Cookie in Crookwell!

It’s not everyday that an audience is wowed by the RSPCA Tales picture books but with a small group and plenty of time during a visit to Binda Public School, Education Officers, Zoe and Eva, happily read through some of the amazing tales based on true stories.

What started off as a simple story about Cookie the Horse who was sadly abandoned, a situtation not uncommon to RSPCA Inspectors, quickly turned into a fantastic surprise! The neighbouring town of Crookwell featured as one of the places in the story – what a coincident!

Eva just couldn’t believe her eyes so she just had to let you bloggers know – the tales really ARE based on true stories.

We wonder where Cookie is now...

Photo opp!

Been in Binda before?

Well Education Officers Zoe and Eva can now answer in the affirmative as of a fortnight ago.

Although the RSPCA NSW Education Team predominantly service the Sydney Metropolitan area, it is common to see the Team spread far and wide, educating all across the State. The last week of August saw a journey of 100s of kilometres outside of what Eva deemed her comfort zone and into the familiar farming communities for Zoe.

Their travels started in Nowra with a bit of dog safety and a lot of career info, first at a local school then the annual South Coast Indigenous Employment Expo.Questions were asked about working with animals and Zoe and Eva were proud to recount their path to working for RSPCA NSW.

Where to next? Cosied up safely in the pretty Education Van, the pair made their way past Crookwell, to Binda Public School, where practically the whole school had entered the recent Van Designing Competition. The students spent a windy few moments playing “where’s my photo?” around the van then headed into the classroom to chat about all things RSPCA with students from Binda, Bigga and Laggan Public Schools all mixing together. The conversation was definitely interesting with a move away from the typical household cat and dog to livestock including a thousand head of sheep and cattle! But the principles of animal welfare stay the same – afford all creatures great and small the five freedoms.

Thanks to the brilliant Binda students for making our van look amazing and swapping some awesome animal stories!

Binda, oh yeah!

The Education Van enjoying some company :)

Who said sugar and fitness doesn’t mix?

As you avid blog followers can tell, Cupcake Day is more like Cupcake Month as we invite groups to hold their sugary sweet fundraiser on any date in August. And don’t think we’ve just seen schools, preschools, university and corporate groups involved but everyone in between!

Wrapping up the month of cupcakeness, CYL Dragonboat Club rewarded themselves following their weekly training session with some aptly branded cupcakes to fundraise for RSPCA NSW. From one non-profit organisation to another, it’s great to see so many individuals from different walks of life passionate about one thing – improving animal welfare!

Thanks to Jen and Rita for ensuring all cupcakes were baked using free range eggs – an aspect of Cupcake Day which is just as important as the funds raised.

CYL..."cupcakes you love?"

Why oh why...asks Whalan

 Nothing makes the RSPCA NSW Education Team happier than when we’re faced with the big animal welfare questions and students from Whalan Public School were definitely up on theirs!

Education Officer, Eva, was invited to the School as part of Stage 3’s unit on Global Communities, where each class set out to investigate a global issue. Bonus points to one class for making the brave decision to delve deeper into the world of animal cruelty. It quickly became apparent that this particular class had done their research with small groups within the class focusing on a specific topic such as animal for entertainment or domestic animals. Thanks to their teacher, Lisa, for inspiring the next generation of animal cruelty investigators having previously discussed intensive farming systems with the students, a topic many adults have little or no knowledge of.

More bonus points to Mathew Constable for facilitating what can only be deemed as the perfect Cupcake Day fundraiser where careful consideration was given to every step of the process. Baking with cage free eggs and organic flour to produce ‘blank canvas’ cupcakes for students to decorate which were then sold to eager students who were part of a thought-provoking RSPCA NSW Education talk!

Our biggest thanks to each and every class we met at Whalan Public School for going on a journey into what RSPCA does and contemplating the same animal welfare issues that we do on a daily basis.

Before...

After!

Oh so sweet learning in a pot!

It wasn’t grizzly bears who were attracted to this honey pot, but Education Officer, Eva, who was drawn to Honeypot Preschool in Cranebrook.

Things couldn’t get any sweeter as Eva had the assistance of wonderfully supportive staff. Especially when it comes to early childhood kids, the presence of a nurturing environment where discussion is encouraged ensures that new knowledge will stick. Sure it’s great when RSPCA NSW Education swoops in with their ‘Responsible Pet Ownership’ Program, props prepared, Rusty raring to go but without further opportunities for the children to utilise their knowledge, who knows what might disappear over time...

If you think you’ve got just the right environment for one of our RSPCA NSW Education Programs, then you know the drill – get in contact with us! Call us on 9782 4460 or email us at education@rspcansw.org.au

"Hmm, what did Eva say about toys again?!"

RSPCA NSW’s Baker of the Year goes to...

Gillian Bushby!

Okay, so it’s not an official award but we’re sure RSPCA NSW cannot deny that Gill continues to outshine all others each year with her amazing cupcake masterpieces!

Gill is one of our 32 RSPCA Inspectors and it looks like when she’s not on the road rescuing and assisting animals in need, she’s busily baking and making cupcakes that are so awesome that we dare not eat them but merely admire from afar!

The talented Inspector is a great example of how there is more than one way of helping animals! During the day she responds to concerns from the local community regarding incidents of animal cruelty and turns hero when rescuing animals stuck in sticky situations. Yet at night she is purchasing cage free eggs and baking into the late night hours to produce wonderful cupcakes to help fundraise some of the $39,000,000 needed by the RSPCA NSW each year.

Think you’ve got some cupcake creations to rival Gill’s? Bring it on!

We’d love to see how everyone went during our most recent Cupcake Day Fundraiser, so drop us a line at: education@rspcansw.org.au

Sugar bones!

Ooo...



Naughty fondant puppy!



Gill. You. Are. Awesome.

Before and after Cupcake Day

Leading up to any Cupcake Day Fundraiser is countless hours of preparation, planning and publicity but luckily for Rusty, the RSPCA NSW Education Team mascot, he gets to skip that part and go straight to the taste testing!

You’d think after a week of visits and ‘taste tests’ he’d finally have enough but don’t underestimate the appetite of a toy dog! Next in Rustys’ educating and eating journey came Pennant Hills Before and After School Care, with a tower of cupcakes and close to 100 kids to educate.

Split into two groups, Education Officer, Eva, made sure Rusty did he’s share of educating before indulging in his cupcake cravings with a ‘Dog Safety’ talk with the younger kids, followed by a ‘Responsible Pet Ownership’ talk with the older kids.

Thanks to Danielle, the staff, kids and parents for pitching in and holding a super-successful Cupcake Day Fundraiser! Rusty’s still dreaming of just one more cupcake...

Lucky last one Rusty!
...or is it?