End of Year Message for 2025

As we come to the end of the year, it seems fitting to reflect on the work that we as your local RSPCA in Norfolk and Suffolk undertook across 2025.

At the start of the year, we completed the process of changing from our former unincorporated charity (RSPCA Mid Norfolk & North Suffolk Branch) model into the new Charitable Incorporated Organisation (RSPCA Norwich Branch CIO). This was a big change for the charity and makes our affairs easier to administer, meaning that we can spend more operational and strategic time focussed on our mission of raising awareness, providing practical support and demonstrating compassion to prevent cruelty and promote kindness to all animals.

The continuing cost of living increases resulted in a high demand on our services, meaning that the Animal Welfare Team dealt with a large volume of requests for assistance from members of the public. So far, over 280 animals have been accepted into our care and subsequently are being found loving new homes, over 250 members of the public (and their animal companions) have received financial support, and over 1,700 subsidised neutering vouchers have been issued. This once again is higher than in previous years, and we always try to respond to demand, ensuring that we are doing the best for animals that our resources allow.

As in 2024, as part of our efforts to support families and their pets who are struggling with increased costs, we continued our support to the foodbanks in Norfolk and Suffolk. Regular deliveries of animal food for pet owners to use were undertaken, along with supplying our fellow animal welfare organisations with additional animal food to enable them to continue to do the fantastic work that they do, and we will continue to do this in 2026.

The work that we at RSPCA Norwich undertake every day received recognition from the National RSPCA, with a win for an RSPCA Impact Award for “demonstrating excellence at a local level.” This is for our leading role in both neutering and microchipping, with RSPCA Norwich recording the highest overall numbers for both our neutering and microchipping programmes across the country.

All our animal welfare efforts require significant funding to undertake, and we are so grateful for the fantastic efforts of our shops and their amazing work in generating much-needed income, along with the generous support that we receive from the public. We were also very lucky to receive grant support for our various new initiatives in 2025. Our “Fit 4 the Future” project kick-started our long-term vision of operating in a more sustainable manner. As a result of this support, we installed solar power and storage batteries at our HQ. We expanded our “Feral Friends” programme of trap, neuter & release for feral cats, with several long-term feral cat colonies now being healthier and no longer breeding at an excessive rate and finally, our “Rural & Rescued” project of renewing our aging fleet of vehicles with more environmentally friendly and efficient plug-in hybrid versions began last month. My sincere thanks to all the organisations who supported us with these projects, as without this we couldn’t do anywhere near as much animal welfare work as we do.

Thank you to all our amazing supporters, and the wonderful staff, volunteers and Trustees that make up the team here at RSPCA Norwich – have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!