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Stablecroft's Charitable Work
Our Fundraising Donkey Is On The Mend
After scaring her owners Aimee is making progress after her sudden illness and is back to being the brat donkey we know and love.
We hope that in 2012 she will continue her campaign to help other less fortunate equines.
Stablecroft's Fundraising Donkey Seriously Ill
Just after Christmas 2011, Aimee, our wonderful fundraising donkey became seriously ill. She was off colour and refused to eat and began to deteriorate very rapidly - in 90mph gale force winds, we had to take to the roads towing our horse trailer, with Aimee and Ferguson (her pair bond) to horsey hospital - the most scary journey we have ever done.....towing a large unstable tin can in very high winds is not to be recommended.
Aimee spent 4 days in hospital where she was rehydrated and given emergecy glucose to try to stabilise her condion. Not to be outdone, Ferguson, who is a home donkey and doesn't like to travel anywhere, went on hunger strike as well, as he was feeling stressed!
Aimee is now back home and being nursed with meals every 2-3 hours to keep up her nutrition and help her get well. We are so grateful to our local vets and to the vets at the hospital, as we greatly feared that Aimee would not be coming home.
So many donkeys horses and ponies owe their lives to Aimee's fundraising efforts that it would have been heartbreaking if our little champion donkey had lost her battle.
As you can see, Ferguson was very unimpressed in his role as Florence Nightingale.
Stablecroft Support Somalia
With the current crisis in Somalia unfolding, our charity donkey, Aimee, hit the streets in August to raise money for SPANA to help donkeys in Somalia who, like their owners, are facing starvation She raised £280 and was a welcome visitor to our local town centre, although she disgraced herself by stealing a donought from a passerby.....
Although we are a small company, we also like to do our bit for charity - mainly with our donkey Aimee, who is an excellent ambassador. For many years Aimee has visited town centres where she stands patiently and raises £000s for animal charities. Here she is in action.
Aimee relaxing at home in her Klu Klux Klan gear to fend off the Scottish Midgie!
With her partner, Ferguson
Our charity work is split into two areas with some overlap. Aimee's street collections raise money which goes directly to UK and overseas charities, to assist their work. This is mainly in the areas of providing relief to working donkeys and horses overseas, and the operation of horse pony and animals sanctuaries in the UK, particularly those which are local to us.
The other strand of charitable work we are involved in is fostering animals - horses, donkeys and cats and also raising money to rescue horses and donkeys from the meat industry. The rescue animals are placed with UK charities. Most of these horses and donkeys arrived in 2008 and 2009, as 2010 has been a disastrous year for equines in the UK, so we have concentrated on trying, where possible to help them.
In February 2011, we set up www.equine-section.proboards.com an equine welfare forum which aims to help UK, Irish and French horses at risk of going for slaughter find new homes. It has taken a lot of time to input the information but hopefully as time goes on we will be able to facilitate the rescue of some of these very needy horses. 2010 has been a dreadful year for horses, and 2011 does not bode well.
It All Began With A Small Vodka!
Stablecroft Charity Appeal - Go Vodka Crazy December 2008
Vodka is a four year old donkey who is being fattened in France, in the Loire area, for the Italian meat trade. When she is a bit fatter, she will endure a horrific journey to Italy. This will take many days, probably without food,water or rest, in a large transporter where she will be loose with other horses and ponies. Many will not survive the journey and will break legs, be trampled on, injure their eyes, fights will break out - many of the horses are in foal, or with young foals making this final journey. Vodka is destined to be made into salami, mortadella or sausages.
For £800 we can save Vodka and bring her to Stablecroft Headquarters in Scotland where she can join our team of rescue donkeys. We have to purchase her and transport her - would anyone be able to give up their Vodka shots to help save poor little Vodka - any donations large or small would be appreciated. On your next night out, instead of having another round, send the money to save Vodka.
We saw this pathetic picture of Vodka in December 2008 and she just broke our hearts. She looked so thin, cold, wet, and miserable, we have our own donkeys here and we know they don't do wet weather - they need shelter or rugs. She looked so vulnerable and desperate that we just had to help her out. We were so lucky to receive sponsorship from Revolution Vodka Bars, and a local newspaper campaign, which enabled us to buy Vodka, and another jack donkey, Cazaux.
