‘WE ARE delighted to announce that Elmo and Jasper have gone to their furrever home together yesterday.’

This piece of news is one of many bulletins displayed on the Facebook page of Allerton Cat Rescue, which this year has homed 207 cats.

“We had one month where we homed more than 40,” says volunteer Helen Sharp.

One of a team of dedicated people who help out, the cat lover - who has three felines of her own - became involved with the centre around four years ago.

“My sister Julia was helping out after adopting two cats from there,” she says. “So I decided to see what I could do.

The centre has 4,500 followers on Facebook, a page set up and updated by Helen. “It generates a lot of interest and helps to bring in funds,” she says.

A midwife at Bradford Royal Infirmary, Helen takes photographs of the cats that arrive at the centre and puts them on the page with details including their sex, age and where they were found. Some cats and kittens will be in foster homes, prior to being adopted.

“We use the page to name kittens - names are suggested and the one with the most ‘likes’ is used,” says Helen. The centre is also on Twitter and Instagram.

Annual vets’ bills cost £40,000 and cat litter £7,200. An outbreak of the disease feline enteritis earlier this year saw the vet’s bill soar to almost £8,000 in a short period.

Networking on social media enabled them to meet that cost. “We started to appeal on June 3 and within three weeks we had just over £5,000. It really humbles me that people are so generous,” says Helen.

The centre has been temporarily closed due to the outbreak but is to reopen shortly.

Allerton Cat Rescue was set up in the 1970s by Brenda Satterley, who rescued her first cat aged seven. “In those days there were no neutering schemes. I used to collect kittens and puppies and find homes for them,” she says. “I have not stopped helping animals ever since.”

She established the centre at Prune Park Inn, Allerton, where she was landlady.

After selling the business, she moved the rescue centre to Allerton Road where it is today.

This year homes have been found for more than 208 cats and kittens who have arrived after being abandoned, living as strays or being mistreated.

The not-for-profit shelter exists entirely because of volunteers, fundraising, donations of food, bedding, items for its charity shop, car boot sales, tombolas and monetary donations.

Volunteers are known as ACR Angels, after the crucial role they play in helping Allerton Cat Rescue to continue its vital work.

“We are a small team and are always welcome more volunteers to help out,” says Helen.

Every morning the volunteers check their charges, clean and refill food and water bowls and litter trays. Medication is administered as needed and cats that require veterinary treatment are taken.

“We work closely with Gatehouse Vets in Allerton, who are a great support,” says Helen.

Brenda was awarded the International Fund for Animal Welfare, Animal Action Award Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002.

In 2013 she was nominated for a Telegraph and Argus Community Star Award in the fundraising category. She did not win, but was awarded a specially created lifetime achievement award.

Both she and her husband Peter were thrilled. Brenda had had over 400 nominations which was the most in any of the categories.

She is also helped at the centre by Anne Caufield – who has helped for the past 16 years - and Vicky Young, who both foster cats and kittens. Her daughter Tracie helps out too.

“Everyone has been wonderful,” says Brenda.

Brenda relies on people’s generosity but it has been a struggle over the last couple of years. Local supermarkets do help by having food donation stations but not as much food is being left as it used to be, and, since the recession, financial gifts have reduced greatly.

Helen’s sister Julia runs the rescue’s support shop in Eccleshil, raising funds to help pay bills.

One of the most challenging aspects of the centre for Brenda is the phone constantly ringing, with people getting in touch about cats or kittens.

“You don’t know what is going to happen,” says Brenda. “People move and leave cats behind, and it is incredible how many people die and don’t provide for their pets.”

Cats rehomed by the centre have all been neutered.

*Allerton Cat Rescue, 258 Allerton Road, Bradford BD15 7QX Tel: 01274 481984

*The summer fair is at Café West, Wanstead Crescent, Allerton BD15 7PA, on Saturday July 30 from 12noon to 4pm where there will be games, stalls and activities for the family.

*The centre’s support shop is inside Premier Furniture in Victoria Road, Eccleshill.

*For more information visit allertoncatrescue.co.uk/Facebook: Allerton Cat Rescue