Last week I was sat in the office wondering where does time go and noticing that the leaves on the trees were beginning to turn a golden colour. With the calendar poised to enter a new month, I wondered if we might have any donkeys called September and here she is!

It's always lovely to hear why people chose to make a donation to the Sanctuary, like Paula and Martin who married on Friday 11th June 2010 at Bowood Hotel in Wiltshire. Instead of wedding gifts, they requested their family and friends to give a donation in lieu of any wedding gifts. I asked Paula why donkeys?

It's Monday morning and I'm sitting in the office going through my emails when one comes in from Annie Brown, general farms manager, asking for help from staff to move 20 donkeys. Within seconds I was replying, but before I pressed the 'send' button, there was a knock on the door from Annie herself saying "I take it you'll be helping".

At every "donkey carer day" it's great to meet the people who come along to spend time with the donkeys from mucking out, grooming and taking the donkeys for a walk around the Sanctuary. Even when it's pouring with rain or the Sanctuary's covered in a layer of thick fog, their huge smiles and joy of just being with the donkeys shine through so brightly.

If you are like me and a follower of the Minack Chronicles, you'll be saddened to learn that Susie Tangye has died at the age of 29. She brings to a close the final chapter of Derek and Jeannie's lives on the Cornish clifftops but their memories will live on.

Today we were joined by eight 'donkey carers' for the day and the lucky donkeys receiving extra attention were Bess, Jenny, Murphy, Peter, Daphne, Hannah, Robin and another donkey called Peter. From the photos below, I'm sure you can tell that Deborah, Christine, Karen, Gillian, Christoph, Janet, Angela and Clare thoroughly enjoyed their day with the donkeys.