'NAUGHTY Face', was the start of caring for donkeys at the 'Donkey Sanctuary', Sidmouth, Devon, set up by the Swedish Dr Elisabeth Svendsen in 1969, said our enthusiastic speaker Lizzie Ellis.

The founder first bought a hotel and later Slade House Farm, home to 400 of the 3,000 donkeys cared for and fostered on the extended farms to a very high standard, backed by a dedicated team of Welfare Officers to alleviate donkeys in distress.

New sanctuaries, foster homes are always needed, funded entirely by public donations, money from wills etc, they receive no government funding, their work covers Europe, Africa even India.

Donkeys flooded into the market when the Irish over bred, as subsidies were paid on a head count of animals; each head was a herd of 100 animals.

Donkeys became popular when the Disney film 'Shrek' came out, then fell out of favour.

Born with very large ears, the lovable donkey was chosen by Jesus to ride through the streets of Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, and has the shape of the cross on it's back.

This, beast of burden, as it was known, travelled the silk roads through large swathes of Asia, China, Turkestan, etc, carrying heavy loads, serving their masters well, preferring to eat crops of dry husks, grass fattens them up, as they come from desert regions, hot, dry and dusty and are used to hard ground for standing.

Many are ill treated, beaten, with large sores on their necks and bodies, needing to be washed, but lack of water in hot countries prevents this.

Donkey clinics are set up to help educate the owners giving quality treatment, time and solutions such as using hoof picks to remove stones from their hooves.

Donkeys are a lifeline to their owners, needing to be healthy to work, transporting water, food and fuel, without them they could not make a living.

The donkey sanctuary's aim is to provide welfare, protection and training worldwide, all dependent on charitable giving.

A warm round of applause followed with a vote of thanks from Marlene.

We welcomed mother and daughter Julia and Holly Paton.

Our economics workshop was enjoyed.

We look forward to the Evesham trip on Thursday, December 4.

Colourful shoe boxes were collected for Samaritans Purse.

AGM reports were read.

Josie Street and Kathy Quant are coming off the committee after many years, they received bouquets of flowers.

Vivienne Thomas who helped Josie on the trade stall was sadly missed also Enid Pates and Dorothy Cridland, all loyal members.

We meet again on Monday, December 1 at 7.30pm in Upton St Leonard's Village Hall for our Christmas Social, entertained by the 'Wide Valley Singers'.

Competition a Christmas Angel - colour gold or silver.