Cats Protection has unveiled plans for a major upgrade of its Chelmsford Adoption Centre, providing modern care facilities and a new maternity building to support cats and their owners in Essex.
The new centre will incorporate learnings from across the national charity’s network of 37 centres to deliver an upscaled level of cat care excellence and provide a source of ongoing assistance, emergency support and cat welfare information for the county.
Guy Chadwick, Cats Protection’s Regional Centre Operations Manager, said: “We have seen an ongoing need for Cats Protection’s services through our Chelmsford Adoption Centre and neighbouring branches. This investment is part of our ongoing commitment to the future of the centre and will enable us to provide the best possible care for cats and their owners in the local area.”
The charity’s Chelmsford Adoption Centre rehomes an average of 420 cats annually and helps many more through trap-neuter-return programmes for feral cats, assisted neutering to support the local community, as well as cat-focused education, information and advice.
The extension to the existing adoption centre and new maternity building has been designed with the needs of cats, volunteers and staff in mind, as well as delivering an improved visitor experience.
The new premises will add 10 new admission pens, bringing the facility up to 50 pens, including 16 maternity and isolation pens. Spacious indoor pens will provide controlled warmth as well as windows on to the outdoors. Solar panels on the roof will contribute towards the energy required to power the pens.
Volunteers and staff will benefit from improved working areas and greater storage space while visitors will be able to take advantage of better accessibility, in the knowledge that the cats are receiving the best care.
Guy said: “We look forward to providing more opportunities for people from across the local community to join our existing team of cat-loving volunteers and staff when we re-open later in 2022.”
Newmarket-based architects ACD Projects Ltd has designed the upgrade to the centre, featuring improved facilities for cats and better amenities for staff and visitors. Cats Protection has awarded the building contract to Colchester-based construction company TJ Evers Ltd.
The Chelmsford Adoption Centre will close during construction and staff and volunteers have begun to reduce the number of cats on site in preparation for the work. scheduled to start by February. Arrangements have been made for the Cats Protection team to continue caring for the cats at a nearby location. The centre should re-open towards the end of 2022.
Anyone needing assistance with their cat or looking to adopt during the works can contact the centre at chelmsford@cats.org.uk or 01245 478389. Alternatively, call the charity’s National Information Line (03000 121212) or visit www.cats.org.uk/find-us/contact-us for the most appropriate resource.
