DAME Penelope Keith officially reopened Haslemere’s Cats Protection’s adoption centre at a family fun day last Saturday

Following a nine-month long programme of work, the centre in Upper Hammer Lane is now open again with new facilities including improved cat pens and viewing areas, upgraded veterinary facilities and better car parking and public areas.

The actress who starred in BBC sitcoms The Good Life and To the Manor Born, who lives in Milford, cut a ribbon to officially mark the new look and spent time meeting cats currently being cared for by the charity before chatting to staff, volunteers and well-wishers.

Hundreds of visitors joined in the fun, with activities including children’s crafts and games, live music and animal displays.

Dame Penelope said: “Cats Protection does a tremendous amount to help unwanted and abandoned cats, and I very much enjoyed seeing the new centre.

“It was such a pleasure to meet fellow cat lovers on the day, and of course to say hello to the cats and kittens currently being cared for by Cats Protection.”

The Haslemere centre was first opened in 1950 and was the template for others around the country.

Centre manager Suzie Zyta said: “The day was a huge success and we were privileged that Dame Penelope joined on this very special occasion.

“The community of Haslemere has always been so supportive of our work and we were thrilled so many people turned out to help us celebrate the re-opening.

“Our Haslemere Adoption Centre is particularly important to Cats Protection, as it helped change the way the whole country thinks about feline welfare.

“Back in 1950, the opening of a new centre dedicated to helping unwanted cats was a bold step, but the success of our Haslemere site proved there was a real desire to help cats in need.

“For nearly 70 years, our Haslemere centre has helped give countless cats and kittens a second chance in life, as well as helping thousands of people find a much loved family pet.”

The site – a former manor house – was bequeathed to Cats Protection by a wealthy cat lover, and developed to provide 40 cat pens to care for unwanted and abandoned cats while they waited to find a new owner.

The centre now re-homes around 600 cats every year and nationally the charity helps around 200,000 cats annually.

There are 31 other centres and 250 volunteer-run branches to form the UK’s biggest cat charity.

To find out more about the work of Cats Protection, visit www.cats.org.uk