Visitors to The Donkey Sanctuary Sidmouth are being offered the opportunity to explore the attraction by following a new trail.
‘An Adorably Curious Adventure’ runs throughout the summer, taking visitors on an A-Z adventure during which they will be able to complete activities and discover fun facts along the way.
Meanwhile, the sanctuary’s award-winning RHS Chelsea Flower Show garden is now free to view.
The ‘Donkeys Matter’ garden, designed to showcase the charity’s international work, won the coveted ‘BBC RHS People’s Choice Award’ in the Artisan Garden category at the 2019 RHS Chelsea Flower Show, and picked up the Community Award in the 2021 Association of Professional Landscapers’ awards.
And on August 9 and 10 the sanctuary will host East Devon’s new travelling creative space – the Creative Cabin, offering visitors free hands-on activities and the chance to learn all about one of the UK's rarest bats - the grey long-eared-bat.
Activities at the 'Completely Batty' event include making flying bat models and bat masks, as well as putting together wildflower ‘seed bombs’, to create wildflower gardens at home.
The sanctuary’s Ecology and Conservation manager, Ruth Angell said: “We strive to provide our donkeys with the highest standards of welfare. Providing our donkeys with a healthy and sustainable environment, not only supports the wildlife living on our sites, but also supports the health of our herd, providing enrichment opportunities that allow them to exhibit more of their natural behaviours.”
John Crouch, visitor engagement manager at The Donkey Sanctuary, said: “It’s really exciting to be hosting the Creative Cabin at the sanctuary. As custodians of this beautiful corner of Devon, we want to encourage families to appreciate the rich and varied wildlife we are privileged to share our land with.”
The ‘An Adorably Curious Adventure’ trail runs daily until Thursday, September 30 and costs £5 per trail sheet and includes a prize and a sticker on completion.
The Creative Cabin activities are free drop-in activities and run between 11am and 3pm on August 9-10. Activities will be run within current Covid-safe guidelines.
The Donkey Sanctuary Sidmouth is open seven days a week, from 9am to 5pm. Entry to the sanctuary is free, as is parking, and dogs on leads are welcome. For further details, please visitwww.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/sidmouth
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