Summer 2023Rochdale RSPCA’s Hollingworth Lake Animal Centre and café now open

The Hollingworth Lake Animal Centre – the new home of the Rochdale & District RSPCA – and the Woodlands Café at the Lake are now open.

Settled against a picturesque backdrop of rolling hills and Hollingworth Lake, the former visitor centre has undergone an extensive refurbishment and expansion to be given a new lease of life for the Rochdale RSPCA branch.

The new state-of-the-art animal centre houses the many abused and abandoned domestic animals and wildlife casualties which are brought in by RSPCA inspectors.

Any wild animals at the centre receive vet treatment and rehabilitation before being released back into the wild. Those requiring further treatment will be transferred to the RSPCA’s wildlife centre at Stapeley Grange.

In the last 10 years, Rochdale RSPCA has rescued, rehabilitated and rehomed over 6,000 animals and birds and looks forward to many more years of promoting animal welfare in the area. The branch has taken in around 700 animals in the last twelve months alone.

Visitors to the lake and to the animal centre will also enjoy accessible facilities, including improved public toilet facilities, upgraded reception and information area, a meeting room and shop.

The Woodlands Café at the Lake is a large dog-friendly café, run by the team who also run the café at The Willows Dementia Hub. It boasts a traditional café menu, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. The café is open every day until 4pm.

There is a television screen displaying photos of animals currently being cared for in the centre and available for adoption. Anyone interested in rehoming any of these can enquire at the reception desk for details or check the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/RSPCARochdale

David Canavan, chair of trustees for the RSPCA’s Rochdale branch, said: “The move from our former premises in Rochdale after 83 years has given us the opportunity to further develop our services for animal welfare in the area. We need your continuing support to do this.

“If you would like to help us, please get in touch.

“We have a team of volunteers, many of whom have been recently recruited, who assist the staff in the care of these wonderful animals who through no fault of their own have come to us requiring treatment and rehabilitation.

“However there are many other roles within the centre which may interest others such as working on reception.

“On behalf of all these animals we have been able to help, I would like to say thank you to the people of Rochdale and beyond whose support has made this possible and is critical to our future.”

Become a Friend of the Hollingworth Lake Animal Centre

Visitors to the café and centre will also be able to sign up as a ‘Friend of the Hollingworth Lake Animal Centre’ enabling the local RSPCA to help as many animals as possible.

A leaflet is available setting out the benefits of becoming a Friend, or you can request information by calling 01706 861897 or emailing