Vodka Donkey Saved from Slaughter
Vodka donkey arrived in Scotland in March 2008 and joined the Stablecroft Team. Not only was our appeal to save Vodka successful, we managed to raise enough money to bring her gallic friend, Cazaux. Cazaux is now in residence at the Scottish Borders Donkey Sanctuary, where he is training everyone to speak French.
Both were in an appalling condition on arrival in the UK, totally emaciated, feet over grown, covered in lice and generally very very poor. Vodka was particularly traumatised, very depressed and anxious. She has recovered physically for a large extent, but is still very 'blank' and unresponsive. Cazaux was always more resilient, and while his physical condition has a long way to go, his attitude to life is completely irrepresible - from day one he was shouting for joy and ready to go out with the lads for a night in the pub and a curry.
This is Vodka now!
On her way, worried and scared
Her first day, what a skinny little scared thing!
Looking a bit happier
Summer 2008 we had to clip her out and give her the full brazilian as her coat was so matted and hurt her so much.
In full midge fighting outfit!
December 2009 - red suits me
Green is pretty good as well
My dressing gown suits me too
Autumn 2009 looking gorgeous
Looking festive December 2009
Charity Donkey of the Year Competitors!
And The Winner Is!
VODKA
Appeal for Mother and Son
We are trying desperately to raise money to save a seven year old donkey, called Pivione, and her two year old son, Tibere. They are currently at a fattening farm in France and will be exported to Italy. Pivione is likely to be in foal again, and sadly Italian slaughterhouses permit the killing of in-foal mares - their meat is much valued, as it has a distinctive flavour.Foal meat is also at a premium, and any coloured horse ponies or donkeys make more money as their skin is valuable for the fashion and furnishing trades.
Stablecroft Ltd are putting up the money to buy Tibere, as he is a stallion, so he is less valuable and few people will want him, but we will need to raise Euros 400 for his mother and £650 to bring them both to safety. As they have been together all their lives, it will be very traumatic for Pivione if we can only save her baby but due to the credit crunch it is becoming increasinlgy difficult to help these wretched creatures. If anyone would like to save a baby donkey and his mum, please contact us - we have a home ready for them in Sussex with a local charity so they are all sorted, we just need to raise more money to bring them to safety.
So then there were more until we had a little herd of donkeys in Sussex, Scotland, and some horses in the north of England!
The Northern Donkeys
Charlotte - Before - She Arrived with Dreadful feet, a 20 year old donkey with a large personality
Amazing what a bit of food and tlc can do - Charlotte in her first summer in Scotland
Coquette was a young, 4 year old jenny, very sweet, she wasn't in great condition on arrival
Coquette during her first summer in Scotland
When I last saw her June 2009, she was not looking well, seemed down, not as sparky as the others. No idea what was wrong with her, just she wasn't right - a few weeks later she had a foal! Last thing we expected.....
Kofi was only 12-18 months old, very frightened, probably not long away from his mum. Charlotte took him under her hoof and kept him safe.
Charlotte may be small but she is boss donkey
Ant and Dec are a pair of miniature donkeys, they came to Scotland as un-cut yearlings and were very cheeky.....
Muffin the Mule
She is a tiny little mule, very sweet. Vodka Donkey had an Open Day in 2009 to meet all her supporters and one very kind lady, Eleanor, gave Vodka a cheque for £450.00 which part paid for little Muffin.
The Northern Horses
Aimee's fundraising has been so successful this year that in August 2009 she played a very large part in saving Caladeux and her filly foal, Eclipse, from the meat trade. Caladeux is another feral mare constantly having foals, all of which were sent for slaughter. As a completely unhandled little pony, she is of little value, and she and her 2009 foal were in imminent danger - sadly her 2008 foal is due to go for slaughter this month.
For Caladeux and this year's baby, the vicious circle of constant foals with no future has now been broken and she arrived in England into the care of Animals Refuge Carlisle, a charity set up originally to care for pit ponies. We have been thrilled to be able to visit her and while she is still very shy and protective of her baby, she now has a bright future ahead of her. When her little chestnut foal, Eclipse, is weaned, Caladeux will either retire completely, or if she is amenable, be trained to be a riding pony.
