est 2019. updated Oct 29th 2025.

hi thank you for looking, as ever.

After the summer just gone, its fair to say that we are just about done with pretty much most things to do with rescues, so we are CLOSING TO GENERAL PUBLIC WILDLIFE RESCUES. _______

How next year unfolds is anyones guess, but We are now a private group helping GULLS ONLY.

_________ All other rescue enquires are to go to www.helpwildlife.co.uk where you enter your postcode and make the call . This will be shortly be updated on all of our artwork and will be conveyed to the public throughout the winter. Doing this every year on a full time basis is not a healthy quality of life... as fulfilling in many other ways that it is. That said, I still have special needs gulls at home and one very stroppy pigeon :) lol.

__________________________________

It's time to lift the lid and point out what it takes to do this selfless volunteer work, and what will happen next year.

After personally having to turn away people this year, the number of people needing help has far exceeded the number of people helping. 7 years of responding to endless posts made online and trying to organise has provided little opportunity to enjoy the summer season, little chance to enjoy life, no work, no breaks, each doing the work of 5 people, taking in another groups chicks from the season and having my own house ruined by the mess. With so many people refusing to pick up birds and offloading the responsibility on facebook, massive changes/reductions are going to have to follow as we are UNPAID volunteers now doing the job of PAID staff from sites who have turned away gulls/chicks in favour of other wildlife. We are the overspill. So we are doing the reverse: no more wildlife, except for gulls!! We have a small team still together, but no current means to do much next year so limits are coming. That said, May 2026 is a long way off. One thing is for certain, we'll do our own thing and have no interest in self importance, ego, titles or online self praise from others in wildlife rescue. The behaviour from others is utterly shocking and two others in our group can attest to this behaviour. (Its the same in dog/cat rescue too) We remain steadfast in sticking to the ethos of what this group has achieved over the years and won't stray away from that. Someone is either part of the miracle work we do, or not. We exist for us and YOU the finder/supporter.

It is widely anticipated there will be not be such a thing as wildlife rescue in about 5 years time, and unless more help comes for gulls, for them, I'd say 1-2 years left. There are closures/walkouts everywhere across the uk due to financial constraints but also due to the general behaviour of people. It's eye-opening to say the least and it's about time DBS checks were made compulsory, particularly here in Sussex.

I should stress that at no time has any abuse come from the hundreds of people who have been asking for help annually (you've all been great!)

With Bird Aid, the only more than decent site in my immediate area doing the work for gulls that other sites cannot be bothered to, have had serious aviary issues this summer. Due to predator attacks, many are needing to be pulled down and, like us, do not pay staff and are entirely voluntary. If gulls can go anywhere next year, support for them is critical. If it doesn't come, then it's over and guess who suffers :(

Other support will go to other gull resources in the uk (whats left of them,) they too are fading away.

Every gull chick that has come in comes with either paperwork, a reference number or an update. If you do not get at least one of these, please don't assume it will be saved. With the ever present threat of avian flu, finding somewhere to take them is getting harder, almost impossible. However, we managed to find sites for a lot of disabled birds outside Sussex. Euthanasia we don't endorse.

Whether its donations to bird aid, bird food or even helping to pick up birds in the summer, everything hangs in the balance. That is where we are at. It's been utterly exhausting but still birds come in.

Thank u for reading.

. see below Useful links (Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/385523575455222/

(Sussex/ Est 2019

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1785621681571621

https://www.facebook.com/birdaid (where our gull chicks go

https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/29K26AHJ19XQW?ref_=wl_shar

e mail jusking 1969 @ g mail. com (put the above symbols together.

..With all good wishes and THANK YOU