Elisabeth Svendsen Trust

This weekend I visited EST Manchester’s Summer Fair. I drove up on Friday morning to meet two families whose children benefit from donkey riding therapy at the centre. I arrived in the car park to find organised chaos – it was a very windy day and there were marquees threatening to take off left right and centre but Lindsay the centre co-ordinator had it all under control and was directing deliveries, porta-loos and gazebo erection quite calmly!

During my recent visit to EST Leeds, I met up again with Edward and his family. Edward was featured in September 2009 in the Daily Express and made an appearance on ITV’s This Morning programme, because he has selective mutism and benefits from our special donkey riding therapy.

When I visited EST Manchester recently I met Freda and Marjorie, who are just two of the 93 volunteers who selflessly give up their time for this centre.

Freda has volunteered at the centre for five years, and helps out in the kitchen on Tuesdays and Wednesdays providing refreshments for the children, parents and carers. Freda is waiting for both her knee’s to be replaced and a hip replacement operation, she hopes that when she has had the operations she will be able to spend more time helping outside with the donkeys. But she nobly puts her own health problems aside to offer her services.

I am writing this blog as I travel back down the (snowy) motorway with my colleague Chris Phillips. We have just spent three days visiting the EST Centres in Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds.

First we visited EST Leeds, after setting off from Devon at 5am; we finally arrived at the centre just before lunch. We were greeted by the centre co-ordinator Caroline who gave us a quick show round before we met some of the children who attend the centre. After a hasty sandwich we went to meet the adoption donkeys and their friends, and before we knew it, it was time to leave.

Last week I joined EST Sidmouth on another Outreach visit to Holmesley Nursing Home in Sidmouth with Mary the donkey.

Last week I visited Stones Solicitors because employees Alex Blest, Tom Sampford and Leigh Barry selflessly volunteered to publicly have their beards removed to raise funds for EST Sidmouth.

The big shave took place at their Exeter office on Friday 11th December 2009. When I arrived the three generous men were looking decidedly nervous, especially Leigh who has had his beard for 32 years!