
"Thank you to everyone that has helped so far it is really appreciated."
To make a donation online please click the paypal button below, call 01481 257261, by post or at the GSPCA.
If you know of someone that could help with transport please call GSPCA Manager Steve Byrne 01481 257261 or email [email protected]
Common Name: Loggerhead - named for its exceptionally large head.
Scientific Name: Caretta caretta
Description: Head is very large with heavy strong jaws. Carapace is bony without ridges and has large, non-overlapping, rough scutes (scales) present with 5 lateral scute. Carapace is heart shaped. Front flippers are short and thick with 2 claws, while the rear flippers can have 2 or 3 claws. Carapace is a reddish-brown with a yellowish-brown plastron. Hatchlings have a dark-brown carapace with flippers pale brown on margins.
Size/Weight/Age: The Loggerhead measures up to 1.1 meters (3.5 ft) long when fully grown, weighing approximately 135 kilograms (300 lb) and have a lifespan of 47-67 years.
Diet: The Loggerhead Sea Turtle is omnivorous, feeding mainly on bottom dwelling invertebrates: mollusks, crustaceans, horseshoe crabs, clams, mussels, and other marine animals. Its large and powerful jaw serve as an effective tool in dismantling its prey.
Habitat: Prefer to feed in coastal bays and estuaries, as well as in the shallow water along the continental shelves of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Reproduction: Female Loggerheads, between the age of 17 to 33, will usually mate every 2 to 4 years.
Crawl Pattern: 1) Alternating comma-shaped flipper marks 2) Wavy and smoothed track center with no thin, straight, and well-defined tail-drag mark 3) No regular marking from front flippers at the margins of the track
Nesting: Female Loggerheads are known to nest from one to seven times within a nesting season (mean is about 4.1 nests per season) at intervals of approximately 12–17 days. Mean clutch size varies from about 100 to 126 along the southeastern United States coast. Incubation ranges from about 45 to 95 days, depending on incubation temperatures, but averages 55 to 60 days for most clutches.
International Status - Listed as Endangered (facing high risk of extinction in the wild in the immediate future) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources ( IUCN)
Threats to Survival: Fishing gear is the biggest threat to loggerheads in the open ocean. They often become entangled in longlines or gillnets. According to the 2009 status review of loggerheads by the Fisheries Service, drowning from entanglement in longline and gillnet fishing gear is the turtles’ primary threat in the North Pacific. The second greatest threat is loss of nesting habitat due to coastal development, predation of nests, and human disturbances (such as coastal lighting and housing developments) that discourages nesting and interferes with the hatchlings' ability to navigate to the water's edge
To see some of the businesses that have helped please check out the links below.
To donate to the turtle or Bonnie the grey seal pup please call 01481 257261, pop along to the Animal Shelter in St Andrews, by post or by clicking the link below.
Have you got a GSPCA Hoody, Polo Shirt, Sweat Shirt or T-shirt? If not get yours by clicking here.
To find out about our Events, how to become a Member, Sponsor an Animal Pen, our Wish List, Corporate Sponsorship & Volunteering, , our New Build & Redevelopment Appeal and much more please click here.
There are many ways to support the work of the GSPCA and you can even donate online by clicking the paypal link below.
By post cheques payable to 'GSPCA' - GSPCA, Rue des Truchots, St Andrews, Guernsey, GY6 8UD
Or by phone 01481 257261.
To find out more regarding our Angel Sponsorship Scheme please click here.
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