Donations

Miniature Donkeys for Wellbeing

17 hours ago

We had a fantastic visit yesterday at a mental health service.
The staff really enjoyed coming out to pet the donkeys, and chat about them, while the residents were really excited to see them.
They helped us groom them, then walk them; all the while chatting away in the sun. It was such a laid back, enjoyable visit. We could really see people open up and feel their enjoyment for spending time with Saffron and Bo Peep - the very first donkeys we used for mental well being visits.
We can't always take photos at our visits, so instead of some from yesterday I have gone back to find some of our volunteers - who are all an amazing bunch of people.
They sing crazy songs in the truck, remember things you've forgotten and understand just how special it is.
Lisa W ... See MoreSee Less

Miniature Donkeys for Wellbeing

2 days ago

Touch.
This invokes a lot of different feelings for people. 💕😟
Some people love a hug, a touch on the shoulder that says are you ok? 🤔
Other people really don’t like a hug, or maybe they do, but only at certain times and from certain people.

I think people need the closeness of a loving, healthy touch. This is where our donkeys are so perfect. 👏🏼
They do not demand anything. You can take your time with deciding if you want to pet them or not. The closeness from stroking a donkey though is sometimes the most amazing, miraculous thing to behold.

The face that held such unbelievable sorrow, now lit up wih pure joy! The speech that had stopped all together, now flowing.
The parent that had disappeared, now remembering who you and they are. The sadness banished to be replaced with laughter!
The person too scared to touch, becoming brave and just absolutely loving stroking them up close 👏🏼👏🏼

Miniature donkeys for wellbeing - this is what we do!
Lisa W ... See MoreSee Less

Miniature Donkeys for Wellbeing

3 days ago

We are working with the National Fostering Agency to bring a bit of Minidonk Magic to young people living in Foster care. We loved spending time in the forest and down by the river. All the Minidonk team members commented on how amazingly well the young people did with the donkeys. The really heartwarming things was the amount of hugs that the donks were happy to receive. Putting your arms around a donkey’s neck can be a threatening thing for a prey animal, but when the donkeys are comfortable with the person giving the hug, it is a true moment of mutual trust and love.
We can’t wait to work some more with this wonderful organisation.
Have a Terrific Tuesday! ... See MoreSee Less

Miniature Donkeys for Wellbeing

4 days ago

We are loving our work with young people this summer. To see their reactions, to see their confidence grow through the duration of our visits. to see someone who does not want to touch a donkey, end up leading their donkey proudly round for everyone to see. Magic.
We have had to turn down quite a few visits this year due to soaring demand and the amount of days our donks can work.
We are now fully booked until 2023 - wowza!!! So if you want us to come and visit your group, care home, special school, day service, wedding, private or public event, please do get in touch with us now as our 2023 dates are starting to book up.
We always take January off. It is a well needed break for two and four legged members of the team, but we are taking bookings from February 2023 onwards.
Have a great week! ... See MoreSee Less

Miniature Donkeys for Wellbeing

5 days ago

Houston, we have a problem! If you spot the young lady in the sunglasses😎 accompanied by a small grey/brown donkey, please call us.
Our lovely volunteer Claire, has fallen love, big time, with little Jack Rabbit. She spent most of the visit yesterday measuring her Fiat 500 to see if she could smuggle him home. Jack seemed to be as in love with Claire as she was with him 💗😍❤️
And isn’t it great when you get a new volunteer who brings the next generation of donkey whisperers with her? Big thanks to Hannah, Millie and Theo for helping out at the great event organised by Ormiston Families yesterday.
And don’t forget, see the post pinned to the top of the page for details of how to buy a ticket fir our Grand Raffle!,!
Day off today and then busy, busy, busy again next week. Have a serene Sunday. Xxxxxx ... See MoreSee Less

Miniature Donkeys for Wellbeing

6 days ago

It’s here!!!
Our Grand Raffle is open. We have a whole load of truly awesome prizes - all have been made with love or donated with generosity.
The Draw is on 12th October at our coffee morning kindly hosted by Paris Back in Bergh Apton.
Tickets are only £2.00 and you can buy one or one hundred!!
Here’s how:
Go to our Justgiving page and donate any multiple of £2.00 and here’s the important bit, in the “leave a public comment” box, put your name and either a contact number or email address. We will then allocate your tickets and text or email you your ticket numbers.

www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/minidonks?utm_term=Zvvq6qbX2

Or
Email us at info@minidonks.org.uk with a request for the number of tickets you want and we will send your our bank details, PayPal details or cheque payment details to buy as many tickets as you want.

Tickets will also be on sale at our pop up shops at any of our public events between now and 12th October.

All prizes will be available to collect at our coffee morning on 12th October, or if you can’t make that, for collection from Minidonk HQ, which means you might get to meet the Minidonks at home!!!

We are very sorry but we cannot undertake to post prizes abroad, so if you are one of our international followers please feel free to make a donation or buy some tickets on the understanding that any prize won will be donated to one of the places we visit. ... See MoreSee Less

Miniature Donkeys for Wellbeing

7 days ago

Opportunities! 😁
This is a favourite word for us at Minidonks, and one which is integral to our donkeys learning and well being.
Occasionally, taking donkeys in to settings can be a little worrisome 😟 for some of them.
It might be a shiny floor, a line on the floor, a different coloured carpet, people who make more noise than others or move about a lot.
To help the donkeys with this the handler stays calm, comforts them 🥰 or gives them a break from it.

But also we use opportunities to do new things and things they want to do!
Sometimes after a visit we will take the donkeys into town, if we are very close, for a walk. This helps them to learn more about all types of people, while being able to walk about.

Also, if they see something that they want to go and investigate, we let them lead as to where they want to go. In this case, the beach! 🏖
Pixie was super keen to get down and look at it for quite some time, but not get near the water and she really enjoyed it.

I hope today you have some new opportunity to do something different, or even use an annoying experience as an opportunity for something better 💕
Lisa W ... See MoreSee Less

Miniature Donkeys for Wellbeing

1 week ago

Earlier this week we visited a holiday 🏖 club in Wymondham.
The staff were amazing and the kids really delightful.

Each group came out to groom the donkeys, then walk the donkeys. While the donkeys had a rest in the pen before the next group came out, the kids sat around the outside to draw or colour in the donkeys!

They listened really well to the facts about donkeys and did an amazing job drawing and colouring, as you can see💕

Saffy LOVED having a bottom scratch 🥰

It was such a special visit - everybody really loved it. We had great conversations, while all of the kids waited really well for their turn and chatted with us while they did so. 👍🏼 ... See MoreSee Less