Residents at HC-One’s Millbrook care home in Stalybridge enjoyed an afternoon of animal therapy as they visited The Donkey Sanctuary in Derbyshire.
Founded in 1969, The Donkey Sanctuary is a charity that makes a profound difference to the lives of donkeys and people across the globe.
Staff and volunteers at the sanctuary were delighted to welcome the Millbrook Residents as they brought several donkeys out to meet everyone.
Residents were able to meet the donkeys up close, stroking, feeding and even grooming the donkeys, before learning about the history of the charity and the work carried out to look after the donkeys.
Animal therapy is integrated into many activities at HC-One, as research into the technique demonstrates a positive connection between health and animals. The therapy aims to enhance engagement, wellbeing and social interactions amongst Residents.
Residents thoroughly enjoyed the visit to the sanctuary, with one commenting: “It’s been lovely visiting the sanctuary. The volunteers there are great, I can’t believe they have so many donkeys and they all look really well looked after.”
Andrew Bradley, Home Manager at Millbrook, said: “Animal therapy is one of the most popular activities amongst Residents living at Millbrook, so we were delighted to have the opportunity to visit The Donkey Sanctuary to witness all the hard work the charity does.
“The day was a great success and all Residents thoroughly enjoyed the day. We can’t wait to visit again in the future.”