The Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary has been voted the Best Free Family Attraction in the South East of England in a poll conducted by the ‘A Day out with the Kids’ website.
A Day out with the Kids lists 6,500 venues across the UK, including many of the largest, best funded family attractions in the country.
The IOW Donkey Sanctuary has come out top of the poll and now goes forward to be the South East’s entry in the national competition, the results of which are announced later on today (Wednesday).
The sanctuary has never won an award that extends beyond the Island and it is a significant indicator of the progress that has been made at the sanctuary in the last 5 years, after it narrowly avoided closure in 2013
Business Manager Carol Foote has said:
“We were thrilled to be shortlisted for the South East Free Family Attraction category and we are now completely overwhelmed to have won.
“Our little donkey sanctuary is a lovely place for families to visit and we emphasise the simplicity of donkey spotting, petting animals, caring for animals and working with our animals in a beautiful environment that we share with other wildlife in the Wroxall valley.
“We would like to thank our staff, our volunteers, all those people who voted for us and of course our donkeys! Carrots and ginger biscuits will be the celebration meal in the barns tonight!
Article continues below this advertisement “Rescuing donkeys and looking after their health and welfare is our prime focus and we couldn’t do it without the help and support of families who visit us. Awards like this are a massive boost to our morale, on winter days when the weather is wet and windy and the donkeys need that extra bit of TLC. Thank you everybody!”
The sanctuary is now pitted against well supported and nationally famous organizations such as The National Railway Museum, the Natural History Museum and the Edinburgh Museum of Childhood in the national final.
Carol adds:
“We can dare to dream, but we understand the reality of the organizations we are competing against. We are proud to have got this far and we are proud to have represented the island in such a positive way”.
The Isle of Wight was at the centre of success in the poll. Other winners include the Owl and Monkey Haven (Best Animal Attraction in the South East) and Robin Hill, whose Electric Woods won the award for the Best Event at an Attraction.
Mrs Foote said:
“Perhaps now people will realize how much the island has to offer. We should celebrate these successes, publicise them as part of a resurgent tourism industry and put a coherent travel and tourism plan together that ensures we have a brilliant 2019 on the Isle of Wight”.
