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03

Jul 2021

Last Updated: 03/07/2021

Daring abseil at Harrogate hotel raises £16,000 for cat charity

by Connor Creaghan

| 03 Jul, 2021
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So far the abseil has raised more than £16,000 for the charity, which will use the money to rescue more cats, food, vet bills and shelter.

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Around 70 volunteers took on a daring abseil down Harrogate's Crowne Plaza Hotel today to raise money for Yorkshire Cat Rescue.

The event, which was delayed because of coronavirus, took place today between 10am and 4.30pm.

So far the abseil has raised more than £16,000 for the charity, which will use the money to rescue more cats, food, vet bills and shelter.



With so many people taking part and restrictions still in place, the fearless participants were spaced apart in groups of three.

It was a rather damp start to the morning but with little wind, the event could still go ahead.

Jo Beverley, one of the event organisers, told the Stray Ferret:

"It's huge, that amount of money. Obviously with coronavirus we have been really hit hard in terms of getting cats out to new homes and fundraising.
"So it has been really, really difficult. This just means that we can help more. The more money we have coming in, the more cats we can help.
"This event has been a long time coming. We have had delays after delays but we are here and we are doing it, this is fabulous."





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This isn’t the first daring exploit run by the charity; last year it held a ‘firewalk’ in Skipton where participants walked over burning coals.

Yorkshire Cat Rescue has been taking in unwanted cats and kittens and giving them homes for nearly 20 years. As an independent charity, it relies on fundraising to keep going.



Charlie Lovatt, who was dressed as Spiderman and the first to take on the challenge, told the Stray Ferret:

"If you are going to go down a building, you need to do it in style. It just felt necessary, I bought the Spiderman outfit for the occasion.
"It was alright, I have abseiled before. But it was quite high and it went really quick."


Dan Howard, who has hosted pub quizzes for Yorkshire Cat Rescue over the last year was also roped in for the abseil. He told the Stray Ferret:

"It was really fun. The hardest thing was getting over the edge. Once you feel the rope has you it feels a bit more comfortable and you can have more fun with it.
"I started getting involved with the charity in the first lockdown. Through the quizzes alone we raised about £5,000."