Skegness Natureland launch £12k appeal for vital new seal rescue van

The appeal comes in a landmark year which saw the 1000th seal successfully returned to sea after care at the sanctuary, which has been in existence 60 years.

Timing for the van to break down couldn’t have been worse as currently it is the season where the Common Seal pups are often reported in need of care up the coast.

"Our van has decided to give up on us and although we’ve had it a long time now it’s made rescuing seal pups in the middle of pupping season very difficult,” explained Natureland director Daisy Yeadon.

"Rescuing seals is our biggest focus at Skegness Natureland and in the pupping season we go out nearly every day to get one so we rely on our van a lot.

"We’ve been managing by using our other trucks but they are not really equipped for rescues and it has meant having to have more staff off site at is what our busiest time of the year for visitors.

"We have set up a JustGiving page to help us get back on the road so any donation – however small – will help us.”

Fellow director Matt Yeadon added: “We appreciate that it is a massive goal, but it’s good to dream big, and if we were to reach that goal, our supporters would be fully funding our rescue work for a whole year which would be awesome.

“To everyone who does support us we would like to say ‘thank you all’ once again. You are all incredible!”

Skegness Natureland, on North Parade, is known worldwide for rescuing and rehabilitating orphaned and injured seal pups along the Lincolnshire coast.

Visitors are able to see every step in their rehabilitation process, and hear about the rescue work when keepers are feeding the seal pups in the rearing pool.

As well as seals, the sactuary has a tropical butterfly exhibit, along with penguins, meerkats, alpacas and lots more!

The link to Skegness Natureland’s new page is: www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/natureland23 and it can be reached here.