Lakeside Shopping Centre raises over £59k for vital wildlife rescue efforts

Lakeside Shopping Centre, the internationally renowned shopping, dining and leisure destination in Essex, is thrilled to announce it has raised over £59,000 for its 2024/25 Charity Partner of the Year, South Essex Wildlife Hospital (SEWH).

This remarkable milestone comes after 10 months of hard work and dedication from the SEWH team and Lakeside Shopping Centre. Hosting a series of fundraising events and activities, as well as opening a store at the centre, all funds raised from purchases went directly to SEWH.

And with many gorgeous gifts available, the SEWH store, The Gift Sett, in Brompton Walk, has made a real impact. For instance, just £50 can provide 10 days of care for an injured hedgehog, while £15,00 can fund the entire hospital’s operations for a day.

Founded in 1990 from a small garden in Badgers Dene, SEWH, is now one of the UK’s leading wildlife rescue and rehabilitation charities and has grown into a vital lifeline for wildlife across Essex, London, and Kent. Operating from a purpose-built facility, the dedicated team at SEWH now admits over 10,000 patients and fields more than 20,000 calls for help each year. As the only major wildlife hospital in the region, SEWH provides round-the-clock care for all native UK species, including foxes, deer, and seals, without turning any animal away.

The funds raised by Lakeside Shopping Centre have been a tremendous boost for the charity. The donations raised over the last ten months allowed the charity to do a complete refurbishment of their orphan gull paddock, making a big difference in improving the enclosure and allowing greater capacity for the gulls to roam. Looking ahead, the charity plans to purchase a vital second ambulance vehicle and rescue equipment with the remaining funds. This additional ambulance will allow the charity to help even more animals that are in need of rescue across Essex and the wider region.

Lakeside Shopping Centre and SEWH are looking forward to continuing their fruitful partnership throughout the remainder of 2025, with the store continuing to welcome customers and the charity remaining Lakeside Shopping Centre’s Charity Partner of the Year.

Sue Schwar, Founder of SEWH, commented: “We are beyond grateful to the wonderful Lakeside Shopping Centre team for helping us raise such a momentous amount! The donations made by visitors to the centre and purchases from our shop have been truly transformative supporting our charity and the patients at our hospital.”

Susan Williamson, Head of Marketing at Lakeside Shopping Centre, commented: “It is fantastic to see how impactful this partnership with SEWH has proved to be. We are especially thrilled at how successful the partnership has left a lasting mark, because the team’s decision to partner with the charity, is in memory of the Lakeside team’s cherished colleague, Tracy Williams.  By supporting this wonderful charity, the Lakeside team are proud to continue Tracy’s legacy of compassion and kindness.”

Tracy, who passed away in March 2023, was an ardent animal lover known for her vibrant, positive energy and her knack for rescuing creatures in need. Tracy’s boundless love for animals and her infectious enthusiasm brightened lives.

To learn more about South Essex Wildlife Hospital and how you can help, visit their website or follow Lakeside Shopping Centre’s social media channels for more developments.