Children meet the animals at Leeds' Hope Pastures sanctuary

Youngsters have been getting hands-on with donkeys and horses in special one-to-one summer sessions at the Hope Pastures sanctuary in north Leeds.
By The Newsroom
Published 15th Aug 2018, 15:06 BST
Updated 16th Aug 2018, 15:48 BST
Children enjoying the volunteer run 1-2-1 sessions at Hope Pastures donkey sanctuary during the holidays. They get to groom the horses for a rosette. Pictured Six-year-old Charlotte Drummond. 15th August 2018.Children enjoying the volunteer run 1-2-1 sessions at Hope Pastures donkey sanctuary during the holidays. They get to groom the horses for a rosette. Pictured Six-year-old Charlotte Drummond. 15th August 2018.
Children enjoying the volunteer run 1-2-1 sessions at Hope Pastures donkey sanctuary during the holidays. They get to groom the horses for a rosette. Pictured Six-year-old Charlotte Drummond. 15th August 2018.

Running every Wednesday morning throughout the school holidays, the sessions allow children of any age to spend 15 minutes helping to groom the animals at the sanctuary in Weetwood.

Kim Pengelly, from Hope Pastures, said: “It gives children the opportunity to spend time with the horses and donkeys and it’s very therapeutic. People live coming and getting their own 15 minutes of quality, hands-on time with a pony.”

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The sessions cost £5 and children can also look around the sanctuary and the other animals as well as receiving a rosette. To book, email [email protected]

Children enjoying the volunteer run 1-2-1 sessions at Hope Pastures donkey sanctuary during the holidays. They get to groom the horses for a rosette. 15th August 2018.Children enjoying the volunteer run 1-2-1 sessions at Hope Pastures donkey sanctuary during the holidays. They get to groom the horses for a rosette. 15th August 2018.
Children enjoying the volunteer run 1-2-1 sessions at Hope Pastures donkey sanctuary during the holidays. They get to groom the horses for a rosette. 15th August 2018.

Hope Pastures has been in Leeds for 45 years to rescue, rehabilitate and rehome horses and donkeys.

It has around 30 animals on site and over 100 ‘on loan’ in people’s homes.

The sanctuary has about eight members of staff but over 100 volunteers help out, to allow 95p in every £1 donated to be spent directly on the animals.

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The sanctuary also runs Pony Days every Thursday during the school holidays, where children aged over five can spend the day on site, from 10am to 3pm, helping out with the ponies.

For more information visit http://www.hopepastures.org.

Related topics:LeedsPeople