RSPCA Charity Shop

General information

In 1931 the Willesden and Brondesbury Auxiliary area was expanded to create the Middlesex North West Branch of the RSPCA. Today its boundaries extend as far as Paddington in the east, Rickmansworth to the west, watford and St Albans to the north and South Ruislip and Acton to the south. The earliest remaining Branch committee meeting minutes date back to the 1st of April 1947 when the Branch was in the process of resurrecting itself after the war.

During the 1950’s and 1960’s the husband and wife team of Norman and Doris Beecroft were Chairman and Secretary of the Branch. In 1970 when Mrs Beecroft retired as Secretary, Hilary Anyon took on this role. Ten years later she was joined by her husband Alan who then became Branch Chairman.

In 1982 the main Society closed its animal home, The Mayhew Home, in Willesden. Mrs Anyon, who at that time in addition to being Branch Secretary was also a member of the RSPCA’s governing council, persuaded the Society to allow the Branch to take over the Mayhew Home, which would in future be the Branch focal point.

On the 8th of January 1983 Dr E F Carpenter, the Dean of Westminster, formally opened the Mayhew Home as the Branch home and humane education centre. In 1997 the Mayhew Home became a registered charity in its own right. Then in July 2003 the Branch involvement with the home ceased.

Under the strong stewardship of Adrian Donno, Branch Secretary since 1995, and the other trustees the Branch has considerably expanded its animal welfare activities over the last few years with an important part of its funding derived from the five charity shops it now operates. In October 2003 it employed its first Animal Welfare Officer to work out in the communities the Branch serves. This has proved so successful that in May 2006 a second Animal Welfare Officer was employed. This has allowed the Branch to build on the already strong working relationship with the RSPCA Inspectors and Animal Collection Officers locally.