Chichester's Mount Noddy: Revealed - This is how a multi-million pound legacy helped save one of the region's most important rescue centres for dogs and cats

On Saturday July 2, the new RSPCA Sussex West Branch at Eartham was officially opened by President Bruce Fogle – with volunteers, supporters, staff, trustees and community representatives all in agreement that it was a magnificent achievement.

It is now one of the most innovative and pioneering centres of its kind in the country – if not the world – with facilities that include a hydrotherapy pool for dogs to help rebuild their muscles. It has state of the art kennels and pens.

But a few years ago, the future for the 50 year old centre looked bleak.

Nick Cockram, chairman, told guests: “About four years ago Mount Noddy as this place was known was just about done for. It was out of money, it was falling to bits, and there was serious consideration for closing it. But it didn't happen because of some extraordinary acts of kindness, expertise and commitment from people.

“The RSPCA is probably the only charity that will deal with animals in the most extreme circumstances - the most abused, the most neglected and those with extreme suffering. We are, of course, a rehoming centre as well. And it is our inspectors who set the RSPCA apart from other animal charities.

"I will go through a list of thank yous but I will begin with one that stood out - from a lady called Miss Melvin, sadly dead. She left us an enormous legacy which enabled us to to plan to rebuild this in 2018.”

That multi-million pound legacy combined with the enormous courage of trustees and everyone involved saw the project begin in earnest during lockdown.

In officially opening the new centre, Mr Fogle said: “The biggest pleasure for me is seeing how a community such as this in West Sussex can come together, almost invariably everyone volunteering, to create a space like this. This has been produced by people who volunteer to walk dogs that find themselves here, it's created by people who volunteer to look at spreadsheets and work out how can we cover the cost of this. It's so gratifying.