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The kindness of strangers and friendsSince the Amersham rescue we have been overwhelmed by the kindness of the publicWe have been overwhelmed with public support, good wishes and even donations since the Amersham rescue on 9 January, so much so we have had to create a fund called Esther’s Rescue Fund. Since we took in 21 ponies and donkeys (which became 22 after Timothy joined us!) from the farm in Buckinghamshire over £30,000 has come in via web donations through this website alone, and we are receiving cheques daily. We are, quite simply, humbled by your kindness and we would like to tell you more. More than 300 emails and many more letters and phone calls have come in offering messages of support and appreciation for the staff involved in the rescue, who have been touched at your words. Of course, many of you have also enquired after the well-being of our special new arrivals. We have received offers of land, stabling, use of trailers, rugs and feed either by post, email or in person to our visitor centres. It hasn’t been just the UK that has responded; we have had donations of money sent in from all over the world and the response from individuals has been unprecendented but here are just two examples. One lady will be selling jewellery of her own design through an auction site to raise money for Redwings, while another is encouraging everyone to adopt a Redwings horse or pony as a way of supporting us. You are all our stars – each and every one of you!! Businesses and organisations have kindly helped us, too. Feed company Spillers (www.spillers-feeds.com/en-gb/) have kindly donated an amazing 2t of feed for which we are so grateful, while Horseshoe Saddlery in Oxfordshire (www.horseshoesaddlery.co.uk) have sent boxes of brand new rugs to keep the new arrivals lovely and warm. Derby House Saddlery (www.derbyhouse.co.uk) are going to be collecting for Redwings in their eight shops around the UK and will be encouraging people to donate to us through their website too.
A number of supporters from the Horse & Hound Forum have even been inspired to set up an independent group called Operation Esther, named after our little donkey foal. Through Operation Esther, horse lovers all over the country are collecting rugs, feed, bedding and money to share between all the charities involved in the rescue. Find out more at www.operationesther.com. Redwings is entirely funded by public donation. The words “thank you” seem so inadequate when it comes to acknowledging the huge wave of public support that has come gently but purposefully to our door in the last two weeks. We have always been blessed with wonderful and loyal supporters. But help offered so quickly, so willingly and so unconditionally has literally had us in tears. Now that you have found us, please continue to keep in touch with our work and tell others about what we do, so that the neglected, the abused, the ill and the lonely equines may in turn find us. Thank you.
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