One of Gloucestershire’s leading animal charities is to benefit from sales of a new book that was launched on Saturday.

‘All a Cat Can Be’ is an anthology of poems and photographs of cats, written by leading poets from across the country. All proceeds from sales of the book will go to support the work of New Start Cat Rescue, a charity which houses and rehomes kittens and cats. Jackie Bahooshy, Volunteer Coordinator for the charity, says the book will have a huge impact on the charity. She said: “The book is fantastic, a real must-read, especially for people with an interest in animals and poetry. The photographs are superb, they really add to the overall quality of the book.

“The book launch at Hatherley Manor was a tremendous afternoon. To be in the presence of so many supremely talented poets was a great thrill. All proceeds from sales of the book will go to support the work of New Start Cat Rescue.

“We’re a charity that is dependent on volunteers. We rescue unwanted kittens and cats. Last year we rehomed 752 cats which is a quite remarkable number when you think about it. We started out in 2010, it will be our eighth birthday next month. We’re all volunteers, there’s 120 of us spread over the south-west, from Swindon to the Forest of Dean and Hereford. We’re taking in a great number of cats at the moment. We microchip every cat and get our wonderful vets to give them a full health check, so all of our cats are healthy when they are rehomed.”

Over twenty poets from around the UK gathered with volunteers from New Start Cat Rescue to mark the publication of the book at Hatherley manor. One of the nation’s favourite poets, Gloucestershire-based Alison Brackenbury, held the Mulberry Suite in rapt and appreciative attention for a reading of her poems about cats, including ‘The Ladies’, the first of her five poems in the book.

The idea of publishing an anthology to raise awareness and funds came from a New Start volunteer and poet Sharon Larkin who called on a large on-line network of poets throughout the country to submit poems for the project. As Alison Brackenbury writes on the back cover, the book “is as gloriously varied as the beloved cats it celebrates ... All a Cat Can Be offers something to please every reader, while helping cats desperate for a good home.

All a Cat Can Be, co-edited by Sharon Larkin, published by Eithon Bridge Publications and printed by Stroudprint, can be purchased for £8.95 plus p&p by emailing newstartcatrescue@gmail.com  All proceeds from sales of the book will go to support the work of New Start Cat Rescue.