November volunteers of the month - Blackpool & The Fylde group

Cochise and Shane welcomed guests to the inaugural Brooke Winter Gala Dinner in 2017 which for Eileen, David and the family was a very proud moment. Cochise, the stallion of the group who will be 20 next year, has been lead donkey welcoming hundreds of guests at Brooke’s annual dinner every year since. Eileen said: “We hope to see everyone again in 2021, circumstances permitting”.

The donkeys are regularly seen on Blackpool Beach and at many shows in Northern England including Ripley, Barnard Castle, Warrington, Durham and Wolsingham. This year, the donkeys have been busy on the beach and during Blackpool Illuminations the family’s twelve carriage horses got involved appearing on Blackpool promenade during the illuminations and accepting donations for Brooke. The group also hold a Christmas table top sale and this year will be going digital accepting donations via Eileen’s Facebook page in aid of Brooke in lieu of people sending Christmas Cards to the group and the donkeys!

Eileen said: “My family have been supporters of Brooke as long as I can remember. My Grandad, John Wright Nicholls, who fought in WW1 spoke very highly of Brooke and was involved in protecting the horses he fought alongside. I recall, on Sundays which was the only day my Dad, Colin Nicholls, had off in the week his treat was to relax and read the Sunday paper. Brooke was very often featured in the paper and fondly spoken of on Sundays. Today, ‘The Boys!’ are not properly dressed without their Brooke rugs, red, white and blue ribbons that they wear on their forelocks representing past, present and future and, in November, the special addition of their red and purple poppies”. She added: “Jon Jo is very proud of what he does for Brooke and enjoys wearing his Brooke t-shirt and gilet, he was just 7 years old when he first got involved and one day he will get to go to the Brooke Winter Ball!”