AFTER years of fundraising, ground was finally broken on the site for the new £4 million Cotswolds Dogs and Cats Home near Cambridge, Dursley.


Work got underway on Monday when the charity’s patron The Countess Bathurst hopped aboard a digger and broke the first ground in front of a crowd of volunteers.


The new centre will be a safe place for thousands of local animals throughout the Cotswolds, helping the charity boost the number it helps by 300 per cent.


The home will be built at Beechmeadow Farm, near Cambridge. It has been specifically designed to ensure that the animals cared for are in the best possible condition both mentally and physically as they await a full-time home.


The charity’s chairwoman Carolyn Blackburn kicked off proceedings by paying thanks to those that had offered support along the way.


“This is the culmination of many years of hard work from everyone involved in the campaign to establish this much needed facility,” she said.


“We can’t thank people enough for their support.”


Lady Bathurst talked both about the fantastic achievement of the fundraising campaign and the journey still left to complete.


She said: “It is a fantastic achievement for the charity to have got this far but there is still some way to go. We need to raise £800,000 to complete the project and I would ask our wonderful community, both individuals and businesses, to get behind us in securing this final amount of funding.”


Loose Women star Lisa Maxwell was also there in her role as vice patron of the charity. She said she leapt at the opportunity when offered the role.


“I totally believe in what they’re trying to do. I’ve got three dogs myself so I am a dog lover.


“It’s a massive achievement and the amount of money raised is phenomenal, but they’re being smart and ensuring they build a facility that lasts.


“It’s amazing to see it be here today. We’ve been talking for ages about this home and it’s hard to believe that it’s really happening.”


£3.25 million of the required money has already been raised. The funds given include a donation of £30,000 from Support Adoption for Pets as well as donations from a number of private trusts, including a £1 million anonymous donation received in 2014.


In addition the charity has used two legacy donations and some of its own accrued funds to help the campaign reach its current position.