Remus 40th Anniversary Fundraising Challenge

Ahead of its first Open Day of 2023 on Sunday 7 May, Remus Horse Sanctuary based in Essex, is launching its 40th Anniversary Challenge to raise £40,000 during the remainder of the year.

Sue Burton, Founder of the Sanctuary is asking its staff and volunteers, trustees and patrons, members, sponsors and supporters to fundraise just £40 each. Coming together in this way would help achieve the 40th Anniversary target – to help stop any animal from being born to die.

In the last month alone, three dead horses have been dumped in Essex and one foal was left to die under a hedge in Kent.

Founder Sue said, “I started the charity after reading the headline on the front of the Romford Recorder in February 1983. It said ‘Doomed! 100 horses left to die’. Coming from London, I’d never even met a horse, and I couldn’t believe that in this day and age we allow animals to die and do nothing.

“Some days it feels like very little has changed. We’re doing everything we can at Remus to stop animals from being born to die; working with other charities, campaigning and fundraising, but still we need to do more.  

“We know our current ask is a biggy, so we’re asking everyone we know to fundraise just £40 for us. But of course, there’s no need to stop there, perhaps they could raise more! 

“This is a very serious subject which we’ll be expanding on in the Summer with our Patrons. In the meantime, we’re asking people who care about animals everywhere to join us in our mission and have a little fun at the same time.”

The reason behind the challenge may be a serious one but the idea is simple, how could you raise £40? Perhaps you could bake and sell 40 cakes; make and sell 40 cards or crafts; cycle 40 miles; swim 40 lengths; get together friends for a 40 minute Zumba class! Put on your creative hats and Sue and her team are sure you’ll come up with some crazy fun ideas!

The Remus 40th Anniversary Challenge is intended to help raise awareness of animals being born to die. Here’s how your fundraising will help the charity directly:

• £4 buys bandages for one of our laminitic ponies
• £40 would pay for a special set of shoes for one of our laminitic ponies
• £400 would provide straw bedding for 30 animals for 1 month
• £4,000 would provide the routine medications needed by the older animals for 2 months
• £44,000 would feed all of our horses, goats and sheep for 6 months
• £440,000 would enable the charity to run for a whole year!

For the past 40 years, Remus has helped thousands of animals – horses, ponies, donkeys, cats, goats, sheep and more – rescuing them from cruel and sometimes dangerous situations; rehabilitating them with the help of specialist medical attention from vets, farriers, and complementary therapists; and allowing them to develop into old age, living a life free of harm. Each and every one receives the love, care and attention that Sue Burton, founder of the Sanctuary, and her team provide.

Sue is asking, “Are you up for the challenge?” and for you to share the hashtag #NeverBornToDie.

For further information, visit donate.giveasyoulive.com/campaign/40-anniversary-challenge.

Tickets for the Open Day taking place on Sunday 7 May can be purchased online via the website at: www.remussanctuary.org/events/open-day-at-the-sanctuary-may or by telephoning the Sanctuary on: 01277 356191.

Make your Will for FREE

Leaving a legacy in your Will is one of the best ways of ensuring that we can continue our valuable work. As you know, we rescue horses, ponies, donkeys and more, and provide rehabilitation and respite to them and to elderly horses, and all of our work is paid for by donations and fundraising. A gift in your Will, however small or large, can help ensure we can always be here for those victims of physical and mental abuse, whether it be as a result of ignorance or malicious intent.

By making a Will you can ensure that your wishes, and the people and causes you care about, are provided for. After providing for your family and friends remembering us in your Will means that we will be able to carry on the vital work of rescue, lobbying and education. By leaving a gift to Remus Horse Sanctuary in your Will you can shape the future, ensuring that we are always here to raise a voice for animal welfare.

Remus Horse Sanctuary is committed to being there for those animals that need us – after all, they cannot speak for themselves. If you decide to leave a gift in your Will to us, you will be supporting us to make sure we continue our valuable work with animal rescue and welfare.

Every single gift is vital to Remus and we appreciate any gift you may choose to leave us. Whatever the value of your gift, it will go a long way to help an animal that needs us.

It will not cost you a penny during your lifetime. It is simple to do and is free from inheritance tax.

All gifts, whatever their size make a real difference. It truly is a gift of a lifetime.

We thank you in advance for making a generous and thoughtful contribution.

Your gift will make a lasting and positive difference to Remus Horse Sanctuary.

Click here to find out more> www.freewills.co.uk/charity/remus-sanctuary

Storm Eunice Wreaks Havoc at Elderly Horse Sanctuary

Storm Eunice raged through the Sanctuary on Friday 18 February 2022, tearing apart field shelters and flipping them into the air like cardboard, flattening fences and ripping tiles from roofs. Please help Remus rebuild and make the necessary repairs and replacements.

Field Shelters cannot be covered by insurance and, due to the rising cost of timber and inflation, Ms Burton is estimating a total of £34,500 will be required to address the full list of repairs resulting in the wake of Storm Eunice.

