Honeybee Sanctuary's Wirral owner needs your help to stay open

Katey Brownbill had long held a dream of opening an animal sanctuary. Two years ago, she set up Honeybee Sanctuary in Holywell, North Wales, and runs the centre with her family.

Many of the animals have been saved from slaughter.

Katey explained that running the sanctuary is hard work and very expensive - and she needs your help.

The former Upton Hall School pupil from Bebington, told the Globe: "I never believed it would progress beyond a pipe dream, but I've had an unavoidable craving to help people and animals for as long as I can remember.

"Compassion was instilled in my sisters and I from a very young age and we’ve all grown up loving animals.

"I'd danced around learning various healing therapies, yet somehow ended up as a florist for 18 years, despite constantly gravitating back towards learning therapies.

"Over the years, I've completed courses in counselling, energetic healing and massage therapies and am continuing to study so much more, with the aim of offering a completely holistic approach to healing therapies for both animals and people, that can take place at the sanctuary.

"All of it is ultimately to help as many lives as I can - human and animal - whilst also raising funds for the animals here, not to mention my own journey of healing that has come as a happy consequence.

"The whole family works incredibly hard for the sanctuary, but it’s also a very wholesome life that I wouldn’t change.

"My 16-year-old, Philip, is very strong and comes in very handy with the heavy lifting, and even my eight and 10-year-old boys, Thomas and Charlie, are regularly outdoors helping with the day-to-day care.

"My partner Craig has made the whole thing possible - without his support, I don't know if I’d ever have been brave enough to take the leap!"

Honeybee Sanctuary volunteer, Katey's daughter Lily with Archie the Tamworth pig

The family has amassed quite a collection of animals at their sanctuary, including Aberdeen Angus cow Denzel, Highland cow Bruce, Archie the Tamworth pig, hens, cockerels, geese, ducks and a turkey called Reggie, who was destined for a Christmas Day dinner plate - in fact they were all due to be slaughtered for their meat.

Archie the Tamworth pig

In March last year, Katey responded to an urgent appeal to help rehome caged hens on death row at a farm closing down, and said: "They came from a very sad place and it’s been so heart-warming to watch them flourish and learn how to be free hens.

"There have been times I've not known how to carry on, but the animals are the reason I always will, and I can never be silent, even when I often feel pressured into being quiet.

"I don't know what I’d do without my incredible daughter, Lily, who is also a passionate vegan and 'gets it'.

"Her help these past months, where I’ve not had the strength to do all the daily jobs since having long Covid, has been inspirational.

"Lily has completely stepped up and understands why we do it all and what it all means."

The family, however, needs support - both in terms of volunteers and financial donations - to keep the sanctuary running.

Katey's partner Craig and daughter Lily at Honeybee Sanctuary

Katey continued: "Donations of materials from the likes of MKM Building Supplies in Birkenhead, who supplied free fencing, are also invaluable.

"We constantly face paying for large sacks of animal feeds, haylage bales, vet bills, bedding bills and fresh produce - the cost of all which has significantly increased recently - as well as facing a huge amount of ongoing jobs all over the site.

"To have mud control mats laid, rather than the mud bath we're battling, would mean everything.

"The pandemic has affected us all, and continuing to look after everyone here properly has been so difficult.

"It's been an uphill struggle and we've faced many difficulties, but we’re still here.

"I struggle immensely with asking for help, but if I don’t ask now, I'll be letting the animals down, as we will be forced to find new homes for everyone, and nothing would hurt me more.

"We've already had to downsize and find new, safe homes for some of the animals to ensure we can carry on.

"Each bale of hay is £6, a sack of feed is £14 and each single mud control mat is £8, of which we need hundreds, so, I promise you, every single £1 would mean the world.

"It can be extremely hard work, but it's incredibly rewarding.

"Being around animals is always good for your heart, and being outdoors is always good for your mind.

"There's lots to be done here, always."

For more information about volunteering, email hello@honeybeesanctuary.co.uk

To make a donation, visit https://gofund.me/e4ba743f or you can donate through PayPal via honeybeeanimalsanctuary@gmail.com