Due to the current restrictions in place to contain the spread of coronavirus, we have suspended all our wellbeing visits. We have postponed all our public visits in line with government guidance. We will resume visits as soon as it is safe to do so, and will continue to follow all relevant government guidance. We are issuing daily "virtual visits" via our Facebook page to keep in touch with the special people that we visit and the staff who care for them. We send our best wishes to everyone working to keep vulnerable safe at this difficult time.
We appreciate any support you can provide us with at this difficult time. You can Browse our Minidonks Merchandise, Sponsor one of our Minidonks, and you can Make a donation via our Justgiving page.
Any support you can give will mean that we will be here, ready and poised to carry on our life enhancing work, just as soon as it is safe to do so.
Thank you.
What do we do?
We bring our gentle and friendly miniature donkeys to your community group, voluntary organisation, dementia group or special needs group.
We are based in South Norfolk and operate across Norfolk and Suffolk. 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
Morning Minidonkers!!! I’m up bright and early, the sun is shining, it’s a bit cloudy, I’m off to be a farmer, but will see the boys this afternoon to take them on their first walk since March - wish us luck 😂. In the meantime, here’s another video of the boys with their green ball - needless to say, I think they love it 😊
Mark Hartshorne
Beautiful ❤️💕
Ooh, such cute boy! Have a great day farmer, and a good walk with those cutie boys 😊
So funny just like 2 dogs do with a pull toy x
They are so beautiful bless them have a good walk love xxx 💖
I swear to donk if you don’t give me a turn. . . 😂
So cute!!
Happy Sunday to you all...... just a few photos from the archives for you all today. Sending love and peaceful, restful thoughts. Xxx
Beautiful pictures bless you all xxx xxx 💝💝💝
How lovely xxx
Beautiful bringing love and happiness.
Hello Minidonkers! Sorry for the late post today- MD has a dodgy back and got to collect 50 bales of hay today, so Head of Poo gave her a lie-in!
We had such a brilliant reaction to our post yesterday and packs have gone out as far as Ilfracombe and County Durham! Our focus is Norfolk and Suffolk, but when one of our donkey sponsors gets in touch asking for a pack for the residents where she works, we say Yes!
Packs have also gone out to the lovely people at Waveney Enterprises Craft Workshop. The staff there are working so hard to keep their people happy and busy and we hope our packs will help.
We have plenty of packs so keep those names and addresses coming. Any care home that you think might benefit, let us have their name address and postcode, and we will get a Minidonk Activity Pack out to them.
Still no news on Saffy - she is going to go the whole 13 months - little so and so.
The National Lottery Community Fund Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Thank you so much for the Waveney Enterprises Craft Workshop packs they will be delivered soon and we will get some photos!! Keep up the good work x
I just showed my H these pics, his reaction was “that’s no MINI donkey”😂💕💕
Beautiful pictures hope Saffy has it soon bless her love to you all xxx xxx 💝💝💝💝
Hi. I am a carer going into client's homes. Will there be packs or items I could take with me? Keep up the good work.
Such wonderful news about the packs. In the future would you consider selling them in your online shop as would love to buy one for my mum who has dementia and who I care for at home. Big thank you. 💕x
Got my certificate today. Thank you, and hugs to all donkeys 🥰
We have some pretty brilliant news for you today! We have been awarded funding from the Coronavirus Community Support Fund, distributed by The National Lottery Community Fund to get our amazing Minidonk Activity Packs out to 500 care homes, yes, 500 care homes! Thanks to the Government for making this possible.
The packs are full of activities than can be done individually (fantastic colouring mandalas, three levels or word search, Sudoku and more), craft activities that can be done individually of in small groups (make your own peg donkey, donkey face masks) games that can be played in small groups (donkey drive, farmyard donkey) and so much more. The packs are really fantastic and have been created by one very special Minidonk volunteer, Linda White.
And now we need your help! We have the names and addresses for all the homes we have visited (200+) but we don't want any care home to miss out. So if you know of a care home that would like one of our activity packs, completely free, with thanks to the Government! Then send a message to info@minidonks.org.uk and we will make sure they are on our list to receive an Activity Pack. If you can, please let us have the full name of the home , address and post code. Thank you!
Minidonk MD will be talking about this on BBC Radio Norfolk this morning at 7.50.
The National Lottery Community Fund Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Brilliant news, highly recommended, hours of entertainment and fun. Something for everyone.❤️
That is fantastic ,you all do a brilliant job x💜
Richly deserved. A reward for all the amazing work that you & the minidonk team do.
Brilliant ! Well deserved, you & the donks bring an incredible amount of joy wherever you go x
Wow this is brilliant, Lauren Giles could you send them a message for shiels Court? Xx
Brilliant news! Tina Knights for de lucy xxx
Fab! Well done Sarah McPherson and team xxxxx
Brilliant Sarah, well done xx
Daniella Penedo xx
Rebecca Browne is your care home on the list x
Charlotte Govier Emily Marie
Julie Snell
Brilliant news! Love the activity pack idea too.