Initial investigations have reported a lengthy list of repairs at the Sanctuary amounting to tens of thousands of pounds. Major repairs are required as follows:

• Five field shelters destroyed
• Roof tiles missing from Donkey shed and across the yard
• Skylights in roofs blown out
• Apex and other bits of roofs broken
• Fencing smashed to ground

Founder of the charity, Sue Burton said, “We have never seen such devastation in such a short period of time – five field shelters were shattered, fences were flattened and tiles were ripped from roofs.

“As a charity we’re still reeling from the pandemic and losing out on all that fundraising for such a long period of time, so for something like this to happen now… well it’s beyond words!”

To help rebuild Remus please donate via their JustGiving page at www.justgiving.com/campaign/rebuild-remus-after-eunice.

For further information about the invaluable work at the Sanctuary, visit www.remussanctuary.org or contact Sue Burton on tel: 01277 356191.

Help Remus Bounce Back for #GivingTuesday

Remus Horse Sanctuary joins #GivingTuesday 2021, the global day of generosity taking place on 30 November.

Remus Horse Sanctuary is thrilled to announce that we’re one of the thousands of organisations taking part in this year’s #GivingTuesday campaign, to be held on 30 November 2021.

Brought to the UK in 2014 by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), this year #GivingTuesday offers the opportunity to give back to good causes, either by donating to charity, reaffirming commitment to a cause, volunteering time or supporting others by simply helping a friend, neighbour or family member.

In the face of financial and social challenges as traditional fundraising opportunities have been shut off, like many charities, Remus Horse Sanctuary continues to suffer due to the impact of Covid-19.

To make a fee-free donation to Remus Horse Sanctuary, please visit: www.justgiving.com/rmhs.

Founder Sue Burton believes that the funding gap is somewhere in excess of £400,000 for events and fundraising activities cancelled over the past 18 months.

Giving Tuesday is a chance to secure our future in the post-pandemic world.

All of the animals here at the Sanctuary have been rescued. Our work is similar to that of a hospice – we give the animals the very best of care. We help the younger ones to recover and to develop into happy adults and the older ones to rest and recuperate. Nothing is asked of our animals at all – they are just loved and cared for. Holistic therapies also play a big part at the Sanctuary.

“It’s not always physical and mental abuse”, says Sue, “sometimes, it’s just plain ignorance, which I find unfathomable in this digital age, when so much information is available for free online. Some people just don’t care.”

In 2020 #GivingTuesday was the top trending item on UK Twitter and generated more than 360 million impressions. In the UK, more than £20 million was raised in online donations, more than ever before.

To make a fee-free donation to Remus Horse Sanctuary, please visit: www.justgiving.com/rmhs.

“The past 18 months have been the toughest I’ve known them. The majority of animals we rescue are malnourished, riddled with worms, diseased and worse. We’ve seen horses and ponies too weak to stand, covered in acid, and blinded.

“As a result, our biggest expense, other than food obviously, is vets bills and medication. So the sheer lack of fundraising over such a long period of time has taken more than just a strain on us!”

Andy Frain, #GivingTuesday UK Lead at the CAF, adds: “Giving Tuesday is a great chance to Give Back to the charities and causes that we care about and thank them for overcoming some immense challenges over the course of this pandemic.

“People can Give in so many ways and we’re always amazed at the diversity of people’s generosity – whether it is donating money, volunteering time or just amplifying your support for a charity, any act of Giving can make all the difference to a cause you care about.”

To find out more about #GivingTuesday, and how you can get involved, visit: www.givingtuesday.org.uk. To find out more about Remus Horse Sanctuary, visit www.remussanctuary.org, or visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/RemusHorseSanctuary.

To make a fee-free donation to Remus Horse Sanctuary, please visit: www.justgiving.com/rmhs.

Luxury Flooring for Stables

A few weeks ago, we purchased 30 rubber mats which are used to cover the concrete flooring in a large number of our stables.

We’ve cheekily called this article ‘luxury flooring’ but in fact, for our older horses, these rubber mats are absolutely essential. They cost about £40 each but provide a softer, warm and more insulated feel from the hard cold concrete. It also helps with our laminitic cases as it provides extra cushioning to assist with the deep beds that we provide for these animals.

We also use them in our field shelters to provide a suitable base to put bedding on top of so that it doesn’t get wet from the ground.

These mats come in a fixed size and have to be cut down for purpose, which was Yard Supervisor Alex’s  job recently. This is done with a guide ruler and a utility knife and the mats are trimmed down to size so that they fit snugly together without any overlap.

We took some pictures of the process with Heidi and Jakie looking on! Actually we’re not sure if they’re curious or making sure it’s done properly!

We would be very grateful for any contributions to the purchase of this essential rubber matting for our animals and donations can be made via our website here.

And if you would like to provide sponsorship for Heidi or Jakie, either for yourself or perhaps as a gift for a friend or Christmas, you can do so via our website using the links below:

Sponsor Heidi >>

Sponsor Jakie >>

World Animal Day is Here

Today, 4 October, is World Animal Day and we’d like you to help us celebrate!

