A bray of thanks to Armed Forces veterans

The veterans from the Armed Forces Community Support Hub (Devon) have been volunteering at our Sidmouth sanctuary for over a year now, helping to improve the environment for the herd of donkeys in our Donkey Assisted Activities (DAA) centre. 

Their recent contributions saw them constructing bespoke whirligig enrichment frames using recycled wood. The team then gathered hazel from around the site and mounted it on the structures, which the donkeys wasted no time exploring. 

Donkeys are natural browsers, and this form of enrichment gives them the opportunity to express natural behaviours. Enrichment is very important for our donkeys and provides them with opportunities to interact with their environment, make choices and to be more mentally active.

Stephy Studley, Centre Support and Equine Assistant, said: “The whirligig structures are brilliant, and our donkeys seem to love browsing from them. 

“The veterans’ team visit us every month and get stuck into any job we ask of them - from painting to weeding, and from yard maintenance to creating innovative storage solutions. 

“They spend the morning volunteering and then we repay the favour with some time with the donkeys in the afternoon. They are a pleasure to have around, with a can-do attitude, great problem solving and not to mention cracking banter!” 

The time with the donkeys also benefits the volunteers, giving them the opportunity to connect with each other through the various activities. They find that spending time with the donkeys is particularly therapeutic for their members’ wellbeing, with many having expressed the peace and increased mental wellness they feel after their time with the donkeys.

“I enjoy the peacefulness at The Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth,” said John (76), an Armed Forces Veteran and member of the group. “I like sharing time with people who have lived similar experiences. 

“There is a comradeship between the HUB members, where we all feel we can be ourselves. I like spending time with the donkeys which brings me a sense of calm that often evades me in everyday life.” 

Sarah Worth, Research Officer at The Donkey Sanctuary, said: ‘It was great fun to work with such a fantastic group of people. They were keen to get stuck into a building project, worked together well and solved problems as a team. 

“The best part was how on board they all were about donkey enrichment and how these devices can help us to provide the donkeys with browse in a new and interesting way.” 

The Armed Forces Community Support Hub (Devon) was established in 2014 to provide support for veterans and their families in Devon.