The Search for Donkey Paradise

25 February 2025

The Search for Donkey Paradise is now in our Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary shop.

We’ve recently started stocking a brand-new children’s book written by award-winning author David Goodday in our shop.

David found the inspiration to write The Search for Donkey Paradise following a visit to our sanctuary in 2023 when we were running our Equine Treatment Centre appeal.

David's grandson, Lucas, asked if his grandad could write a story to help raise funds and David set about the task.

David’s story

The story begins when a small hedgehog enters one of the paddocks and tells the donkeys of a place where everything that donkeys like to eat can be found. That night five of the donkeys set off in search of what they called donkey paradise.

On their way they encounter danger and uncertainty. When they finally reach their destination, they are shocked by what they find.

Inspired by the Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary

The hedgehog character Steve was inspired by a cuddly toy that Lucas won as a prize from the tombola during that visit. Most of the donkeys named in the book were Lucas’ favourites.

Once the story had been written, David asked Island based artist called Hilary Love to produce the illustrations for the book.

Published by Ginger Fyre Press, all profits from the sale of the book are very generously donated to the Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary.

Buy The Search for Donkey Paradise

We are delighted to be selling the book in the Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary onsite shop.

You can also buy a copy directly from the publishers.

Read more about the author David Goodday on his website.

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Equine Treatment Centre

by abigail.fox • 7 November 2024

In late 2022, we started fundraising to establish an equine clinic at the sanctuary. Thanks to your generosity, we raised £125,000 from the initial campaign. This is ringfenced to spend on the Equine Treatment Centre. In the summer of 2023, we paused fundraising and undertook a separate feasibility study, using the generous free support of a civil engineer. We used this opportunity to make sure our build plans were making the very best use of your donations and the funds we had raised. We’ve tweaked the initial plan and have planning permission to undertake a project that will greatly support our high standards of equine welfare. We plan to: Repurpose an existing structure to house the Equine Treatment Centre thus reducing construction costs. Construct an equine rehabilitation barn on the site originally intended for the clinic. Create an isolation barn at the site’s perimeter. This will mean we can provide the very best care for equines needing isolation for medical treatment or observation. We will focus first on building the new barns, then move on to repurposing existing structures into our Equine Treatment Centre. The work cannot start until spring at the earliest, when we hope the ground will have dried out and the machinery will be able to move around the site. We need to make sure our precious paddocks are well looked after while the building work takes place.