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Hedgehogs & small mammals
Warmth, nutrition and patient support for the smallest casualties.
A safe pair of hands for wild lives
Wildlife care, close to home.
We care for injured, abandoned and orphaned native wildlife — giving each animal the time, treatment and quiet road back to the wild.
Small team. Big-hearted care.
Mansfield Wildlife Rescue is a registered charity supporting native wildlife across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, South Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.
From the first careful handover to the moment an animal returns to suitable habitat, our work is practical, compassionate and grounded in welfare.
“The best outcome is a wild animal back where it belongs.”
75%of admissions rehabilitated and released in 2024–25
+30%increase in wildlife admissions compared with the previous year
Figures from the charity’s 2024–25 trustees’ report.
Every species deserves a chance.
Our caseload changes with the seasons. The aim stays the same: stabilise, rehabilitate and release whenever welfare allows.
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Birds & owls
Quiet recovery spaces and careful rehabilitation for native birds.
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Foxes, badgers & deer
Practical care for larger wildlife, with release and habitat in mind.
Found an animal?
These first-aid steps are for the public while you find a suitable rescue. They are designed to keep the animal safe, reduce stress and get the right help moving quickly.
1
Keep yourself safe
Never handle a deer, badger, fox, swan, bird of prey or bat with bare hands. Phone for advice instead.
2
Contain, warm, dark, quiet
If it is safe to lift, use a ventilated cardboard box lined with a towel. Keep it away from pets and children.
3
Do not feed or water
The wrong food, or water in the lungs, can be fatal. Wait for advice from a rescue before offering anything.
4
Phone before travelling
Ask whether the rescue can take this species today and whether they need you to bring it in. Many cannot collect.
A baby bird or fawn alone?
Often, it has not been abandoned. Fledglings may spend days on the ground while parents feed them, and deer leave fawns alone for hours. Watch from a distance and phone for advice unless it is injured or in immediate danger.
Need species-specific guidance?
Browse the animal-by-animal advice below → for first steps, then call the rescue on 01623 810625 to check what help is available today.
THE PERSON BEHIND THE RESCUE
Cheryl Martins
Cheryl’s journey began back in 1988, caring for a variety of birds — with a particular passion for parrots. For 18 years it remained a beloved hobby, until friends and family started bringing injured wild birds to her and it grew from there. When she became a full-time carer for her disabled husband, she was able to dedicate more time to the work, and in 2019 she officially registered Mansfield Wildlife Rescue as a charity.
After a devastating fire in 2022, the rescue moved to Pleasley Vale. Cheryl continues to lead the charity as its founder, manager and chair — working with trustees, volunteers and supporters to give wildlife the best possible route back to the wild. She still works closely with parrots and alongside other brilliant organisations.
What started with birds has grown into a place of care, education and second chances.
Big news from the rescue.
A growing centre, a long-term future and a community pulling together to keep local wildlife safe.
A secure future
The rescue centre has a 99-year future ahead.
After a huge community fundraising effort, Mansfield Wildlife Rescue has raised enough to secure a 99-year lease at Pleasley Vale — protecting the centre’s home and the animals who depend on it.
99-year leasePleasley ValeCommunity-backed
A place to pause
Meet the Secret Garden Tea Room
Open on site, this volunteer-run café welcomes visitors with homemade food and a chance to learn more about the rescue. Every penny raised helps cover the day-to-day cost of caring for wildlife.
Open Tuesday–Sunday, 10:30am–4:30pm. Closed Mondays.
Results that matter
75% of admissions released
In the charity’s 2024–25 report, around three quarters of admissions were successfully rehabilitated and released back into the wild — even as admissions rose by about 30%.
Every gift makes a difference.
Your support helps provide food, medicine, veterinary care and safe spaces for the animals at Mansfield Wildlife Rescue.
Direct bank transfer
Give by bank
Transfer directly to the rescue’s Lloyd’s Bank account.
- Account name
- Mansfield Wildlife Rescue
- Account number
- 82752668
- Sort code
- 30-54-66
PayPal
Give online
Use this email address when sending a donation through PayPal.
