March 2026

We wanted to give our supporters an update on the progress of our big barn build. Firstly, a massive thank you for donating to the barn building over the last three years. Every amount has added up and we wanted you, our donors, to be the first to know know that construction is officially underway!

Winter 2027 is going to be easier not only for our cows and sheep, but also for the volunteers who care for them daily - no days off here! The construction of a spacious, purpose-built barn will provide safe, dry shelter through the harshest of winter months.

In October 2024, the main structure of the barn was erected, and this week, the concrete was poured. Seeing the base take shape has been quite emotional for us all. 

All your donations, no matter the size, have helped us build this project step by step. We are deeply grateful to every single person who contributed - thank you!

A Gift in Loving Memory

We are also incredibly thankful to one very generous supporter who made a significant donation in memory of her beloved daughter, Juliet, who loved all animals deeply. 

The Surge Sanctuary will honour her memory by naming the new building "Juliet's Barn." This kindness has helped bring this barn to life, ensuring Juliet's compassion for all animals will live on here at the sanctuary.

The Next Stage: Fencing, Drains & Water Pipes 

Once the concrete is laid, we will need to rebuild the muddy banks around the structure to ensure safe access to the barn. This includes installation of a robust drainage system to prevent flooding (like we had this winter!); a concrete ramp to accommodate hay and straw deliveries; as well as surround fencing and gates to keep all residents safe. 

For the interior, we will need water troughs and hay feeders, as well as cow brushes (they love a good scratch against them!), and hurdles for creating stalls and beds. 

The total cost for this next stage £15,000.

We would be so grateful for any amount you can donate towards this target. Since we moved to the property in 2020, this has been a sanctuary dream. The new barn will be large enough to rescue more farm animals in the future who will share the barn with the herd. A spacious, fully functioning barn will change lives, making the animals more comfortable throughout the long winters ahead for many years to come. 

The final stage will be the electrical installation, and we will update you when we launch that appeal. We are also exploring grant funding for rescued farmed animals - but this is not easy!

If you are able to, you can support our fundraiser either by donating any amount you can spare, or sharing the page with friends and family, on social media, or even in your community, and help us to reach our goal and get this barn built for the residents!
Thank you!

2022

We are so excited to announce that we have recently managed to secure planning permission for a new barn to be built for our cow residents!

It’s taken a while for us to get the planning approved but we finally have permission from the local council and we are so excited to get this project started. It is a big space and the reason we want to build a barn here is to create better winter accommodation for the cows. They are currently living in a make-shift temporary winter accommodation, as they can’t be out in the fields during the winter because the ground is too soft and needs time to recover ready for spring.

The new barn will be incredibly beneficial for the cows as it will allow them more space during the winter months as due to the size of the space where the barn is going to be built, they can have both indoor and outdoor hard standing areas so that they can have the best of both worlds during the winter months without damaging any of the land. The space in the new barn can also double as hay and straw storage which means that we can stock up and have a steady supply all throughout winter. It will also provide valuable space to be able to house future rescues meaning that we can save even more animals and provide them with a safe home for the rest of their lives.

DESIGN

The plans are for a 20m x 20m barn with a 10m overhang, which will provide the residents with a sheltered outside space. There will be two large doors at either end of the building to allow easy access for the residents as well as for us to be able to muck out.

The internal space will be open, but we are planning to have movable fences so that we can change and adapt the space as necessary to meet the needs of the residents. The large adaptable indoor space will also mean that we will have more housing available to take in and help more animals in need! We would love to be able to finish construction in time for Winter 2023 so the cows can enjoy their new, bigger space! The frame will be steel, with concrete and timber-clad walls.

The design
plans

We have acquired several quotes from various vendors to get an idea of how much everything is likely to cost. In total we expect the project to come out at around £100,000. Obviously, this cost is for everything to be brand new and we will be looking to get good quality, previously used items where practical and we are able to try and be as environmentally friendly and bring costs down as much as possible! 

We want to get this project started as soon as we can, but the only problem is the costs to be able to construct the barn (materials, labour etc) have increased dramatically in recent times, and have in fact almost tripled in the past two years because of everything that’s happening in the UK and all around the world. 

We are currently fundraising to be able to make this project a reality and we would really love your support, because every pound that is donated will help towards the costs and allow us to build the best space possible for the animals.

If you are able to, you can support our fundraiser either by donating any amount you can spare, or sharing the page with friends and family, on social media, or even in your community, and help us to reach our goal and get this barn built for the residents.

From all of us at the sanctuary, thank you!