Popular family destination Hayling Island Donkey Sanctuary set for spooky theme as it opens to guests over Halloween weekend

SPOOKY season is in full swing for rescued and retired donkeys looking forward to seeing visitors at their sanctuary.
Hayling Island Donkey Sanctuary is set to open for visitors over Halloween weekend. Pictured with volunteer Phill Upshall are retired beach donkeys Ollie and Rusty waiting for some tasty pumpkinHayling Island Donkey Sanctuary is set to open for visitors over Halloween weekend. Pictured with volunteer Phill Upshall are retired beach donkeys Ollie and Rusty waiting for some tasty pumpkin
Hayling Island Donkey Sanctuary is set to open for visitors over Halloween weekend. Pictured with volunteer Phill Upshall are retired beach donkeys Ollie and Rusty waiting for some tasty pumpkin

Halloween weekend will see Hayling Island Donkey Sanctuary decked out with pumpkins, decorations and more as guests visit to spend time with the happy creatures.

There are visiting spaces available across the weekend and the centre will be open despite the grim weather.

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Volunteer Phill Upshall said: ‘The donkeys and volunteers at the Hayling Island Donkey Sanctuary are getting into the Halloween spirit. The sanctuary is open for visitors this weekend for some family donkey magic.’

Visitors are encouraged to dress up in their best Halloween costumes for their trip to the sanctuary and show off their scariest looks.

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There are bookable time slots to ensure limited vistor numbers, with slots on Saturday and Sunday at 10.30am, 12.30pm and 2.30pm which can be arranged by calling 07720 204685 during office hours.

The centre has continued to care for the donkeys throughout lockdown, despite struggling for funds when they had to close for months due to the pandemic before reopening to guests in August.

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Volunteers rely on the kindness of supporters to provide the food and necessary items for the animals in their care.

There is no entrance fee to visit the sanctuary, however, any profits from sale of products or donations given by generous guests will go towards caring for the donkeys.

For more information about the sanctuary, or to make an online donation, visit haylingdonkeys.co.uk and keep up with their antics on Facebook.

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