Honouring a Lasting Gift of Love
Recently, we were deeply honoured to support a very special final wish from one of our longtime supporters, Frances. Frances had chosen our Sanctuary as the place where she wished to come to rest, so her solicitor travelled to Devon so that her ashes could be scattered at our garden of remembrance at Honeysuckle Farm.
Frances had supported The Mare and Foal Sanctuary for many years and very kindly chose to remember us in her Will. Her legacy will help us continue to care for rescued horses and ponies; protect the land they depend on and create more moments of healing and connection for the people who visit us.
To mark the scattering of her ashes in our garden of remembrance, our Director of Fundraising and Communications, Dawn Vincent, wrote and read a poem in her honour:
In Memory of Frances
While I didn’t know you, today I can really see you…
Your passion for horses and ponies running true.
Your years as a supporter are such a grace
Your ashes we respectfully scatter in this place.
The ponies are safe, with freedom of choice
And loving people around them who give them a voice
Because of your love and the gift that you gave
Many horses’ lives’ we will be able to save.
In memory of you, Frances, we gather in this way
The 28 November will be forever your special day
Where you come to rest in the peace of Honeysuckle Farm
And your spirit can be forever here as a lucky charm
So, from all of us here who care deeply for the horse,
We thank you for your gift to keep us on course
We will ensure that we see your gift through.
Your legacy lives on in all that we do.
It was a simple, quiet and very moving morning. As Frances’ ashes were scattered, we were reminded how closely our lives and our work are woven together with the kindness of people we may never meet, but who share our love for horses and ponies.
Why Legacies Mean So Much to Our Sanctuary
At The Mare and Foal Sanctuary, everything we do begins with kindness; kindness to horses and ponies, to the people who love them, and to the land we share. This work is only possible thanks to the quiet generosity of supporters who choose to remember us in their Will.
Gifts in Wills help us to:
- Rescue horses and ponies in urgent need and give them lifelong, peaceful sanctuary
- Provide expert care, rehabilitation and specialist facilities
- Educate people about good equine welfare and caring for the natural environment
- Offer therapeutic, equine-assisted sessions that help children, young people and adults find calm, connection and confidence alongside our ponies
These legacies are acts of compassion that live on in every one of our horses we are able to give lifelong sanctuary, and every person whose life is touched by them.
If you would like to find out more about leaving a gift in your Will, or simply talk in confidence about your wishes, our team is here to help, with kindness and without any obligation. Find out more here.