Wonderful👍
Fantastic news and well deserved
Love it 😊
This is SO fantastic...! 💜 Well done Linda, you clever thing 😊
This is brilliant, well done x
Helen Walker Charlotte Stanford Sarah Thomas Mary Carroll Paula Mason x
What fantastic news - congratulations Team Mini Donk and your fantastic volunteers ❤️❤️❤️
Amazing!!!! Well done!!!
Sherylanne Hodgins , Paula Pawsey .something for your residents?
Well done , i.know care homes are really struggling to entertain residents through lockdown.
This is great news, well done. Denise Brzeczek Rose
Love these, well done 👍
Ggoooood Mooorning Minidonkers! Well, what a lovely day we had yesterday. Our good friend, and super-Minidonk-fundraiser Melanie came to share some good news with us. Thetford and district 🏃♀️ club have raised a whopping £263 for the Minidonks.... hoorrayyy!! and thank you all. But in addition to that, Melanie Sturman has another fundraising idea for us! There will be more to follow on this, but you may want to dust off your running shoes!?! I can genuinely say that the donks enjoyed meeting Melanie and her friend as much as they enjoyed meeting the girls..... what do you think?
We had a brilliant time yesterday and loved our cuddles and grooming them. Was lovely to catch up again Sarah, been too long. The other half was supportive to our fundraising idea too so all is good 👍
Beautiful ❤️
Karen Gibson a good reason to get back in to running ☺️
Beautiful pictures that all looks great fun love bless you all xxx xxx 💝💝💝
We at TADDS love Melanie!!!! And the mini Donks obviously!!!!
Great news, lovely photos ❤️
Hello Minidonkers! Still no news on Saffy. I think she is going to on hang right to the end! Which could be early August- not sure if my nerves can take it.
We would like to update you on our Minidonk Mascot availability. There has been a lot of interest in them and they will be for sale at our online shop, after we have decided on the name, so not until 11th July.They are limited edition and when they are gone they are gone.
So if you want a chance of winning one, this is what you need to do. Make a donation, minimum just £1, direct to our bank account (details below) with you name suggestion in the reference box. (If you would like to suggest more than one name, £1 per name, put the word “message” in the reference box and message us your list of name suggestions). Comment on this post to let us know that you have donated and your name suggestion. We will choose the winning name in two weeks time, on Saturday 11th July, and the winner will be the first person to receive one of our mascots as their prize.
Bank details are:
Miniature Donkeys for Well-being Ltd
Lloyd’s Bank
Sort code 30 99 08
Account number 22811860
Thank you!
Beautiful pictures thinking of Saffy hope all goes well bless you all xxx 💕💕
Good news on one baby any way one new Dinky Donk just born today 01.07.20. A Dinky Donk is born when it has it's tag attached!!! (I really must get a life... this lockdown is obviously getting to me!!!) xx
Delilah 😊 Donation made. I so want one of these dinky donk mascots it’s not true 😁
PLEASE can I get one of these most gorgeous little creatures 🥰🥰🥰
Like PLEASE can I be a VERY proud parent of one of these beautiful mini beasts 🥰🥰🥰🥰
We all need a bit of love and a bit more wellbeing in our lives. Here is a beautiful piece put out by The National Lottery Community Fund . Thank you! Without the National Lottery, Minidonks would not be here today, getting ready to go out and makes those smiles happen again.
The healing power of miniature donkeys - News - National Lottery Good Causes
bit.ly
Sarah McPherson's work with a team of diminutive donkeys has been recognised with a National Lottery Local Legend awardThis mornings post is another birthday one! June seems to be the month! This is for my other half Gordon. Without his love and support, getting the donkeys wouldn’t have been possible, especially with our busy lives. He’s always the first to help with them and entertains my new project ideas. Rubik is Daddy’s boy and he calls Alf the angry donkey 😆. Wishing Gordon a very Happy Birthday 🥳
Great pictures and Harry Birthday 🎂Gordon xx
Happy birthday to Gordon 🎉🎂🎁
Happy Birthday Gordon 🍰
Happy birthday Gords xx
Woo hoooo!! happy Birthday Gordon! Xxxx lovely pics -especially the stealth/cammo/hoodie grooming. Xxxx
Happy birthday Gordon 😎
Whoop! Happy birthday to Gordon!
Happy birthday Gordon..!
Happy birthday Gordon! Love the first cuddle pic.
Happy birthday Gordon you handsome boy xx 💙🥕🥕💙
Happy birthday Gordon
Happy Birthday Gordon . Beautiful pictures
So when does he turn back into a cat?
Happy birthday Gordon!
Happy Birthday...hope you had a great day.
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