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Train station cat releases charity song for Christmas
All proceeds go to RSPCA and Stevenage homelessness charity Feed Up Warm Up.
Nala the Station Cat’s ‘Meow’ was played on Radio 2.

A cat from Stevenage is hoping for the coveted ‘Christmas No. 1’ slot following the release of her debut charity single ‘Meow’.

Nala, known on social media as ‘Nala the Station Cat’, is already a local celebrity at Stevenage railway station, where she greets commuters as they pass through the station.

However the four-year-old ginger tabby is now receiving national attention after her new song was played on Scott Mills’ BBC Radio 2 show this week.

‘Meow’ was produced by musician Danny Kirsch, who wrote the single with Joe Killington. Nala is also credited as the vocalist and songwriter behind the track.

All proceeds from the song are to be donated to the RSPCA, as well as Stevenage homelessness charity Feed Up Warm Up.

It received its first play on BBC Three Counties Radio on Sunday, before its official release on Wednesday. The music video, which has been filmed on location at Stevenage railway station, is set to be released before Christmas.

The song has already received critical acclaim, with Radio 2 DJ Scott Mills declaring it "quite good" on his afternoon show. Nala and her owner, Natasha Ambler, will be hoping it can challenge fellow charity musicians LadBaby’s five-year streak for the Christmas number one spot.

Speaking to BBC Three Counties Radio DJ Justin Dealey, Ms Ambler said: "We'll start small and hopefully she gets in the charts, but number one would be fantastic".

Nala the Station Cat was unavailable to comment.

You can listen to ‘Meow’ here.

Image © TikTok/The Adventures of Nala

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Applications open for MMI research grants

News Story 1
 RCVS' Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) has launched round two of its veterinary mental health research grants.

Researchers have until 11.59pm on Wednesday, 28 May 2025 to apply for a grant for research which reflects MMI's 2025 focus areas.

Only one Impact Grant was awarded last year, and so this year there are two Discovery Grants and one Impact Grants available. Each Discovery Grant is worth £5,000 and the Impact Grant is worth £15,000.

For more information or to apply, email researchgrants@rcvs.org.uk to contact the MMI team.

 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
BBC Radio 4 documentary addresses corporate fees

BBC Radio 4's File on 4 Investigates has released a documentary exploring how corporate-owned veterinary practices may be inflating bills to increase profit.

Released on 15 April, 'What's Happening To Your Vet Bills?' revealed the policies which many corporate groups have in place to increase their profits. This included targets and upgrades which veterinary teams are tasked with meeting on a regular basis.

It also features Anrich Vets, an independently-owned practice based in Wigan. Following the case of Staffordshire terrier Benjy, who is diagnosed with a tumour, the documentary shares how the team were able to offer contextualised care and advice to make the procedure as affordable as possible for his owners.

The documentary can be heard on demand on BBC iPlayer.