A CAMPAIGN to help a Somerford Keynes animal rescue centre move home has been given a massive boost thanks to a global electronics firm.

The Swindon branch of Dialog Semiconductor have donated £10,400 to Oak and Furrows Wildlife Rescue Centre through its Corporate Responsibility Program.

The money will be spent on creating a hospital to care for sick hedgehogs at its new base near Cricklade which will be constructed later this year.

Ray Hood, a volunteer who is managing the move, said: “We deal with between four and five hundred hedgehogs a year. The new hospital will give us increased capacity and improve the facilities we can offer an increase the chance of us saving lives.

“The existing hospital is inadequate. We are extremely grateful – it will make a huge difference to what we do.

Oak and Furrow’s new home will be based at a Blake Hill Farm, a former World War 2 air base which has been converted into a Wiltshire Wildlife Trust nature reserve.

Facilities such as storage sheds, aviaries and pens will replace the current facilities at Oak and Furrows which are badly worn out .

The decision to build the centre was made to ensure that it can provide better care for the thousands of animals that it cares for each year such as birds, swans and deer.

As part of the plans a visitor’s information centre and wildlife hospital will also be constructed.

Dialog Semiconductor's Corporate Responsibility programme is a scheme which encourages employees to engage with the community and supports charities.

As part of the programme the firm have been raising Oak and Furrows cash throughout the last year via fundraising events such as raffles and a Christmas open day.

And once the new centre is open Dialog have vowed to provide volunteer opportunities for staff from the firm.

Rebecca Fradley-Stokes, global head of learning and development at Dialogue Semiconductor, said: “One of our objectives in the programme is to encourage employees to be involved in fundraising. The second is to support two or three local charities so we can have a real impact on the community. It is so we can make a difference locally by raising funds and providing practical help for them.

“Oak and Furrows have inadequate facilities and were unable to deal with the amount of animals that are in need of their care. This is something we wanted to support.”

Plans for the move were confirmed by Wiltshire council last November and construction is due to start in the spring.

Despite this Oak and Furrows is a significant way off raising the amount needed to relocate and desperately needs donations so the project can go ahead.

If you are able to help Oak and Furrows then please contact Ray Hood on 01666 860 789