How Can I Help?

‘How can I help?’ is question we often get asked by our supporters and we’ve worked hard to come up with lots of ideas for you to help us, from fundraising to volunteering, microvolunteering, recycling and plenty more besides.

One of our ideas is for you to create a fundraising page and fundraise on our behalf, in your own time and at your own pace!

So if you’re not yet aware of it, please take a look at our 9.9K Remus Reservoir Challenge.

This is a great way for you to get out in the fresh air, get some exercise and get your family, friends and colleagues together! All we’re asking is that you pick a date of your choosing, and then to walk, run, cycle or even scoot the equivalent of the Hanningfield Reservoir – which is coincidentally also 9.9K!

The Hanningfield Reservoir is a nature discovery park in Essex and it’s a glorious place to visit. However, if you live in Scotland, Wales, Plymouth or even London or Norwich, you may not want to travel to Essex. So guess what…you can choose to do your challenge wherever you like! You don’t even need to find a reservoir! You can do this at any time up to the end of October, but time is starting to run out, so don’t delay.

So go on, what are you waiting for? It’s really easy, just follow these simple steps (pun intended):

1. Decide on your date and location
2. Click on the link to create your fundraising page> https://donate.giveasyoulive.com/campaign/-remus-reservoir-challenge
3. Share your fundraising page with your friends, family and colleagues on social media and by email and get those sponsorships rolling in
4. Do your walk, run or cycle on your chosen date
5. Share your pictures with your family and friends and encourage them to donate if they haven’t already
6. Sit back and congratulate yourself on a job well done!

We’re recommending you create your fundraising page online to help track your progress and also accept donations online, which saves having to worry about cash or collecting in funds. However, if you prefer to create your fundraising page via another means, such as Facebook or JustGiving for instance, please go ahead.

Start Fundraising

PS. And don’t forget to tell us what you’re doing, tag us in your posts and share your photos with us too!

9.9K Remus Reservoir Challenge

Join us on our 9.9K Remus Reservoir Challenge! We are asking our supporters to walk, run or cycle the full distance of the Hanningfield Reservoir 9.9km, or equivalent, in a day this September or October.

Help us raise £10,000 to support the running of the Remus Horse Sanctuary, which provides lifetime help and care for horses, ponies, and donkeys, many of which are aged between 30 and 45 years old. The Sanctuary provides these equine horses a happy and pain free quality of life.

Get your family and friends involved to complete the challenge together. You can track your progress by linking your Strava account to your fundraising page.

It’s very easy! Just decide on a date to undertake the challenge, create a fundraising page and ask for donations!

Sign up today! donate.giveasyoulive.com/campaign/-remus-reservoir-challenge

#remusreservoirchallenge #remus4horsewelfare

9.9K Remus Reservoir Challenge

Many charities like Remus Horse Sanctuary have been directly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. It has massively affected the charity’s fundraising activities and they have lost out on crucial donations for horses in their care.

The charity is calling on any supporters to help them raise £10,000 in donations by taking part in their 9.9K Remus Reservoir Challenge. Supporters are encouraged to walk, run, or cycle the full distance of the Hanningfield Reservoir in a day this July and August.

Sue Burton from Remus Horse Sanctuary commented: “Our mission is to bring an end to horse cruelty by helping the horse welfare operation in the UK. The animals are our prime concern and are treated with the utmost respect. Our aim is to rescue and rehabilitate the animals to give them every chance to thrive into old age.  

“However, this is something we cannot achieve on our own and heavily rely on fundraising events so that supporters can help us raise much needed donations.”

All donations raised will go towards the running of Remus Horse Sanctuary, which provides lifetime help and care for horses, ponies, and donkeys, many of which are aged between 30 and 45 years old. The Sanctuary’s mission is to provide these vulnerable animals with a happy and pain-free quality of life.

Further details of the 9.9K Remus Reservoir Challenge can be found at www.remussanctuary.org or sign up today at: donate.giveasyoulive.com/campaign/-remus-reservoir-challenge.

#remusreservoirchallenge #remus4horsewelfare

 

Giving Checkout – A New Online Tool by JustGiving

In the past year, more and more people have been going digital and JustGiving is addressing this by helping charities and supporters get a smoother user journey through its new online donation tool called Giving Checkout.

Why is this important to us?

Put quite simply, it’s a no-brainer! Giving Checkout is completely free to use for your direct donations (including regular gifts), so every donation makes an even bigger impact for us. Plus there’s no platform fees on JustGiving and, for Giving Checkout donations, they’ll cover the processing fee from a donor’s voluntary contribution if you do “tip” or absorb the cost if you don’t. Plus, donations can be made in five currencies via all major credit and debit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay and Pay with Bank Transfer. As an HMRC approved Gift agent JustGiving can boost all eligible donations by 25% (though a 5% fee does apply for this service).

What to do next?

If you see a JustGiving ‘Donate Now’ button, please click it!

Thanking you, as always!