What do we do?
We bring our gentle and friendly miniature donkeys to your community group, voluntary organisation, dementia group or special needs group.
Basically, we visit anywhere where a mood boosting donkey visit would help people with their wellbeing.
If you want our donkeys to come to a Wedding, Private Party, Event or even a Funeral we can do that too.
Why do we do it?
Having worked with family carers professionally and having been a family carer for two parents with dementia, the group’s founder knows firsthand how stress can be relieved by spending time with these beautiful animals.
Sarah lost her mum to dementia in April 2017 and took the decision to set up a social enterprise to bring the benefits of interacting with mini donkeys to as wide an audience as possible.
How do you book a visit?
If you would like to find out more about how our visits work or would like to book a visit, you can e-mail us, give us a call or download a booking form.
Our visits do book up quite quickly and if you have a specific date in mind (wedding, summer fete, special birthday) call us to reserve your date. Bookings are confirmed on receipt of a completed booking form.
Mini Donks on Facebook
What a fantastic second visit Alfie and Rubik had to Hammerton Court at Julian Hospital, Norwich today! One resident said she ‘loved the donkeys, and would watch them all day if she could’, another resident had sat patiently and waited for us to arrive, and then told us all about her donkeys whilst stroking the boys, and another resident happily spent a long while thoroughly grooming Rubik, which he really enjoyed! Thank you for having us back 😊!!! No photos - but here’s the boys grooming each other.
Yesterday the boys went to Downham Grange in Downham Market! Alfie and Rubik met lots of residents in the living rooms and several people in their bedrooms! We met a farmer who said the boys were ‘well made and in good form!’ and another lady, whose husband was a vet, she was thrilled to meet the boys and was telling us all about donkeys! Wonderful afternoon had by all. No photos - but here are the boys munching in the field 😊
Oh Steph Collingbourne, what a lovely accolade! I’m so glad Alfie and Rubik are “well made and in good form” in the opinion of someone who knows his onions (or donkeys!!!). Xxx
Can’t wait to see them very soon
And here are some more pictures of our fab new lorry, so pleased with it. Thank you Owens Horseboxes Ltd. xxxTa daaa! 🙌 Now Miniature Donkeys for Wellbeing have officially launched their new mode of transport we can share these images with you! This was a jointly funded project which we were only too glad to help with as it's such a fantastic cause, and we're really proud that Sarah trusted us to design the lorry of her (and her donkeys'!) dreams. Now the charity will be able to visit even more organisations and continue to do the amazing work that helps touch the lives of so many people in need of a mood boosting visit from their team of gorgeously friendly miniature donkeys 😍 We even designed and illustrated Sarah's very own donkey Saffron! If you see them out on the road be sure to take a #selfiewithsaffron!
Well done YOU hx
Congratulations LOOKING GOOOOOOD x
A well earned early Christmas present
Wow 😮 How swish is that! Much deserved after all your fundraising efforts. So pleased for you all. 🤗
Brilliant! Looks fab!
Wonderful xx
Sarah it looks amazing. Well Done xxx
😀
You know I said we have some exciting news coming..... well here it is.
The Minidonks have got their wheels in time for Christmas. We have been fundraising and applying for grants and putting our savings into the pot, and then, the wonderful people at Owens Horseboxes Ltd said they would close the gap between what we had raised and the cost of the lorry with a sponsorship deal. How amazing is that? It didn’t stop there though, they also designed our artwork and Emma created a fantastic back door design featuring our very own Saffy. The graphics company, Fusion Graphics gave us a lovely discount as well. We have been given great support throughout our fundraising journey by Norfolk Community Foundation, who have advised us, been great with feedback, even when it is to let us know that we have not been successful and been really happy for us when we have been successful. So, we have been funded by, The National Lottery, The Geoffrey Watling Foundation, The East of England Co-op, Saracen South Norfolk Fund, Shelroy Charitable Trust Fund, Asda, the John Jarrold Trust, and just as importantly, by amazing individuals who have given via our JustGiving page. The other person that I have to thank is my partner, Richard Drake. When I lost my mum in April 2017 and said I wanted to give up my job and take the donkeys to care homes, he was behind me 100%. He said, to get me started I could borrow his van. 18 months, 220 visits and over 4,000 miles later, he has got his van back! Thank you Mr Drake.
