Volunteers help make a difference to children’s charity with raised beds, picnic tables and…a donkey shower!

Volunteers spent the day planting, building and….showering donkeys this week (29.3.11) at the Elisabeth Svendsen Trust in Manchester as part of a Making A Difference day organised by local housing association, Guinness Northern Counties.

Working with two of their contractors, Eaga and City Response Ltd, the association were able to make up a team of over 30 staff who volunteered to spend the day helping to improve some of the facilities at the centre.
 
The team succeeded in their mission to secure picnic benches, lay foundations for the greenhouse and paths, lay turf and plant fruit trees, beds and planters as well as making a laundry facility and installing a donkey shower in the grooming area.
 
The Elisabeth Svendsen Trust is a national charity with centres across the country. It provides riding and learning therapy for children with disabilities and special needs using donkeys. The centre also runs other learning events which are linked to specific school projects.
 
The Manchester centre alone has around 200 children a week through its doors from schools in the Greater Manchester area.
 
Mrs Debbie Coombes, Centre Manager, said: "As a charity experiencing the same financial constraints as everyone else, we rely on groups such as Guinness Northern Counties, Eaga and City Response to support our work. With their assistance and commitment we are able to achieve projects which would not otherwise have happened or have meant we had to use funds we need for our day to day running costs. Our special children and other visitors enjoyed meeting the participants today and we hope to maintain the links for many years to come."
 
Mick Boaler, Guinness Northern Counties’ Asset Manager, said: “Elisabeth Svendsen Trust is a fantastic charity and facility in one of our key areas and we are delighted that we have been able to work together with our contractors and the Trust to deliver these facilities and initiatives.  The difference it will make to the experience for the children, staff, volunteers and the animals at the centre is fantastic and we’re really happy to have been able to have been in a position to help make this happen. “