A welfare charity has thanked its “Christmas angels” for boosting morale with hundreds of donations of essential equipment after it suffered devastating flooding.
Bransby Horses in Lincolnshire, which was affected by torrential rainfall last month, damaging 40% of the charity’s land, has received a “huge variety” of items from its Amazon wish list from members of the public.
“Among the standing water, mud and grey weather, bright new head collars, shiny new wheelbarrows and colourful brushes can be seen in the hands of yard teams busy caring for more than 400 equines this December,” said a Bransby spokesman.
“The charity has been good at using what they have already but the new items help to make routine jobs, which have been more challenging in the difficult weather, a little easier.”
Items donated also include bandages, haynets, feed buckets, gloves, and overreach boots.
Bransby’s deputy farm manager Caz Sykes said the items are making “such a difference” to already.
“It will be a long and hard winter and a tough 2020 but these gifts will help us enormously, day to day. Little things, like having a lighter wheelbarrow, a brush that is easier to groom with or knowing we have plenty of bandages, helps us save precious minutes but also our own backs and hands.
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“A huge thank you to everyone who has donated so far, you are our Christmas angels!”
The spokesman added that the wish list is still available to buy from with a particular need for clippers.
“We are also desperate for donations of money and time, so we can move through these challenging circumstances,” he said.
“As well as the £6m needed to run the charity in 2020, we also need an additional £200,000 to move some of the equines to the new site at Barlings after the flood gates were opened to save thousands of homes in Lincoln.”
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Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.
