The Sidmouth-based Donkey Sanctuary celebrated International Day of the Donkey on Saturday 8th May by talking to 350 of its supporters taking part in this year’s Donkey Week about the overseas aspect of its work.

As Kenya’s farmers recover from one of the worst droughts for more than 10 years, their donkeys are taking much of the strain. Because so many oxen died during the water shortage, the farmers have had to put their surviving donkeys to work ploughing the land. Our team based in Kenya have been helping these farmers keep their donkeys as healthy as possible. Field officer Wycliffe Gwatemba told me about his meeting with one man whose donkeys are saving him and his family from severe hardship.

With International Women’s Day and Mother’s Day taking place within the same week, the Sidmouth-based Donkey Sanctuary is acknowledging the work of a Kenyan business woman in improving welfare conditions for her donkey and her family.

I get to meet some lovely people and Jenny Mitchell is one such person. I met her through Kate Selley in our veterinary hospital who said "I know you two are just going to get on so well"! So what's the connection between donkeys and seatbelts?

I usually keep my ramblings pretty general, but this time I'd like to tell you about a lady I met last week. I'm in Kenya at the moment, looking at the progress made with the harness since I was here in December last year.

On Monday 13th July from 1.30pm, ten pupils from Sidmouth College will be given their first chance to see their mural painting of Kenya at The Donkey Sanctuary's Box 16 exhibition.