Shropshire wildlife centre staff wrap up to save on bills

Staff at Cuan Wildlife Rescue have been wearing hats and scarves in the hospital to save on their energy bill as prices soar

Staff at a wildlife centre in Shropshire are wearing scarves and hats to keep warm and save energy as their bill is forecast to double.

Cuan Wildlife Rescue, based in Much Wenlock, cares for sick, injured and orphaned wild animals.

But with icy weather and funding purely from donations, Fran Hill, from the centre, said they had to save where they could.

"Keeping the animals warm during their sickness is paramount," she explained.

As a result, the staff wear their woollies while the animals get the works.

Small electric heaters are used to take the chill off certain rooms, with heat pads in operation for the creatures.

"There's no way we would skip on the heating for the animals in the first few days of an animal's admittance," Ms Hill said.

But even workaround solutions add up.

With energy prices soaring, the centre has been told its annual bill will rise from about £5,000 to up to £12,000.

The centre has prioritised heating sick animals as it looks to save money

Ms Hill said the increase was "quite frightening", and with no government support, they have to prioritise their animals.

Appealing for donations, Ms Hill said without heat pads, many of the animals would die.

She said staff were waiting to see how they would cope through the rest of winter.

"There's no way that we cannot do it for the animals so we will keep plodding on," she said.