Brownbread Horse Rescue

& Disabled Riders Registered Charity 1029341. Established 1972

Email tony.brownbread@tesco.net http://brownbread_rescue.250free.com/brownbread.html

Ashburnham, Battle , E Sussex . TN33 9NX. Tel 01424 892381.

Patrons :Baroness Masham of Ilton, Dora Bryan OBE, Dr David Lewis & Ms Heather Moffatt

Annual Report 30 th Nov 2003 to 29 th November 2004

During the year we were delighted to enrol writer and broadcaster, Dr. David Lewis as our fourth Patron. Dr Lewis also attended our September Open Day. We were also pleased that our Patron, Heather Moffatt had sold over 400 saddles that she had designed. As a reward to her the manufacturers, Nursey & Sons donated two of these saddles to Brownbread. They are unusual in being treeless, very comfortable and eventually both were sold to raise funds.

The “Friends” group has continued to increase although about 75 members were deleted who had either moved away or not made any contribution over recent years. The group numbered about 500 by the end of the year. We are always pleased when our “Friends” turn up, very often with a donation or items to sell. They have all received our 8-page tri-annual newsletter and this is now produced by me in house but copied free by H.B.Office Services in Sedlescombe. In fact the copy numbers run to nearly 1,000 as each enquirer for a loaning/submitting an equine to the Centre also receives a newsletter. Furthermore, Linda, the director of HB Office also kindly fosters some of our equines on her farm.

Our charity stall has been set up at several events but two notable ones were the Charity Fair in Hastings and the Heathfield Show. The two Ian's, bosses of Abbeygate Agency in Battle and Timber Buildings invited our charity to share their stand. This proved mutually successful although the number of sales follow-up didn't warrant them having a stall in the following year.

The two annual fund-raising Open Days held in May and September continue to grow in size with usually a moderate increase in income. Each time we try adding new attractions such as local fire appliances, a dog show, a fashion display and military vehicles. The stall holders and boot sale vehicles also increase for each occasion. The new toilet block has been completed so we don't need to hire Portaloos anymore. It is becoming common to meet people in local towns who say they know us because they have been to our Open Days.

A traumatic emergency rescue of five colts/stallions and two mares from one yard an hours distance away took a lot of time as our trailer could only take one at a time; two stallions together would have been asking for problems over that sort of distance. The operation was completed early the next morning although subsequently several had serious problems associated with emaciation and other medical conditions. Two were so bad that they had to be put down within a week or two of rescue. The younger colts/stallions were gelded and overall the cost of the whole rescue to Brownbread was considerable. The middle-of-the-night rescue of a horse found abandoned by the police and wandering the streets of Battle resulted in the owner turning up the next day to collect the horse without either a thank you or a donation! The owner even rang us up at 6am knowing well that, as volunteers, we had already been up for half the night on her behalf.

Stable refurbishment has continued slowly according to the funds available. There is now an urgent need for a purpose-built information centre on site. Currently visitors or workers have nowhere to go out of the weather. The proposed Centre would have a display/sales area, information about the Charity and the animals, and audiovisual / lecture room and a mezzanine floor under a low roof to house a cavalry museum and small agricultural artefacts.

Most of the hay made on site is now made into half ton bales that can be carried by the tractor. The attractive five-bar wooden farm gates had to be largely replaced as being completely unsuitable for the majority of rescued animals we get. Many of the equines have problems and the brittleness of the treated timber resulted in many gates being shattered. Despite what the government scheme required for aesthetic reasons we have had to resort to tubular steel gates although even these get buckled by some of our stronger, heavier residents.

Our local MP, Greg Barker visited the Centre when we were able to discuss proposed legislation in the new animal welfare Bill. Two of our Trustees visited France under the Government Interreg Scheme to foster links with similar equine organisations there.

The name, Brownbread, continues to become highly respected in the SE for its commitment to equine welfare through the efforts of its voluntary workers.

Tony Smith, Chairman of Trustees, 13 th July 05