Elisabeth Svendsen Trust

We are looking to recruit a full time, permanent, Groom/Centre Assistant for our riding therapy centre near Birmingham. You will assist with therapy for children and adults with special needs and you should have experience of working with equines. You will be responsible for maintaining a high standard of cleanliness throughout the centre, riding area and stables. This includes feeding, grooming and caring for the donkeys. You will work 40 hours per week. Specific arrangements with regard to working hours will be agreed with the Line Manager.

We are due to be seen on the BBC in a new children’s programme called Animals at Work today. It involves the work of our charity, The Elisabeth Svendsen Trust for Children and Donkeys, and sees Ginny the donkey giving her first-ever ride to Zoe who regularly visits the Centre to receive donkey-riding therapy.

The Animals at Work broadcast dates are as follows:

• Thursday 26th August 2010, 4.05pm on BBC 1
• Wednesday 1st September 2010, 5.45pm, CBBC
• Saturday 4th September 2010, 9.30am on BBC 2

Don’t miss it! And don’t forget you can also watch this on BBCiPlayer!

With the sun shining, a clear blue sky and a nice cool breeze, we couldn’t have wished for better weather to help make our Summer Fair on Sunday 15th August 2010 such a success. Thousands of visitors roamed the grounds of the Sanctuary, wondering around all of the stalls, taking part in different games, enjoying the entertainment and watching the variety of displays throughout the day.

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!

A charity summer fair held at a donkey riding centre in Abbey Hey on Saturday 21st August has been hailed as a great success!

The Elisabeth Svendsen Trust for Children and Donkeys (EST) held their annual summer fair to raise funds towards its cause to provide valuable riding therapy to children with special needs.

On Sunday 25 July 2010, EST Leeds held their Summer Fair which was extremely well supported. With over 40 trade stands, children's attractions, arena displays and delicious food and drink, visitors had plenty to keep them entertained. We were delighted to have Carl Hopkins and Deirdre Bounds, two of Yorkshire's leading entrepreneurs to open the Fair.

Horse stunt rider, Jo O'Dell, wowed crowds with her dare devil trick-riding on her horses, Tino and Azkaban, and our very own donkeys and special children provided two demonstrations of riding therapy in the main arena.