Friends of Free Wildlife have opened their doors and seek your support.
FreeMe Wildlife NPC was historically a community-based organisation. It was founded 19 years ago by a handful of dedicated volunteers who had the best interest of our urban wildlife as their founding mandate. The vision was to create a Volunteer Community Organisation that would Rescue, Rehabilitate and Release Urban Wildlife. This was achieved with an unblemished record to become a much loved centre for the public to bring injured wildlife and volunteer their services; a great success story for our community and its wildlife.
FreeMe closed in November 2015 and since then a new entity – Friends of Free Wildlife (FFW) – has emerged to fulfil the original mandate and provide a very much needed service.
The founding members of FFW decided that a new start was necessary and looked for somewhere to create a new wildlife centre. After a few false starts we were offered the opportunity to lease a property in Kyalami, after negotiations with the owners a 2 year lease was signed and the FFW Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre became a reality.
We are pleased to announce that FFW is now fully compliant in all areas. We are a registered Non-Profit Organisation and we recently received our SARS registration number making FFW a Public Benefit Organisation. This means that if you make a donation over R500 we will be able to issue you a Section 18A certificate which makes it tax deductible.
Our permit applications to GDARD (Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development) were completed and delivered; our first inspection of the property by the Gauteng Directorate of Nature Conservation was on 11th August and the required portfolio of documents requested was submitted on 18th August 2015. The next inspection will take place soon and then we hope our permit will be issued by mid-October.
The alterations to the existing building, which included 6 stables, a small kitchen, domestic quarters and a lean-to shed, began in earnest on Monday 15th August. In a few short weeks we have made huge strides towards our new rehabilitation Centre becoming one of the best in South Africa.
FFW needed to be fully compliant before we could ask for any substantial donations. We also needed to have the facility ready for inspection before GDARD would give us a licence to operate; we therefore started the alterations without the money to pay for them. Our contractors have been wonderful in their support and understanding of the situation, this has allowed the project to flourish.
We have been very fortunate to receive a number of interest-free loans, by donors who wish to remain anonymous, to assist us over this period. We have been encouraged by the support we have already received and now that we are compliant, we ask for your continued support and donations.
Sponsorship opportunities include:
The entire build to date has cost approximately R 200,000 and includes:
- The Main Clinic\ Intensive Care Unit R27,000
- The Baby Bird Clinic R15,000
- The Baby Mammal Clinic R15,000
- The Reptile Clinic R15,000
- The secure storeroom (4th clinic) R15,000
- The Reception\office area R10,000
- The Staff room, kitchen R 3,000
- The Animal preparation kitchen R50,000
(kitchen includes a new extended tiled roof & laundry area)
We can offer naming rights, advertising and PR opportunities for our community, small businesses and our corporate support on monthly and annual basis.
All donations will be gratefully received and acknowledged; we will soon have a “Sponsor Wall” at the reception area and everyone will be included.