Mules and music for Animals in Distress

Community members came out in numbers to support the non-profit organisation’s Carols by Candlelight event. A large paddock was cornered off and the community laid out picnic blankets and fold-up chairs to face the stage where the band Bill Graceful belted out music.

The society’s donkeys lapped up attention and carrots from the guests; at the ‘donkey doo’ competition community members put money on chosen squares and the donkeys were made to walk over the hand-made checker-board of squares. Whichever donkey made a dropping on a community member’s square, won. However, despite having eaten dinner and munched on carrots, it seemed none of the donkeys needed the toilet. In the end, the society’s staff were blindfolded and dropped some of the donkeys’ old droppings onto a square.

Pin the tail on the donkey, colouring-in competitions, apple bobbing, face-painting and jumping castles were all part of the event.

As the blue skies made way for night fall, the community members huddled on their picnic blankets to light their candles and sing along with Bill Graceful to Christmas carols. Father Christmas and one of the society’s ponies, dressed in tin-foil, made an appearance to hand out sweets to the adoring children, who were delighted to see the man of the moment.

The society’s staff thanked the community for showing their support for the event, and as the last carol was sung, nobody wanted to leave, proving the event to be a resounding success.