Meanwood Urban Valley Farm welcomes Blackpool beach donkeys spending winter in Leeds

Last winter, donkeys Alffie and Trooper joined Meanwood Valley Urban Farm and became a public favourite complementing the range of animals already at the farm. This winter, a third donkey, Carl, will join them.

Amy Sharp, livestock manager at Meanwood Valley Urban Farm, said: “Having Alffie and Trooper to stay last winter was a great success so we are delighted they are coming back – and with a friend. It’s lovely for our visiting families to see the same donkeys year on year. Our team of adults with learning disabilities cared for the donkeys last year with my supervision which was a great opportunity and a responsibility that they willingly took on.”

Blackpool company Real Donkeys have twenty donkeys in their care who give rides to visitors on the beach in the summer. The donkeys are kept busy all year round doing educational visits in schools and other settings in the city and across the UK.

Mark Ineson, owner of Real Donkeys, said, “It’s great for the donkeys to have a change of scenery over the winter and for them to return to the people in Leeds who know and love them."

Alffie, Trooper and Carl will be performing in natitivies in the build-up to Christmas elsewhere, but will be arriving at the Meanwood Valley Urban Farm on Thursday December 29 and will be staying until March. The farm is open to visitors daily 10am to 3pm, except for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.