Chalford Donkey Project News

February 6-11:
Mad Media Frenzy in Chalford as the story of the Donkey Project broke and is covered by local, national and international press. (see separate blogs 'the Chalford donkey in the Media' and 'Chalford donkey press links')

February 11:
ITV West donates us a donkey. He is a beautiful little jack donkey of 10 months old and comes from the Coteswold Farm Park. He will have to be trained up and won't be ready to carry things until he is around 4 years old.

February 16:
The hunt is on for a second donkey to accompany the one we have been donated. We are looking for an older donkey who is used to carrying stuff and being with people.

February 25:
The Chalford Donkey Project meets with the Chalford Parish Council. We present a more detailed grant application to receive funding for the project. The Parish Council are concerned about the access issues to Rack Hill. At present it is not allowed to take a donkey up the paths as they are designated footpaths, not bridleways. This comes as a surprise as the paths are still known as 'Donkey Paths' and are not signposted as footpaths. The problem of access could possibly be overcome by granting a special license to the Chalford Donkey to allow it to use the paths.

March 8:
Money raised so far for the project comes to around £300. This includes £200 donated by the Daily Mail newspaper. We still need to raise another £1000 to set up the project.

March 9:
We are still looking for a second donkey and the search is becoming more urgent as we need to collect the first donkey from the Cotswold Farm Park before the end of March. We cannot collect the first donkey until he has the company of another one.

March 9:
There are plans to have a working party at the smallholding where the donkey will live. There is lots to do to prepare the land where the donkeys will eventually live. It is hoped that people from the village will volunteer some time on March 21 and 22.

March 15:
The Donkey Sanctuary of Sidmouth, Devon visit Chalford. Their welfare representative offers us free advice on how to work effectively with donkeys. After touring the paths of Rack Hill he said we will need to find a strong donkey who can manage the steep hills and also said we will need to consider the panniers carefully. He also came to see our paddocks and explained about fencing, sheds and other important issues in caring for a donkey. The Chalford Donkey Project has been given the full support of the Donkey Sanctuary welfare representative and they have offered to host a donkey handling day in Chalford for anyone wanting to become a donkey handler.