Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary celebrates a bumper summer of success
The Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary, already highly regarded for its work with the Island community, is celebrating the success of a new pilot project created to support local young people through what can be a tricky time in their lives.
Funded by the Isle of Wight Council’s Community Capacity grant, the donkey sanctuary’s Bridging Hooves programme was created to help local students navigate the transition from primary to secondary school with greater confidence, and to help them make new friends ahead of the school year. The programme saw participants work alongside and with the sanctuary’s animals, building confidence and learning new skills. Working collaboratively, the Bridging Hooves team of young people, staff and volunteers created a large willow donkey sculpture – now a feature in the sanctuary’s central courtyard.
Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, with one pupil describing it as “fun” and “an amazing experience.” Teresa Brimble-Brennan, Family and Community Project Officer at Isle of Wight Council, said: “It was wonderful to see how the activities and interactions were thoughtfully linked to the transition process. Thank you for providing such a positive and enriching experience.”
The success of the new Bridging Hooves pilot caps a record-breaking summer for the sanctuary, which welcomed over 33,000 visitors in August alone – the highest monthly recorded total. Overall visitor numbers were also at an all-time high, bringing a seasonal boost to donations and income at a time when the cost of providing exceptional care for the sanctuary’s 120-plus much-loved residents continues to rise.
Stephen Tobitt, General Manager, said:
“We’re always so grateful to our community, both local residents and mainland visitors. For the sanctuary, it’s certainly been a summer to remember. Seeing our local young people grow in confidence, knowing our animals and team played a part in that is exactly why we do what we do. A huge thank you to the Isle of Wight Council for supporting this pilot scheme, to our whole team for all their hard work and commitment and to everyone who has visited us this summer.”
📍Lower Winstone Farm, Ventnor PO38 3AA