She was chosen as she was clearly a very proud mother, and had such a hopeful expression as she watched over her baby, that many people were moved to find the money to help save her - Aimee donkey contributed £1000 towards this campaign, and this enabled a wretched three year old filly, whose only crime was to have had an untreated leg injury which left her badly scarred, to join the transport and come to safety.
All three are now safe and secure and are young enough to lead useful lives in the UK, rather than being thrown away and slaughtered.
Caladeux and Eclipse September 2009
Eclipse is now a grown up girlie and has gone to her new home where she will be trained as a ride and drive pony when she is old enough
Eclipse June 2010 ready to leave her mum and start her new life as an independent young lady.
The Southern Donkeys
These are based in Sussex and are in the lifelong care of a charity.
This is Tibere. He was born in France at a meat plant travelled to the UK in 2009 with another young donkey, Ulysses. He is a happy donkey and well mannered.
This is Pivione, and her foal, Brie, who was born in the UK in 2010. Pivione travelled to the UK in 2009, with her foal, Ulysses. She was in poor condition, but was in foal, and Brie is her new baby. Brie will be safe for life and her mum can now just enjoy her life once her baby is weaned.
Pivione is only 7 or 8 years old, but she has had a hard life - this is a picture of her when she arrived with her foal, Ulysses.
This is Kevin, a young donkey who travelled with Pivione and Ulysses to the UK in 2009 - he was funded by a wonderful Australian friend, Kevin Chambers, who is not quite so impressed to have a donkey named after him.....
Padraig came to safety with Kevin - he is a lovely natured strong donkey who enjoys attention.
This is Ulysses who is Pivione's foal from 2009. He is a very lucky boy, as colt donkeys are the ones most likely to go for slaughter, whereas the jenny donkeys are more valuable.
Here he is with Padraig tucking into some dinner!
Padraig is on the left and Ulysses is on the right.
Here they are when they first arrived in 2009.
Aimee's 2011 Campaign
Aimee Supports Animal Care in Egypt
Aimee donkey hit the road again in March 2011 and visited Ayr town centre, where she raised the creditable sum of £350 for Animal Care in Egypt - a charity which assists working horses and donkeys with veterinary care, comfortable saddlery and also trains local people to be able to look after their working animals much better. Aimee is a very pampered donkey compared to the typical working donkey overseas.
Woeful Weather
We have had to cancel two of Aimee's charity collections - due to torrential rain. Sadly, at a time when charities are very very inundated with welfare demands, we were unable to carry out our annual collections for Animals Refuge Carlisle and Scottish Borders Donkey Sanctuary.
Even though Aimee might have attended dressed head to tail in her donkey macs, many people would have been concerned at the poor donkey out in the rain - funnily the same concern is never expressed for the two people accompanying her, and who are doing a fine impersonation of drowned rats. Her audience will happily trot to Marks and Spencers to buy her organic carrots, or whatever might take her fancy - but her poor supporters are never offered a cup of tea, much as it would be welcome. Oh well, we know our place!
Spana
Aimee hit the streets in August to raise £280.00 for Spana, specifically to support donkeys in Somalia. If these donkeys die, then their owners will be in even more dire circumstances, without their beasts of burden. The famine conditions have greatly contributed to the death of donkeys, goats and cows, which reduces impoverished people to even greater levels of famine and poverty. Aimee knos she is a lucky donkey!
Tailwaggers Trust
Aimee raised £200 for Tailwaggers, a small trust which assists mainly elderly people to pay emergency vets bills for what is often their sole companion and comfort, their cat or dog. The recession is clearly showing locally, as despite Aimee donkey's best efforts our takings are much diminished in 2011 and it is so depressing to see the state of the retail base - every time we visit a town yet more shops have gone!
Aimee's 2010 Campaign
We are clearly seeing the effect of the credit crunch - collections are considerably down on 2009- substantially so. While this is totally understandable, we give up our Saturdays to support Aimee donkey with her collections, pay for her transportation etc and therefore it is nice when a day out raises a large sum, which makes it feel worthwhile, when you are cold, tired, foot sore, soaking wet or combination of all of these!
