A team from Sovereign Health Care recently swapped desks for paintbrushes and wellies during a volunteering day at Hope Pastures Horse and Donkey Sanctuary in Leeds.
Hope Pastures is a charity dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, rehoming and providing lifelong care for horses, ponies and donkeys in need. Alongside creating a safe and caring environment for its residents, the sanctuary also works with the local community, welcoming visitors on site and providing education on equine care and welfare.
On the day, after a quick health and safety briefing, the team split into two groups to tackle practical jobs around the sanctuary.
The first group donned their gloves and took on the particularly physical task of removing grass and mud from a stack of heavy-duty rubber mud mats, which help provide a firmer surface for the horses and donkeys in muddy conditions.
Meanwhile, the second group picked up their paintbrushes and tools to give the sanctuary’s information signs a fresh new look, removing and painting them before putting them back in place.
Sam, Customer Support Advisor, said: “Volunteering at Hope Pastures was a pleasure. The staff were very helpful, friendly and welcoming. Having a horse myself, I understand how difficult it can be to keep on top of the day-to-day jobs, so I really wanted to get involved when the opportunity came up.
My group was tasked with cleaning mud mats that were clogged with mud and grass before they could be placed in the paddock. Although the work was hard and very mucky, it was extremely rewarding to know that I had been able to help and make a difference. It was a great experience, and I was pleased to be able to contribute to the important work carried out at Hope Pastures.”
While they were there, the team couldn’t resist taking the opportunity to meet some of the sanctuary’s four-legged residents, seeing first-hand the horses and donkeys they were helping to support.
Support from volunteers and visitors, fundraising and donations help Hope Pastures continue providing practical care and a safe environment for the animals who call the sanctuary home.
A huge thank you to everyone at Hope Pastures for welcoming us and for the incredible work they do to care for and improve the lives of horses, ponies and donkeys. It was a rewarding opportunity for the team to support the charity through Sovereign Health Care’s Community Programme.
For more information about our Community Programme visit our website: https://www.sovereignhealthcare.co.uk/about/community-programme/