In the 1930’s a lady called Miss M Raymonde-Hawkins purchased a cottage with a small patch of land just outside of Lewes in East Sussex.
Fast forward six decades and the vision behind Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare remains as strong and impassioned as it did when Miss Raymonde-Hawkins began her campaign to give unwanted and abandoned animals a better life. Today the site has expanded across 43 acres where we care for over 2,000 animals a year, rehoming over 1,000 animals and providing sanctuary to even more. We are one of the most diverse rescue centres in the UK because we care for so many different species of animals.
Please be aware that rehoming and viewing of animals takes place by appointment only. Our expert animal care teams will consider your application and contact you if we need a few more details, or to invite you to Raystede for the next stage of the process. If you have already applied to adopt with us and have spotted an animal you might be interested in, please get in touch to discuss the next steps before you visit: email info@raystede.org or call 01825 840252.
Raystede welcomes visitors to gain a rare glimpse into the work of an animal welfare charity. Entry is free but booking is essential. Please book a day and time slot here – you can stay as long as you like.
There is ample parking, excellent wheelchair access and we are dog friendly. If you would like to visit us, details on how to find us are here.
We have a dedicated charity shop where you can bag a bargain (designer labels and other hidden gems have been discovered) and a cafe where our staff bake fresh cakes every day.
Alleviating animal cruelty, rescue, rehabilitation, rehoming, providing sanctuary for animals in need, and educating people about how to care for animals remains at the heart of everything we do today.
