We received a message from a long-time supporter who’d heard about a pony left abandoned near a busy road. He’d been found wandering among large vehicles and machinery before the police guided him into a nearby field and placed an abandonment notice on the gate. The date on the notice passed, and no one came forward.
The police gave the landowner the green light to find this little guy a new home, and that’s when our wonderful supporter Dave connected them with us.
The rescue itself was quite the challenge. Heavy rain the night before had left the field completely flooded. We couldn’t get the trailer in, and the lane was far too fast and busy to block, so we parked on the roadside and set up hurdles instead. Domino was wet, frightened and untrusting, making it impossible to get a head collar on him. But Dave had been visiting him several times a day with treats, and the pony recognised him.
Within minutes, Dave walked back towards us with Domino following close behind. A carrot in hand, Dave led him right out of the gate, up the trailer ramp, and just like that, he was loaded. If only every rescue was that simple!
Back at the sanctuary, Domino was greeted with a warm stable, a deep straw bed and a full haynet. We’ve given him time to settle in, as we don’t know his history, so we’re starting from scratch. But he’s safe, warm, dry and well-fed, and judging by the look in his eyes, he seems to know he’s found the friends he’s been waiting for.
Our second rescue this month was a little smaller.
We took in Boo, a lamb who was just 12 days old when she arrived.
Boo had been rejected at birth, and her previous rescuers had done a wonderful job caring for her.
But they realised they couldn’t provide the right environment long-term, as lambs really aren’t meant to live in a house! They made the 100-mile journey to bring her to us.
She’s a sweet, cheerful, very chatty little thing, and it’s clear she was loved and well looked after. She’s settled in beautifully at the sanctuary.
The other sheep often come by to say hello and lie next to her pen for companionship. She’s truly a joy to have here, even if she does take up a lot of our time!
Our third arrivals were somewhere in the middle, size-wise. Meet Toto and Tinkerbell, two Jenny donkeys whose previous owner’s circumstances had sadly changed, leaving them in need of a forever home.
Both born in August 2010, they’d lived with their previous owners their whole lives and had never been moved. It all came as quite a shock: new animals, new sounds, new faces, and possibly the biggest surprise of all, new people.
They’re a very bonded pair, with Tinkerbell (the bigger one) definitely taking the lead. If she goes first, Toto decides it’s safe and follows. They were very quiet for the first few days, not a single bray, just taking it all in. But once they felt settled, they found their voices, and at that point they felt comfortable enough to trust us too.
Now every time they see us, they come running up to say hello and see what treats we might have.
They’ve become much more confident since arriving, and they love chatting to Clive and Ernie. It’s wonderful to see them coming out of their shells.
At the beginning of March, it was operation day for Dipsy.
Although she hasn’t been with us long, it was clear from the start that she had a problem with her eye. Our vet began treatment, which initially seemed to be working as her eye looked less red and puffy. But the problem came back, causing her pain and discomfort, and she kept rubbing it, making things worse.
After discussing it with our dedicated vet Jade, we decided to go ahead with removing the eye. During the surgery, Jade discovered Dipsy had Buphthalmos, an abnormal enlargement of the eyeball. It’s a painful, uncomfortable and serious condition, so we’re glad we acted when we did.
Dipsy is recovering brilliantly and has taken everything in her stride, just as we expected. She’s enjoying some time indoors away from the rain and is thrilled to see us humans more often, since we always bring treats. She really is such a brave girl.
We celebrated Mother’s Day with all the wonderful mums out there, and we wanted to share a truly special little family: Rosita and her 10 adorable babies.
Rosita was rescued from terrible, cramped conditions, surviving on raw potatoes because her owner couldn’t afford proper food. She was very underweight and her body condition was poor, but even then, she was taking incredible care of her piglets, who were thriving, gaining weight and growing strong.
Once she arrived with us and had the right nutrition, she began to flourish. Her piglets are now 10 months old and doing brilliantly, and she’s always right there for them. This is what we call a mother’s love. For this little family, it’s a truly joyful outcome.
We had a visit from the Evesham Police, who’ve been visiting local farms with livestock to put up new signs raising awareness about livestock worrying and helping keep farming communities safe.
They really enjoyed meeting Pete, who was very cheerful and talkative as always. He loved having visitors!
Unfortunately, they’re aware we’ve had issues with sheep worrying. Dog owners often need reminding of their responsibility to protect livestock. Just because you see someone else being careless doesn’t mean it’s okay. If you witness it happening, please let us know and take videos or pictures so we can provide evidence to the police.
To help prevent incidents, we kindly ask all dog walkers to follow these guidelines:
Remember, sheep worrying is a criminal offence. The police will take appropriate action against dog owners whose pets chase, harass or attack livestock.
As the sun was shining, it was finally time. The grass is lush, the fields have dried up after a few sunny days, and the sheep are out!
They were all so excited, and watching them enjoy every mouthful of fresh grass is one of those moments that makes it all worthwhile. The day the sheep go out always feels like spring has finally sprung.
A huge thank you to Budget Waste Management for providing us with a skip at no cost. We truly appreciate the support from a local business.
Now that we own the sanctuary, we can focus on improving it. We’ve got plenty of exciting ideas from fresh faces, and we’re hard at work preparing for visitors. Stay tuned!
We also had the wonderful opportunity to meet Grant and Paul from Computers 4 Charity, who generously donated a laptop to us. This will help us stay connected with our supporters and, most importantly, with our fundraising efforts. Thank you for such a thoughtful and generous gift.
As you can see, it’s been a busy month! With three new rescues to care for, every little bit of help makes a difference. If you can support us in any way, we’d be so very grateful.
We’ll update you next month on how Domino, Boo, Toto and Tinkerbell are all settling in.
With love and gratitude,
Louise, Steph & the whole Farm family 🌸
We’ve got an incredible year of events lined up, and our 2026 events calendar is now live!
From the Freedom Fields Festival (Early Bird tickets available!) to our Open Days, farm visits, Sheepovers and much more – there’s something for everyone this year. Whether you’ve visited us before or you’re planning your first trip to Manor Orchard Farm, we’d love to see you.
Spaces fill up fast, so make sure you check out what’s coming up and get your dates in the diary.
Join us on Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th May for a relaxed weekend at the sanctuary, with food, local stalls, family activities and the chance to meet our 600+ rescued residents.
Local vendors will be serving hot food and sweet treats throughout the day, alongside a selection of stalls offering handmade goods and unique finds.
There will be activities for younger visitors, and plenty of time to explore the sanctuary at your own pace. Our team will be around to introduce you to the animals and share their stories.
Come and join us for a truly unique sleepover night at the sanctuary!
Pitch your tent and spend an evening surrounded by our rescued animals, getting to know their personalities up close.
A magical experience for families, animal lovers, and anyone looking for a special night under the stars.
