Christmas at the Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary

24 October 2024

Celebrating the festive season with the Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary

Festive Weekend - cancelled

Unfortunately we’ve had to make the tough decision to cancel our Festive Weekend planned for 14 and 15 December. We are so disappointed to have to cancel another event, but we’re planning to make up for it in 2025!

We’ll still be open 10am to 4.30pm next weekend Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 December. Please do come along and support the sanctuary. All of us; donkeys, ponies and people alike would love to see you.

Thank you for your understanding and support.

 

Companionship on Christmas Day


Our café will be open 10am to 12pm, Wednesday 25 December for tea, coffee and mince pies. Please come and join us for a chat and companionship on Christmas morning. The sanctuary itself will not be open, so there will be no access to our donkeys.


Christmas and New Year 2024 opening times


Please note we will be closed to visitors on 25, 26, 27 December 2024 and 1, 2, 3 January 2025. We will be closing at 3pm on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve to give our teams some more time with family and friends.

 


Christmas gifts from the Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary


We have a range of delightful gifts to choose from plus buying from us means you’ll be supporting our donkeys at the same time.

We have some lovely things in our online shop, plus don’t forget our gifts that are unique to the sanctuary:

  • A gift voucher for our Donkey Experience
    An unforgettable 2 hours spent with our staff and donkeys. Perfect for animal lovers who really want to get a good understanding of how we care for our animals and join our team to help out. This is a unique gift that will create long lasting memories.


  • Adopt a Donkey – Adopt one of our lovely donkeys and receive an adoption pack including regular updates and photos. It’s the perfect way to support our sanctuary and bring a smile to someone’s face on Christmas Day.



Donkey in the photo: Hovis.

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If you’re an HR professional looking to reconnect with the people side of your role, this is a wonderful opportunity to join our compassionate, values led team. At the Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary everything we do is guided by a clear purpose: providing refuge, new beginnings and exceptional care for donkeys and other equines in need. We’re looking for someone who values collaboration and who brings warmth and integrity to their work. You’ll be excited by the opportunity to combine your HR expertise with building meaningful relationships across the sanctuary. By supporting our team of staff and volunteers you’ll be making a lasting difference for both people and animals. What you’ll be doing Build positive relationships with staff and volunteers, providing a warm, approachable first point of contact for people-related support and guidance Support the recruitment and onboarding, helping create a welcoming and engaging experience for new team members and volunteers from first contact onwards Coordinate meaningful inductions, training, and development opportunities that help people feel confident, connected, and set up for success Help foster a positive, values-led culture by supporting wellbeing, performance conversations, and people experiences across the organisation Work collaboratively with managers to ensure people processes are delivered smoothly, fairly, and with integrity Key Skills & Experience Level 3 CIPD qualification (minimum) Experience in HR administration and recruitment for a similar size organisation Strong organisational and time management skills Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities Knowledge of HR systems and employment compliance Ability to handle confidential information with discretion Why work with us? At the Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary, every day is a chance to make a difference — for our animals, our visitors, and our community. You’ll join a friendly, supportive team where kindness, connection, and care are at the heart of everything we do. Whether you’re helping someone settle into a new role, supporting colleagues, encouraging volunteer engagement, or building strong relationships across the organisation — your role will offer the chance to reconnect with the people side of HR while contributing to our vision of being a centre of excellence in donkey welfare. If this role is for you please apply on Isle of Wight Jobs .
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