Volunteer Spotlight: Joanna Twiselton-Jones

Jo, RATS’ Social Media Coordinator, shares her passion for the charity and the stories that inspire her every day in her volunteering role.

What first caught your eye about RATS and made you think, “I want to be part of this”?

I met Clare at the classic car show and put my name down to foster. I started following on Facebook and saw that they needed help with social media, which seemed like a perfect fit.

If you had to describe your social media role in just three words, what would they be - and why those?

Three words is hard: resourceful, respectful, and dedicated!

Making sure you say the right thing and don’t cause offence but getting the point across is not easy!

What’s a behind-the-scenes moment from volunteering that always makes you smile?

With social media, it’s seeing a comment that leads to getting an animal a home. With fostering, it’s knowing that your foster has found their forever home. They often arrive sad, as their lives have been turned upside down, and they leave with waggy tails.

What kind of post or story do you get most excited to share with our followers?

The best posts are the ones where we’ve had a dog for a while and someone finally spots it and says, “I want you!”

Has there been an animal whose journey you felt especially connected to? What made them stand out?

It’s not just a dog but a person - their story is so intertwined that you can’t help but be swept along. Roo and Helen Lomax are inspirational. That little dog keeps fighting to be alive, and Helen keeps fighting for her. I am so pleased that I was able to help Roo have a permanent home with Helen.

What’s something surprising you’ve learned about rescue work since taking on this role?

The thing that’s most surprising is the animals’ resilience. Most come in as strays - we don’t know where they have come from or what they have seen - but they bounce back.

If you could tell supporters one thing about the animals we help, what would it be?

The one thing is that it’s not about us - it’s about them. I don’t do any of the things I do for recognition or praise, just for the animals.

How has volunteering here changed the way you look at social media or storytelling?

Social media is the backbone of most businesses these days, and charities are no different. We can reach so many more people this way. For every share of a post or comment someone makes, more people see it.

What’s something this role has given you that you didn’t expect—personally or creatively?

Sometimes volunteering can be hard to juggle with daily life, children, work, and of course my own animals. But doing something worthwhile is fulfilling and rewarding. I am happy to make a difference even if it’s just a little bit.

What do you hope your future self remembers about this time volunteering?

I will remember the people as well as the animals. It’s fantastic to work with such motivated and dedicated volunteers who want to make animals’ lives better. I also have my own rescue dogs that inspire me to keep helping rescue animals, and the mantra of “adopt don’t shop” is something I will always stand by.