It has been a little while since my last blog as I have been unable to offer my services as a volunteer due to a bad back, but I am glad to say that I did my first stint for a few weeks last Thursday afternoon. Although it was half term they have what they call in "drop in" days where the special needs children and their siblings can come down to the centre for ride on the donkeys and to use all the wonderful facilities. Just after our first ride the sun decided to show its face and it became very warm and sunny and it appeared that that was the start of the fantastic weather that we are now encountering (although I hate it, and much prefer the cold!!!).

We had a lovely afternoon and the children were able to ride outside which they thoroughly enjoyed. I was working with a super little donkey called Finlay who is quite a character, quite a small donkey but with an extremely shaggy coat and he does look a bit like an Anghora Goat but he is very sweet and behaved impeccably (which was very different to his behaviour in the morning so I was told). We even had a little child who was about 10 months old who has been riding the donkeys ever since she was about 6 months old. She absolutely loved it and smiled the whole time she was on him.

We all were extremely tired by the end of the session but it went off trouble free and everyone was happy.

The following day FRIDAY 29TH May the relatively newly formed PFA committee organised a Barn Dance to raise funds and it was open to staff, volunteers and members of the public.

It was held in the indoor arena with bales of straw placed all around the perimeter as our seating for the evening. Approximately 200 people turned up which was quite amazing and surpassed all expectations. There was a small band with a caller who had the patience of a Saint trying to organise all those people into some sort of order and get us all to dance, but he did a brilliant job and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. There were refreshments (which were certainly needed) and a barbeque was running all eveing outside in the beautiful evening warm sunshine.

It is a good few years since I last went to a barn dance, and I forgot how energetic this was, by the end of the evening I and most of the others (except the really really fit ones) were exhausted. Even my husband who has no sense of rhythm whatsoever and hates dancing actually enjoyed himself (I think!!!).

Will report again soon