Animal Gods and Furry Friends
HELEN MURPHY & NICK PELLING look into an unusual way to help animals
There are few things more upsetting than stumbling across a wounded wild animal. A bird with a buckled wing or a car-struck deer can inject a sharp moment of horror into your life. Often you just feel utterly powerless. But there are people you can turn to. RSPCA Mallydams Wildlife Centre, in Fairlight, specialises in the rescue, rehab and release of wounded wildlife. Obviously, treating and caring for our fellow creatures does not come cheap. But there is a way that you can help. The Mudworks ceramics studio, on London Road, is running a raffle to raise funding for the centre.
What makes this fundraising effort so unusual is that the first prize is a totem pole, consisting of wonderfully weird ceramic animal heads, made by members of Mudworks. It is undoubtedly one of the most extraordinary prizes of any raffle we have come across in recent times. The totem pole is of human height and the animal faces that stare at you are strangely gripping: ideal, perhaps, for those with a pagan leaning. Arguably, then, perfect for Hastings and St Leonards.
There is, of course, a darker side to this subject. Many of the animals that Mallydams deal with are the victims of human cruelty. They estimate that in the summer they receive phone calls about cruelty to animals almost every five minutes.It is an ugly truth that the biggest problem wild animals face is human behaviour. But their 55-acre woodland site is a wonderful habitat for recovering small creatures. Understandably, the centre is not open to the public, although educational sessions can be booked.
The second prize is equally as unusual. It is an animal sculpture by local artist Mark Daniels (also known as Boneys Island). His animal pieces are profound and childlike in equal measure, and very beautiful. To get tickets for this unique raffle, just pop into Mudworks studios – opposite The Tower pub. When you’re there, you’ll probably bump into one of the two wonderful tutors that keep the ceramics studio so vibrant and welcoming: Chantelle and Isabella. Speaking from experience, we can say that these two are excellent tutors. They have fabulous enthusiasm and seemingly endless patience. They certainly helped us go from wonky to vaguely plausible. They offer courses in all aspects of the ceramic craft for anyone – from beginners to those more adept. They’re also offering a sculpture weekend in October, with Suzie Zamit.
If you care about our furry friends, or even if you just fancy a pagan pole in your backyard, do drop into Mudworks and buy some tickets. The winners will be picked out on 30 September.
For information about the work of RSPCA Mallydams visit their website. For Mudworks courses, go to themudworks.co.uk
We hope you have enjoyed reading this article. The future of our volunteer led, non-profit publication would be far more secure with the aid of a small donation. You can also support local journalism by becoming a friend of HIP. It only takes a minute and we would be very grateful.
Leave a Reply