- PayPal email
- mansfieldwildlife23@gmail.com
By cheque
Give by post
Please make cheques payable to:
- Payee
- Mansfield Wildlife Rescue
Contact the rescue if you need to arrange delivery.
Practical support
Our wish list
Useful supplies for the animals and the people caring for them. Please call before bringing donations to the centre.
- Cat/Dog Food
- Cat Biscuits
- Hay
- Straw
- Wood Shavings
- Puppy Pads
- Parrot Food
- Parakeet Food
- Wild Bird Food
- Kaytee Hand-rearing Formula
- CeDe egg food
- Meal Worms
- Esbilac or Royal Canin powder puppy milk
- Royal Canin Puppy Mousse
- Hills A/D
- Heat Mats
- Bowls
- Fleece blankets
- Small indoor rabbit/guinea pig enclosures
- Mixed nuts
- Rabbit hutches
Plan your visit.
Please call before travelling with an animal so the team can confirm the right handover and available space.
Rescue line · 10:30am–4pm01623 810625
Please call during these hours for general enquiries and admissions.
Please call during these hours for general enquiries and admissions.
Out-of-hours emergencies only07758 317028
Please only use this number outside normal hours if it is an emergency.
Please only use this number outside normal hours if it is an emergency.
Email the teammansfieldwildlife23@gmail.com
A note for visitors
Follow the directions, then look above the cottages.
Use Google Maps or ///typically.sniff.wells to find us. NG19 8RN is the nearest postcode: if you approach from Mansfield Woodhouse, it may take you to a row of cottages just below the rescue.
Dogs are welcome but must stay on a lead at all times in the rescue grounds because animals roam freely.
Get directions ↗Animal-by-animal advice.
Use these quick notes while you contact a suitable rescue. Keep handling to the minimum, never put yourself at risk and always phone before travelling.
Hedgehog
Daylight means trouble
A hedgehog out in daylight is usually in trouble. Never give cow’s milk, bread or mealworms — they can cause fatal illness. If safe, keep it warm, dark and quiet while you ring for advice.
BHPS: 01584 890801
Garden bird
Look before you lift
A fully feathered youngster hopping on the ground is usually being cared for by nearby parents. A bird caught by a cat needs antibiotics quickly, even without a visible wound. Do not give food, water or bread.
Bird of prey
Talons are the danger
Raptors can grip through gloves, tendons and bone. Do not handle one bare-handed and keep capture stress to an absolute minimum. Ring a specialist rather than trying to hold it down.
Raptor Rescue: 07462 463722
Duck, swan & gull
Protect your face
Swans and geese may need a coat over the head; gulls and herons can strike at the eyes. If several wild birds are dead or visibly sick together, do not touch them — report suspected bird flu.
Defra: 03459 33 55 77
Bat
Never use bare hands
Never touch a bat with bare hands. Ring the Bat Helpline first so a trained carer can be found. If you are bitten or scratched, wash the wound and contact your GP or NHS 111 the same day.
Bat Helpline: 0345 1300 228
Fox
Contain the scene
A conscious adult fox will bite hard. Do not try to pick up an active fox — it needs a trained responder with the right equipment, such as a grasper or crush cage. Keep people and pets back.
Badger
Do not try to restrain it
A badger can crush bone through a glove. Contain the scene, not the badger. Active adults need trained help because ordinary restraint is not safe.
Small mammal
Warmth first
Warmth is the priority for small mammals. If it may be a red squirrel, seek a specialist urgently. Grey squirrel law is complicated: ask a rescue or vet before deciding what happens next.
Deer
Never put it in a car
Do not load an injured deer into a car, boot or footwell, however calm it looks. Hooves and antlers in a moving vehicle can cause fatal injuries, and capture stress can kill deer.
Snake, frog or toad
Leave adders alone
The adder is the UK’s venomous snake, with a dark zig-zag along its back. Do not handle it. If one is caught in netting, call an expert rather than cutting it free; an adder bite is a 999 emergency.
Not sure?
Phone for advice
If you cannot identify the animal, keep your distance, prevent pets and children approaching, and call the rescue before moving it. A photo from a safe distance can help a rescuer advise you.
This guidance is general first aid, not veterinary advice. In doubt, ring a vet or a suitable specialist rescue.