We Start Off With Spana
Aimee kicked off the year with a visit to Ayr and Dumfries on behalf of Spana, raising the sum of £550.
"On behalf of everyone here at SPANA and the thousands of animals that we help each year, I would like to say a big thank you for all of your hard work in raising £550.00 through your recent street collections.
What a fantastic result. Please do pass on my thanks to anybody else who helped to make your fundraising so successful - particularly your donkey Aimee, if she was involved again".
Belle's Pension Fund
In May 2010, it was time for Aimee to raise money for Belle, the lovely old chestnut mare rescued in 2008 and who is spending her final years with the Epona Trust in France. Belle sends Aimee regular updates on how life is treating her and it is lovely to hear that she is doing well, with new friends, and having a happy retirement.
Belle is looking wonderful as the following picture show.
Compare this to the sad face when she was at the meat farm.
She looks years younger, all the worry and anxiety lifted from her shoulders.
A Disaster in Ayr
Aimee took to the streets of Ayr on 22nd May to raise money for Animals Refuges Carlisle. She was particularly keen to do well, as she has, as stable companions, the 4 foals which came with their mums to the UK in summer 2008, living with her. Leo, Fern, Mimi and Sabrina have come to live with us for the summer, and Aimee spends her days out in the field with them.
Sadly the sum of £135, our worst ever collection, was the outcome of her visit. It was a blistering;y hot day, everyone was hot, bothered and fed up, and just walked by us. After three hours we had had more than enough as well and called it quits.
Here are her new stable companions.
Leo the cowardly lion - he is with us to learn to trust people and become a useful citizen
Sabrina the teenage witch - she is not quite as bad as that but she had her moments!
Fern and Mimi in midge fighting gear!
Brooke Hospital Time Again
A visit to Ayr raised the sum of £300.00 for the Brooke Hospital - Aimee was well behaved and did extremely well, considering the current economics.
July Time for Tailwaggers
A visit to Ayr for Tailwaggers charity raised a further £250, a good day out - Tailwaggers, a small charity, were very grateful.
"I have pleasure in acknowledging receipt of your cheque for £250.00. You express disappointment that a larger amount was not raised, but to us £250 is a very significant sum and we are very appreciative of your continued support.
We too are experiencing the effect of the credit crunch. The number of applications we receive has risen sharply and many of these are the result of redundancy or business failure. Hopefully things will start to improve before too long. My thanks to Aimee".
Local Donkeys This Time
Aimee turned out in Dumfries to support local donkey charity, Scottish Borders Donkey Sanctuary. The sum of £245 was raised, not as much as hoped but the way the year is going, every little counts. It was sad that a local charity did not get more support - everyone is struggling to keep going this year, but at least hopefully it will pay for some feed.
Vodka, our own French donkey, has a special interest in this charity, as her friend, Cazaux, with whom she travelled from France, lives there. A recent picture of Cazaux shows he is enjoying life.
Mr Carrot showing off!
Spana Say Thanks to Aimee
Spana - Society for Protection of Animals Abroad - acknowledged Aimee's contribution in their Summer 2010 newsletter - "in Kirkcubridgeshire, Scotland, Louise Whyte's donkey Aimee even helped out bringing in £431 over two days".
September Sees Aimee Supporting
Aimee was happy to turn out in Dumfries for local animal charity, Mossburn Animal Centre, based near Lockerbie. Ponies like Rambler were lucky enough to be rescued by Mossburn in 2010.
