Elisabeth Svendsen Trust

Donkeys from our EST centres are warmly greeted by residents whose faces light up when they see their four-legged friends walk into communal lounges, or even, in the case of less mobile residents, into their bedrooms! Everybody enjoys these special visits, from the most able bodied to the frailest or most withdrawn resident.

Violet Swain from The Check House, Seaton in Devon was delighted to welcome Rosie, a 17 year old mare who is one of our special donkeys at EST Sidmouth. Violet said that the donkey visits made her feel much better and that she enjoys seeing the donkeys as they are such lovable and affectionate creatures. Violet says that the visits bring back memories of donkeys giving rides on the beaches when she was young; she especially likes the brown and white donkeys.

Marilyn Moore, Activities Support Co-Ordinator at The Check House, says that "the service is absolutely wonderful; the residents love the visits and really look forward to seeing the donkeys and their two-legged helpers.The visits are very therapeutic for those with little sight; just the feel of the donkeys can help to lighten their lives. We have one resident who has had a stroke and is paralysed down one side of her body; she is quite poorly and cannot speak but when the donkeys arrive her face lights up - it really is a heart-warming sight". Marilyn adds that the residents talk about the visits for days afterwards and the staff are able to incorporate the visits into other aspects of life at the home such as encouraging the residents to draw or paint the donkeys in their art classes.

It is amazing to watch the donkeys interact with the residents and it is outstanding how many of them have stories of donkeys from some time during their lives. Many recall when donkeys were used on farm land when they were children; or memories of a long ago holiday to the seaside are brought to mind as if they happened only yesterday.

How you can help

• All our visits are carried out free of charge and we really need to raise funds to enable us to carry on these visits to hospices, day care centres, and adult learning centres as well as nursing and residential homes.
• Just £4 would pay for a flexi bucket taken on visits "just in case of accidents".
• £12 would pay for two members of staff for a single, one hour visit.
• Our specially adapted vehicle, used to transport the donkeys, costs £45 per day to run. It really is important for us to have the funds to keep us on the road.

Any donation you feel able to give towards this special project, no matter how small, will be most gratefully received. We do hope that you will be able to support our work and enable us to visit more homes during the next 12 months.

Thank you for your support; it really is most valuable to us and enables us to continue our work in the community.

Any funds raised in excess of the amount required to support our work out in the community will be put towards the day-to-day expenditure at each of our riding centres.