A Sanctuary of Hope: Discover The Surge Sanctuary and Help Animals in Need

Posted on 13 Jan 2025 by Emily Atkinson-Dalton
For January 2026, you can help one incredible charity to win 20% of our profits for the month by voting in our charity poll! This month, we have three amazing charities taking part and hoping to win this all important donation. One such charity is Surge Sanctuary, an animal sanctuary based in the midlands that rescues and provides a safe haven for neglected, abused and abandoned animals. Find out more about their work below, and see why they need your vote this month. 



 

About Surge Sanctuary 


Surge Sanctuary is an animal sanctuary in the rural Midlands that provides a safe haven for animals in need. But it’s more than land, fencing, and buildings. It's a place where animals are able to live out their lives in peace and safety after years of fear, abuse and neglect. A place where animals who were once treated as numbers are finally seen as individuals.

Set across 18 acres, the sanctuary exists for animals who came from farming, neglect, or abandonment — animals who were never meant to grow old, and certainly never meant to be loved. Here, they get something rare: time. Time to rest. Time to heal. Time to simply exist without expectation.

In 2025, Surge Sanctuary became a registered charity. It was an important step, not just for recognition, but for protection — ensuring these animals will be cared for openly, responsibly, and for the rest of their lives. The sanctuary is run entirely by volunteers and supported only by public donations. There’s no safety net beyond the people who choose to help.

This January, you can vote for Surge Sanctuary and help them receive a donation worth 20% of our profits — support that goes directly to the animals who depend on this place for everything.

 

How Surge Began


Surge Sanctuary didn’t start with a plan. It started with a feeling — the kind you can’t ignore.

In 2017, Abi rescued two pigs, Gus and Pete. They were meant for slaughter. Instead, they were given a chance. That one decision quietly changed the course of many lives, human and animal alike.

Then came the rescue of Eric the sheep, and soon after came the two turkeys Harold and Frederick. Chickens rescued from meat and egg farming systems followed soon after. Each arrival carried a story of survival, but also a reminder of how little protection farmed animals truly have.

To help make a permanent sanctuary possible, Abi and supporters opened Unity Diner, a non-profit restaurant in London. Every single penny earned went towards building a future for rescued animals. In December 2020, that future finally became real when Surge Sanctuary opened its gates.

 

The Sanctuary Today


Today, more than 150 rescued animals call Surge Sanctuary home.

Pigs who once only knew confinement. Sheep who arrived wary and unsure. Cows, goats, chickens, turkeys — all carrying memories and stories of untold horrors. Each one arrived with a past. None of them arrived without reason. But all now share the same outcome: safety, care and the chance to live without exploitation.

The sanctuary is run entirely by volunteers. People who show up early, leave late, and keep going even when it’s hard. They learn the animals’ quirks. Notice small changes. Sit quietly when comfort is needed. From daily care to long-term planning, everything at the sanctuary depends on the support of people who believe these animals deserve lifelong safety and respect.

 

The Reality of Lifelong Care


Rescue is not just a happy ending. It’s the beginning.

Many animals arrive with health problems that will never go away. Conditions caused by selective breeding, cramped housing, or years without veterinary care. Some need daily medication. Others require specialist treatment or constant monitoring.

Lifelong care means lifelong responsibility.

Vet bills don’t stop. Feed bills don’t pause. Shelters need repairing. Bedding needs replacing. As a registered charity with no government funding, Surge Sanctuary relies entirely on donations to keep everything — and everyone — safe.

matilda surge sanctuary

 

Tom Woollard - Photography.

 

Matilda’s Story


Matilda’s story still stops people in their tracks.

Heavily pregnant, she escaped from a nearby farm and gave birth to nine piglets in woodland near Ollerton. Alone. Exhausted. Protecting her babies with nothing but instinct and determination.

When people heard about her story, they stepped in. After a successful rescue and a short stay at Brinsley Animal Rescue, Matilda and her piglets were brought to Surge Sanctuary — their forever home.

Today, Matilda sleeps in the sun. She roots in the soil. Her piglets grow up without fear, without pressure, without an ending written for them before they even began.

This is something that would never have been possible without intervention. Their story is a reminder of the difference compassion and public support can make.

 

How You Can Support Surge Sanctuary


Keeping this place alive takes people — real people — choosing to care.

  • Donate
    One-off or regular donations help pay for food, veterinary care, bedding, and daily essentials.

  • Shop the Online Store
    Surge Sanctuary Shop offers ethically made clothing, accessories, and gifts. Every purchase helps fund the care of the residents while supporting the sanctuary’s work.

  • Share Their Story
    Awareness matters. Every share helps someone else understand why sanctuaries like this exist and encourages others to support rescued animals.

  • Volunteer
    If you’re local, giving your time can change lives — animal and human alike. From helping with animal care to general maintenance, volunteers make everything possible.

  • Visit the Sanctuary
    Guided visits allow you to meet the residents, hear their stories, and see the sanctuary first-hand. Visits help support the animals while offering a meaningful experience for visitors.


No support is small. None of it is taken for granted. Every form of support plays a vital role in keeping the sanctuary running.

 

Why Your Support Matters


Surge Sanctuary exists because people refuse to look away and instead step in when animals have nowhere else to go.

Becoming a registered charity in 2025 wasn’t just paperwork — it was a promise. A promise that these animals will never be abandoned again. It marked an important milestone, helping to secure the sanctuary’s future and protect the animals it cares for.

When you support Surge Sanctuary, you help turn survival into safety. Fear into calm. A shortened life into a full one. By supporting Surge Sanctuary, you are helping to provide rescued animals with safety, stability and dignity — for the rest of their lives.

And for animals who were never meant to have a future — that means everything. 

Please Note: You can vote for Surge Sanctuary from 1st January 2026 - 31st January 2026.

Discount Promo Codes Blog