AN ANIMAL charity which cares for unwanted rabbits has been honoured at a national awards ceremony.

The Rabbit Residence Rescue in Great Chishill was named the Best Small Animal Rescue Centre at the annual Burgess Wetnose Animal Rescue Awards, held in Knightsbridge this week.

Founder of the Rabbit Residence, Caroline Collings, attended the ceremony to collect her award and a cheque for £1,000 to help towards the running of the centre from television presenter Ingrid Tarrant and actress Maureen Lipman.

Miss Collings said: “To receive recognition for what we do is an incredible boost to morale and to our public profile, helping us to rehome more rabbits. It has been a fantastic year already with us gaining charity status and winning this award.

“Anything that helps raise awareness of the needs of abandoned rabbits and other pets is always worthwhile, particularly the efforts of small, independently run rescues.

“Rabbits are the third most popular pets in the UK and yet their needs are often misunderstood. They need more space than just a hutch, they need a rabbit friend, and they don’t like being cuddled.”

As well as taking in caring for and rehoming unwanted rabbits, the Rabbit Residence Rescue is committed to helping educate the public about good practice in rabbit care. They also provide free advice, health checks, a bonding service and boarding service.

On Saturday volunteers from the centre will be at Cineworld in Cambridge, promoting their work as part of an Easter Saturday initiative.

Miss Collings said: “When they contacted me and said they wanted to have rabbits in their cinema I thought it was a crazy idea!

“It’s part of their kids club which they have on Saturday mornings, and we’re going to set up in a room outside the screens with some information about what we do, and then my colleague and I will be going into the screens before the films start to give a little talk to the children about caring for rabbits and the centre.”