"A shetland in distress call came in from a concerned member of the public about this pony who was living right beside a busy motorway. It was winter and the pony was spending his days standing in a frozen field with nothing to eat and no visable supply of water. He had had a companion but she had died earlier in the winter giving birth to a foal which was also dead. The owners were contacted and agreed to give the pony up and a trailer was despatched to collect this very thin and unhappy pony. What struck us most when he arrived here was his smell, he smelt dreadful and we thought it was maybe his unhappiness oozing out of him! He was thin and full of worms and his coat was matted and of course he was a stallion. We named him Rambler because it seemed to suit him and we thought the name he arrived with was too agressive. He was wormed immediatly and groomed and soon began to put on weight and to drive our mares crazy. It was the wrong time of year to castrate because of the frost on the ground but we we simply had to go ahead and do it so that the wee chap could be intergrated with the rest of the herd. Once he had got over his operation, gained weight and started looking like a pony instead of a bedraggled wreck it became evident that this pony was not only very attractive to look at but had great presence and was a lovely mover, one of our volunteers taking this on board decided Rambler would like to go to shows and so far in the summer of 2010 he has attended two shows and gained a fifth and a special rosette. He needs to learn ring manners and not prance about and chew his handler or his lead rope while waiting for the judge!! Watch this space for Rambler in the show ring updates".
Sadly Rambler's experience is very typical of the problems experienced by equines, which has been exacerbated by the credit crunch.
Aimee visited Dumfries on Saturday to strutt her stuff for Mossburn, sadly she was not in the mood and had to return to base early, as she refused to be a good aimiable donkey. Despite this, she raised £200 for the charity.
Aimee's 2009 Campaign
In 2009, Aimee raised £4,000 for various charities.
Aimee Does It for SPANA March 2009
Aimee visited Kilmarnock and raised over £200 for SPANA, the Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad. SPANA provides veterinary care for working horses and donkeys overseas, and help improve their working lives. Aimee is a pampered UK donkey - when she is naughty we threaten to send her abroad to see what life is like for more unfortunate donkeys.
"On behalf of everybody here at SPANA and the thousands of animals that we help each year, I would like to say a big thank you for all your hard work in rasing £231 through your street collection in Kilmarnock. It is only through the kindness of people like you that SPANA is able to continue its invaluable work. Please pass on my thanks to anybody else who helped to make your fundraising so successful - how wonderful to have your donkey, Aimee, with you!
In the past year SPANA has directly helped nearly 400,00 animals, providing free veterinary treatment and advice for owners across Africa and the Middle East. SPANA's work doesn't just provide a lifeline for working animals - we are also helping the thousands of people who depend on those animals for a living.
Furthermore, educating people in the importance of animal welfare continues to be an integral part of SPANA's work. With your support we have been able to reach more children than ever before to ensure that the animal owners of the future recognise the contribution that animals make to their lives"
Aimee Supports Belle March April 2009
Later on, she conducted two collections for the Epona Trust, an equine charity based in the UK and in France. Aimee was especially pleased to support the Epona Trust, as in 2008, she helped raise money to save an elderly chestnut mare, Belle, who was on death row at the meat fattening farm. Belle was purchased to come to safety in the UK but she was unable to travel due to breathing difficulties. It seemed that there was no way out for Belle but the Epona Trust in France offered her a home and she is spending the rest of her days in their care.
This is Belle at her new home. She is 18 years old and was discarded having worked all her life - her reward, to be made into salami. She has a wonderful future now and the £700 Aimee collected for her will provide for her care and food.
Animals Refuge Carlisle Say Thanks
In May, 2009, a local charity, based in Carlisle was the beneficiary of Aimee's support, and she presented a cheque for £250 to assist their work with local and overseas horses and donkeys in distress.
"Thank you to Aimee for her tremendous effort and give her a pat from us. The League was primarily established to maintain proper and humane treatment of horses and ponies which were used extensively in working situations. Today we help all types of domesticated animals as well as wild animals and birds.
Our four mares rescued from France have all recently given birth to four healthy foals; we have named them Francis, Fleur, Gerome and Rowan. They are growing by the day and are becoming more inquisitive. They will stay here with us until w are able to find suitable long term loan homes for them".
Aimee Brooks No Obstacles In Her Fundraising
In June 2009, Aimee returned to Ayr and Kilmarnock this time to support the Brooke Hospital for Animals, raising the wonder sum of £650!
"I am writing to say a really big thank you from everyone here at the Brooke for raising a fantastic £450 from your latest collection in Ayr - it just keeps getting bigger! We are absolutely thrilled and are very grateful to you and everyone involved. Please pass on our heartfelt thanks".
