Our Charity

About South Essex Wildlife Hospital

Starting out as a small operation in a garden in Badgers Dene back in 1990, South Essex Wildlife Hospital (SEWH) is now one of the largest wildlife rescue and rehabilitation charities in the UK. Running from a purpose-built hospital in Orsett, the small but dedicated team now admit more than 10,000 patients and answer over 20,000 calls for help every year.

As the only major wildlife hospital of its type in the whole of Essex, London and Kent, founder, Sue, and lead vet, Tom, spend 24 hours a day, 7 days a week doing their best to give sick, injured and orphaned wild animals a second chance at life back in the wild. No animal is ever turned away and any native UK species – from foxes to deer and even seals – are always given a chance.

Saving Wildlife, One Life at a Time

Sadly, more than 98% of cases are directly or indirectly due to the actions of Mankind, with entanglements, road traffic collisions and human cruelty all being common admission cases. In addition to veterinary care and rehabilitation, SEWH has a strong focus on education, providing talks, veterinary CPD courses, work placements and both advice and assistance to other organisations such as the police, RSPCA and other animal welfare organisations. The work of the hospital was also shown in the popular ‘Wildlife Rescue’ TV series on Channel 4 in 2024.

With no government funding, South Essex Wildlife Hospital relies on public support to function. With the centre now costing more than £1,000 a DAY to run, your donation is vital in helping the team give any animal that needs it the chance they deserve.

Honouring Tracy’s Heart for Animals

We have decided to team up with the South Essex Wildlife Hospital to celebrate the life of our beloved Lakeside colleague, Tracy Williams, who sadly passed away in March 2023.

Tracy was the ultimate animal lover – she had a special knack for looking after our furry and feathered friends. Some even joked that she liked animals more than people! Tracy’s infectious energy lit up every room. She was loud, funny, bubbly, and perpetually positive, always finding the silver lining. Family was her everything, and she was always up for a good laugh.

Tracy’s absence has left a noticeable gap in the Lakeside family.

A memorable moment a few years back truly captured her spirit. Tracy stumbled upon an injured pigeon on a Lakeside service road. Staying true to herself, she couldn’t just walk away. She dug through a rubbish bin, found a shoebox, and recruited her colleague Ross to help rescue the pigeon. Together, they whisked it off to the South Essex Wildlife Hospital.

In honour of Tracy’s incredible spirit and her love for animals, we’re aiming to raise as much money as possible for this wonderful charity that was so close to her heart. Let’s make a difference just like Tracy always did!

£50
Can provide care to an injured hedgehog for ten days
Can provide life-saving medication to treat two foxes for mange
Can overwinter an underweight hedgehog through hibernation

£500
Can help to raise an orphaned fox cub until ready for release back to the wild
Can allow us to fix a foxes broken leg using a metal plate

£3,000
The average monthly veterinary cost of the charity

£7,000
Can run the centre for a week

£100
Can help to pin a birds broken wing back together
Can provide the fuel needed to run our rescue ambulance for a week
Can provide the equipment needed for a new wildlife rescue volunteer

£1,000
Can feed ten orphaned grey seal pups for a month
Can run the hospital for a day

£5,000
Can fund a baby seal from arrival to release

Donate NOW

Lakeside Charity Partnership