Cat Rescue Celebrates its 30th Birthday
On Friday, 31st October 2025, the Mayor of Chippenham, Councillor Kathryn Macdermid presented Jean Gilbert of Sadlers Mead, who runs Cat Rescue, with a lovely memory book featuring photos and stories of some of the 7,000 cats and kittens that Cat Rescue has saved and rehomed over the last 30 years.
Jean founded Cat Rescue in November 1995. Over the last 30 years she has worked tirelessly, fundraising and liaising with numerous vets to enable her to rescue stray, unwanted and injured cats. For many of those years with only a few volunteers who fostered cats for her until they went to their forever homes. More recently, the group has grown and she now has a wonderful team of volunteers who foster, fundraise, run the website and social media pages.
Jean still continues her daily routine – from early morning to late evening she cares for the many cats and kittens. She receives numerous calls and texts every day about cats in need of help, often when the bigger, better-funded groups are unable to help.
Over the years, cats have come to her in many different ways , including being delivered by Police cars and once even by fire engine. Some of the cats rescued are emotional cases, in need of urgent operations such as leg amputations or eye removals. Despite relying on donations and fundraising, Jean has always had the mantra “if the cat can be saved, we will do our absolute best to save it, even when many would not.” Happily, with the love and care given by Jean and her foster team, these cats join the thousands of cats who now enjoy long, happy lives in their forever homes.
Jeans phone never stops with calls and text asking for help and advice; she handles them all in her kind, gentle and always knowledgeable manner. While consistently humble and quick to bat away praise, there is no doubt that all the cats, and their adopters, whose lives have been changed by Cat Rescue are forever grateful for her 30 years of rescuing and rehoming those in desperate need of help.
Anyone who thinks they could give a cat or kitten a suitable home or would like to help the rescue can contact Mrs Gilbert on (01249) 653443 alternatively look at our ‘how you can help’ page.