Elisabeth Svendsen Trust

EST Manchester is holding a special Nativity and carol service by candlelight on Wednesday 7th December from 5.30pm.

With plenty of traditional carols, a very special Nativity and music from a brass band, visitors can join in with festivities and enjoy the delicious festive refreshments.

Debbie Coombes, manager of EST Manchester, says: “Our Candlelight service is a really unique way to get into the festive spirit. We’d like to raise the roof with our celebrations and hope that even the donkeys will join in with the carol singing.”

EST Manchester is looking forward to hosting a family-friendly Halloween party in Debdale Park to raise funds for the charity.

The centre is holding its annual Halloween party on Wednesday 26th October from 4.00-6.00pm with fancy dress, a disco and a special spooky supper.

Nine-year-old Leon Archer from Gorton, Manchester, visited EST Manchester this week to be presented with a signed Manchester United football, won during a visit to this year's Summer Fair.

After being presented with the football, Leon said: “I’ve supported Man U for as long as I’ve known football existed. Winning this prize is just excellent, it’s not usual for me to win something like this but I really hoped that I would. My friends didn’t believe they would be real signatures but I’m very happy that they are – I can’t wait to show it off!”

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.

With National Transplant Week taking place from 4th – 11th July 2010, EST Manchester tells the story of three-year-old double transplant patient Zainab Naiz who benefits physically and emotionally from donkey riding therapy.

Zainab was born with liver disease and at the age of one had to undergo a life-saving liver transplant operation. She was lucky enough to receive a liver from a young donor but disaster struck when it stopped working 12 hours after the procedure. Her mum, Aliya watched helplessly as doctors entered into a race against time to find another liver and her tiny daughter was put on life support and dialysis as her kidneys began to fail. At the last minute, a liver was found from an older donor. This was not an ideal match but with time running out, Zainab’s doctors knew that any further delay would leave them unable to do the transplant.

A UK charity based in Abbey Hey will be holding their annual Summer Fair on Saturday 21st August 2010 and need help from the local community, to raise funds to provide free therapy to special needs children in the area.

The Manchester Centre of The Elisabeth Svendsen Trust for Children and Donkeys, desperately need as many soft toys as possible, bottles for the bottle stall, tombola items, books and bric a brac to help make their summer fair a success.