I'm delighted that Gemma Carnell, Fundraising Manager for Redwings, kindly agreed to take some time out of her busy schedule to allow me to interview her. Since all my royalties from sales of the Matty Horse and Pony Adventures are donated to Redwings, I thought it would be helpful for readers to learn more about the work of this amazing horse sanctuary and why donations are so vitally important.
Jane: How long have you been working as fundraiser
for Redwings and what made you decide to work for a horse sanctuary?
Gemma: I have been
working at Redwings for eight and a half years, but I first started to support
the charity in 1988 when a friend adopted a pony called Pepper for me! I have
always wanted to work for a charity and am proud to be a part of such an
amazing organization where you can see the achievements all around you (I can
hear a happy donkey braying as I type and can see a cheeky pony running round
the veterinary recovery paddock!). The fact that we are not only here to rescue
and rehabilitate horses and donkeys, but also offer life-long care to those who
are too ill or too traumatized to live in a private home, is a remarkable
thing. I genuinely do not believe that anyone else offers the level of care and
dedication to so many horses.
Jane: Redwings is the largest sanctuary of its kind
in the UK. Can you give us an idea of
the scale of funds needed to keep everything going to enable Redwings to rescue
and care for horses and ponies that need help?
Gemma: Redwings
relies 100% on donations made by the public – we receive no government funding.
We need to raise at least £6 million a year just to care for the 1,250 horses
that live with us. Nearly 60% of our income is received through legacies – a
gift in a Will really makes a powerful difference. The rest of the funds we need
are raised through people adopting a horse or making a donation.
Jane: Can you tell us a bit about what it’s like to
work for Redwings. Is there a typical
day?
Gemma: No day is
ever the same at Redwings and that is what makes working here extra special! We
are a friendly, dedicated team working really hard to help horses in need and
we are all prepared to muck in to ensure we use our resources in the best way
possible to benefit our horses. Fundraising involves lots of time at the computer, planning and analyzing, but I
also spend a lot of time at our three (soon to be four!) Visitor Centres, where
people can meet our horses in person for free. Keeping in touch with the
supporters and seeing the horses is an important part of my job and one of the
most rewarding.
Jane: What is
the hardest thing about your job?
Gemma: Seeing a
poorly horse arrive in a terrible state is always heartbreaking. Sadly we are
seeing more and more of them and it never gets easier.
Jane: What do
you like most?
Gemma: Driving up
the road in the morning or on the way home at the end of a busy day and seeing
fields full of happy horses, knowing that you have helped them be content and
safe for another day.
Jane: Do you
have any favourite horses, ponies or donkeys?
Gemma: Yes, but
don’t tell the others! Tinkerbell the Shetland, Wellington the chocolate
coloured cob (who has just been re-homed!), and Denise the donkey – they are
all lovely and have very cheeky characters! You can read about Denise on the
adoption pages of our website www.redwings.co.uk/adopting - I am also in love with the whole of the
Breakfast Group – 19 young ponies who were rescued from Wales recently. They
have the best names (such as Waffle, Weetabix and Bagel) and are all adorable –
seeing them grow up and get well again has been such a privilege.
Wellington
And last but definitely not least, I absolutely
love little Doc! Doc was born at Redwings after his Mum was rescued from the
notorious Spindle Farm in Amersham in 2008 - he was the cutest, fluffiest foal
I have ever seen and grew up to be a cheeky chap, always escaping under the
paddock fence to the 'big boys' field' to try and share tea-time feeds. He and
his family were named after fairytale characters as a symbol of the fairytale
ending they had after their traumatic lives.
Doc at 2 days old with Mum Snow White
