Elisabeth Svendsen Trust

A donkey riding therapy charity based in Sidmouth is looking forward to receiving a donation of 20 Easter eggs from an Exeter supermarket on 29th March as part of their Easter Eggstravaganza celebrations.

Sainsbury’s in Pinhoe has kindly agreed to donate 20 Easter eggs which will be presented to staff of The Elisabeth Svendsen Trust for Children and Donkeys (EST) accompanied by Mary the donkey at the supermarket on 29th March at 11.00am.

A donkey-riding centre for children with special needs based in Ivybridge has announced the grand opening of its new greenhouse by students of a Plymouth school on Thursday 11th March at 2pm. The greenhouse has been bought using funds raised by its Parents and Friends Association (PFA).

Today, a UK charity has announced its plans to build a one million pound donkey-riding centre just outside of Belfast, which will provide a free service to hundreds of children in Northern Ireland who have special needs and disabilities.

The Elisabeth Svendsen Trust for Children and Donkeys (EST) provides unique donkey-riding therapy and has five centres across the UK. It has recently acquired land in Ballypalady near Templepatrick to build a sixth centre, which is planned to open in early 2011.

Est Manchester is 6 years old this month. Our official birthday when the centre was opened is August but it was March 2004 when the doors first opened to the public and since then we have gone from strength to strength. The empty building and stable yard was completed in January and signed over for use. We started with five members of staff Debbie, Centre Principal, Emma, Robina and Joy Riding Instructors, Paul the Warden, two stools and a fold away table!

Est Manchester is 6 years old this month. It was March 2004 when the doors first opened to the public and since then we have gone from strength to strength. The empty building and stable yard was completed in January and signed over for use, we started with five members of staff Debbie, Centre Principal, Emma, Robina and Joy Riding Instructors, Paul the Warden, two stools and a fold away table!

The Hinds family attend drop-in sessions and clubs at EST Ivybridge regularly and travel all the way from Cornwall to get there. James and Collin have made lots of friends at the Centre and really enjoy their time spent here. James has adopted Pooh as his very own special donkey, and as an extra treat often has the chance to ride him when at Saturday Club.

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.