Equine charity pays heartfelt tribute to generous supporters

A Southwest equine welfare charity has paid a heartfelt tribute to generous supporters who have helped to fund its new horsebox, including a retired couple from Devon who spontaneously donated 15 thousand pounds to cover the remaining cost of the vehicle.

This summer The Mare and Foal Sanctuary launched an ambitious Crowdfunder with a target of 35 thousand pounds to buy a reliable horsebox able to transport horses and ponies who’ve been abused, neglected or abandoned. Online supporters pledged more than nine thousand pounds in the digital appeal within weeks. Ten thousand pounds were then presented by a major fund-giver and another two thousand pounds generously offered by another supporter.

The charity was faced with the big challenge of raising the remaining 14 thousand pounds, until Sue and Keith Hollings from Totnes heard about the appeal. Sue says: “Keith and I got married about two years ago and we both love animals and support local charities. When we read about The Mare and Foal Sanctuary’s appeal for a horsebox, we realised how critical it was to them, and I said to Keith “come on, we can help with that!” We dropped everything, drove to our local sanctuary at Coombe Park that day, and made the donation.

‘It was lovely to meet some of the rescued ponies, like Geronimo who only has one eye and little Sir Didymus the abandoned miniature Shetland who, when he isn’t playing in the field, rests his chin on the stable door to watch the world go by. He has to be one of my favourites. It’s reassuring to know that horses and ponies like these who have had awful experiences in the past will now be cared for throughout the rest of their lives. We were glad to help the Sanctuary pay for the horsebox they need to transport them.’

Director of Fundraising and Communications Dawn Vincent says: ‘We can’t thank Sue and Keith enough and are so grateful to every one of our supporters for their incredible generosity in helping us to raise the 35 thousand pounds we need. The cost of caring for large, expensive animals like horses and ponies has spiralled in recent years. Our priority as a charity has been making sure we can pay for their food and care, and to give them everything they need for a happy and healthy life. Being able to transport them in welfare rescue situations or to get veterinary treatment is essential, and with a less than reliable van it’s been a real challenge for our welfare team. These generous donations mean that we can press ahead and buy it straight away.’

The Mare and Foal Sanctuary’s PR & Campaigns Manager Pippa Quelch says: ‘I joined the team at the end of last year after seeing first-hand that it’s a fantastic charitable organisation filled with people passionately dedicated to the welfare of animals. They work above and beyond to create a better life for horses and ponies in need – it’s a vocation for people working and volunteering here. So, when supporters understand our mission and are so generous to donate, our team members are genuinely moved. There were a few tears in the office when we heard about Sue and Keith’s kindness, but it didn’t end there. A lovely lady read about the appeal in her local newspaper, visited our Brixham charity shop and gave us a £500 donation towards the horsebox. She said she had been left some money and was happy to help towards the cost. She told us she has been a lover of horses since a child, with many fond memories. This money will make a massive difference to the work of our welfare team and give us the chance to help more rescued horses and ponies across the southwest. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to everyone who has been so kind to donate.’

Sally Burton, Head of Sanctuary Care says: ‘The whole team is so delighted with the news, and we all want to thank everyone who has helped us to reach our goal. Our current horsebox has served us well but has a few too many miles on the clock and doesn’t always start when we need it to. It’s becoming very costly to run and increasingly unreliable. The new horsebox will make a huge difference. It’ll give us peace of mind when travelling to the furthest corners of the Southwest on rescues and provide smooth transitions of rescued horses between our four sanctuary sites, or for veterinary treatment as needed. It’s wonderful to feel that we can press ahead and get our new horsebox on the road very soon.’

You can find out more about the horses and ponies the Sanctuary looks after at: www.mareandfoal.org