"No sooner am I posting the previous thank you letter for your collection in Ayr, am I writing this. You must have been incredibly busy. Thank you for your donation of £200 raised from your collection in Kilmarnock - another fantastic success.
From all of us here, may I say a huge thank you for your continued support and dedication to the Brooke. Your efforts go a long way to relieving the suffering of working donkeys, horses and mules overseas".
Aimee Wags Her Tail!
In July 2009, Aimee hit the streets of Ayr and raised £350.00 for Tailwaggers - a charity which helps pay for veterinary care for cats and dogs.
"On behalf of the Trustees I acknowledge receipt of your cheque for £350 and extend warmest thanks to you and Aimee for your continued support. Due to the current economic downturn, we are experiencing a significant increase in the number of applications for help and your donation will be used to bring relief to a number of pets and owners in need.
Once more many thanks for your help and may you and Aimee long continue your good works".
What many people do not realise it that many elderly people who have tiny pensions are not eligible for any support from the RSPCA or other such bodies, as free care for their pets is only available to people who are receiving some form of state benefits. This means that many pets, who are the sole companion and support of their owner, miss out. Tailwaggers does what it can to bridge this gap.
Scottish Borders Donkey Sanctuary
Aimee turned her hoofs to supporting her French friend at the Scottish Borders Donkey Sanctuary. In 2008, we acquired our first French donkey, Vodka, who lives at home with Aimee. Vodka was accompanied to the UK by Cazaux, a handsome gallic beastie, who lives at the Scottish Borders Donkey Sanctuary, or Donkey Heaven. She raised £345.00 to pay Cazaux's Pension Fund and continues to support him every year.
On his way to safety, look at his poor face - where are am I going?
OK I'm here now, where are my croissants?
Aimee Saves a Life
In August 2009, Aimee's efforts in Ayr raised the amazing sum of £700, which helped payfor th rescue of three meat trade horses - Caladeux and her filly foal Eclipse and a little chestnut filly renamed Milly. Without Aimee's support, all three would have gone into the food chain.
This is Caladeux and her foal at the meat plant before they were rescued. Sadly Caladeux's 2010 foal died shortly after birth, but Eclipse has now grown up to be a fine young pony, and has recently moved to a new home. Her mum will stay with the charity for the rest of her life.
This is Eclipse in June 2010
This is Llly, a sweet chestnut 3 year old filly, who was totally depressed and had given up hope. On arrival in the UK, it was discovered that she was carrying a foal, so four lives were saved!
Here is a more recent picture of Lilly - what a difference a bit of love and care can make.
In August 2009, Aimee raised a further £400 for Equine Section, to help support another meat trade horse.
Mossburn Community Farm Thanks Aimee
In September Aimee collected for Mossburn, a local charity which helps all kinds of animals, including goats, sheep, cows, and horses and ponies.
"Thank you both very much indeed for the money you raised for for us with your street collection on 26th September. Due to the current recession, people are off loading animals onto us at a quite alarming rate and finding homes is proving difficult. It's a strange thing but I have a waiting list of people wanting goats, but of all the animals people no longer seem to be able to afford, goats are not amongst them. Murphy's Law I suppose.
The horse situation is dire, so many now unwanted but usually of the older and unsound variety. Anyway our resources are stretched to the limit with hay and especially straw again expensive this year so your contribution is of enormous help to us and we are very grateful to you both".
No Spanner in the Works
Aimee rounded the year off by spending a very cold December day in Ayr, collection for SPANA again - she was warm and toasty but her human companions were blocks of ice!
"I would like to say a big thank you for all of your hard work in raising £200 at your street collection in Ayr. This is a fantastic achievement particularly considering you were battling against the weather. We did a collection at St Pancras Station in December and I'm sure it took me days afterwards to fully warm up! Please do pass on my thanks to anybody else who helped to make your fundraising so successful, especially Aimee the donkey.
Our most recent emergency work has been in Zimbabwe, where what passed for normal life is just a memory, and the humble donkey is working harder than ever. Thanks to your support working animals in some of Zimbabwe's poorest communities now have access to the free veterinary care they so desperately need".