Pledge a Pound

January Update

Apologies for the late update—it's been a tough start to the year, and I’m only just getting back on top of everything.

To be completely transparent, the last few months have taken a real toll on the entire team, but especially on me. We’ve had to take a hard look at where we are and where we’re going, and the reality is that we’ve been left with no choice but to give the rescue a further 12 months to turn things around. If we can’t secure the long-term funding we so desperately need, we will have no option but to close at the end of 2025.

This isn’t just about money—it’s about the impact we can (or, more importantly, can’t) have due to financial constraints. The truth is, we are simply too limited in what we can do right now, and the constant stress of trying to keep everything going with so few resources is taking its toll. But we are not giving up without a fight. Behind the scenes, there’s a huge amount of work happening to ensure that this isn’t the end of the road for Nibbles.

That said, it’s not all doom and gloom. The hard work we’ve been putting in is already starting to have a positive impact, and we are beginning to see the first signs of real progress. We are pushing forward with a future in mind—a future where we can reopen housing, rebuild, and get back to making a real difference for the rabbits and rodents who need us the most.

Over the course of the year, we’ll be keeping you updated as things develop, and we hope you’ll continue to stand with us as we fight for Nibbles’ future. Thank you, as always, for your support—it truly means the world.

Siobhan

February Update

Apologies once again for the late update. I had been burning the candle at both ends since before Christmas, and it finally caught up with me—I ended up catching Covid for the first time. I can’t remember the last time I’ve been so unwell, and it’s been a slow recovery. Unfortunately, even when feeling dreadful, the animals still need care, so I’ve had to push through at least 4–6 hours of work every day when all I really wanted was to stay in bed. As a result, I’m once again very behind on admin and scrabbling to catch up.

Despite everything, it’s been a busy month at the rescue. We’ve already made a start on our post-winter repairs and maintenance, and what a difference the weather has made! Compared to last year—when it rained relentlessly until late May—we’ve had a much brighter and more positive start. It’s amazing how much of a boost a bit of sunshine can bring, and we’re feeling more optimistic about getting things done.

Sadly, this month also brought heartbreak. We had to make the devastating decision to put Dewi to sleep. After long discussions, we came to the conclusion that surgery—his only other option—simply carried too many risks to be a fair or viable choice for him. It wasn’t the ending we wanted for this beautiful boy, and saying goodbye was incredibly difficult.

On a brighter note, we also welcomed Glyndwr into our care. He’s settling in well and is currently undergoing assessment. We’ll share more about him as we get to know him better.

Looking ahead to March, weather permitting, we’ll continue with our maintenance work, including replacing our old tin shed, which stored all the essential day-to-day items we need for the rabbits. The storm before Christmas completely destroyed it, and we’ve really struggled without it. Getting a replacement in place will make a huge difference to our daily operations.

As always, thank you for your patience and support—it truly means the world. Here’s to brighter days ahead!

Siobhan

March Update from Nibbles: Recovery, Progress & a Happy Ending

March has been a challenging month at Nibbles, as I’ve been recovering from my first bout of Covid. It hit hard and left me completely floored for several weeks. Despite the exhaustion, daily animal care can’t be put on hold—4–6 hours each day are still needed to ensure every rabbit and rodent receives the care they deserve. As a result, most of March has been focused on simply keeping things going.

That said, we’ve made a start on some of the tasks delayed by last year’s relentless rain. We’ve installed plastic corner strips in several enclosures to improve biosecurity and durability, added extra drainage and guttering to prevent waterlogging, and used leftover materials to repair damaged external panels—stretching resources as far as possible. We’ve also got more small upgrades planned, including repairing flooring and levelling slabs disturbed by the resident mole population!

And in some truly wonderful news: Elliott has found his forever home!
Elliott came to us in 2022 after being abandoned in a car park. He was at risk of euthanasia, but we were in a position to say yes and give him the chance he needed. After 18 months of waiting, he’s now bonded with a lovely companion and has a secure outdoor space to explore. His new home suits him perfectly, and we couldn’t be happier for him.

Thank you so much for your continued support—it means the world, especially during the tougher months.

— Siobhan @ Nibbles

April Update from Nibbles

April’s been a month of steady progress and positive change here at Nibbles. We welcomed Chloe to the team, who’s settled in wonderfully and brought a big boost to daily animal care. With her help, we’ve nearly completed our spring cleaning—just one section to go, once the Welsh weather gives us a dry day!

We’ve also finished internal upgrades to another rabbit unit and completed some much-needed guttering work. Progress is slower than we’d like as I’m still juggling admin and catching up after being out with Covid in March, but we’re getting there—one job at a time.

We’re also incredibly grateful for a recent £1,000 grant from The Animal Protection Trust, which will allow us to welcome more rabbits into our care as soon as the last bits of housing work are done.

As always, thank you so much for your continued support—it truly means the world.

With love,
Siobhan