Thank you all for your support, donations, donkey sponsorships and kind words. Now the girls can travel in style and comfort to make more people happy.
Oh my word - that's absolutely fabulous news! It's perfect👍
Woot...! How utterly fabulous 😆😆😆
Amazing, you have worked so hard and you deserve this Sarah.
Well done, so well deserved. All Hallows’ Healthcare Trust have enjoyed your visits so much. Can’t wait for 2019 to see the faces of our Daycare members melt when they see your little donkeys xxx
Congratulations Sarah, well done!
What an incredible goal to achieve, Sarah McPherson! You and Richard deserve this success, and I know how much your donks mean to you 💖 Who'd have thought that 5 years ago, sitting in the bungalow kitchen chatting, that you would have 4 beautiful mini donks who are bringing joy to everyone x x
Congratulations! So glad things are going well x
It looks amazing! How exciting! Can't wait to see it xx
Brilliant news!
Fantastic news Sarah !!! Wishing you & the donks many happy travels in your new wheels !! X
Congratulations you all deserve it for all the wonderful work you all do .💖🎈😁😁
Wow! Your very own super stylish “Donk Mobile”! Very happy for you and the donks, Sarah! xxxxx
Pretty snazzy!
That’s brilliant news , the van looks fantastic.. Well done to you and your team.
Amazing Sarah! So pleased for you, you're doing fantastic work 💚 so happy you're happy Xx
JustGiving thank you all for your support in getting us this far. New wheels!!!
Congrats on the new wheels!
See, Miracles do happen, especially round Christmas, well done 💖💖💖
OMG That's FAB-U-LOUS news well done to you all. Traveling in style now eh 🦋🤗🦋 x
Amazing news, you all work so hard but it's absolutely worth it to see everyone's faces when you visit! Xx
That is so amazing! Thank you to all the people who have helped this happen.
Absolutely thrilled for you. What amazing news xx
Just the best Christmas present! So pleased for you, you've worked so so hard to make this happen, it's just wonderful to see things coming right for you x
Oh well done, that is awesome!! So pleased for you and all the donks.
Brilliant news!! Well done x
Exciting news coming soon...... today we were at Ivy Court in Norwich, chatting with residents, answering donkey questions from visiting nursery school children, having cuddles..... just a normal Minidonk day. One of the highlights was Pippin’s simultaneous cough and very loud fart!! She had a piece of carrot stuck and we all expected it to fly out the back end at high speed!
Amazing work. Nothing beats the joy animals can bring!
Brilliant! How amazing to see a donkey walking in ❤️
So sweet! The smiles are worth millions💕
Anna-marie Hewitt you got to meet the donkeys...? They came to us in the summer 😍
Lovely photos
Love their festive head gear!
Yay - Minidonks make the Donkey Time news!
A woman and her squad of tiny donkeys take on dementia. GO YOU!!! xxx
Woot..!
Thank you for sharing 🙂
Which one will you sponsor?
Our beautiful Wellbeing Minidonks are available to sponsor for only £35 per year. You will get a sponsorship certificate, quarterly activity reports where your sponsored donkey will tell you what they have been up to, the opportunity to meet, greet and groom our donkeys at any of our public events, and for postal sponsors, a hand made Christmas card from your very own donkey. You will be supporting us to continue delivering our amazing work.
For UK postal sponsors we will send out your pack, first class post, if we receive your order by 5pm Monday 17th December.
For email sponsors, we will send out your pack, with specially designed e-card, in time for Christmas Day, if we receive your order by 5pm Saturday 22nd December.
Help us to make more happy memories for people..... see our website, www.minidonks.org.uk for how to sponsor. Thank you.
Darren Curtin loves a miniature donkey
Such a lovely present to give someone x
Lovely
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