Our Annual Report and Accounts

Our Public Benefit Statement

The Mare and Foal Sanctuary’s vision is a world where we all understand and appreciate the connection between horses, ponies, people, and nature. Our ambition is to lead the equine community in new thinking and better practice.

The Board of Trustees confirm that The Mare and Foal Sanctuary’s aims and objectives align with the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit. The Trustees regularly review these aims and objectives for both current and future activities to ensure our public benefit can be demonstrated through charitable purposes as defined by The Charities Act 2011.

We support the advancement of animal welfare:

•  By rescuing and rehabilitating horses and ponies that have been abandoned, neglected, or abused. We also ensure that horses and ponies have a sanctuary for life. This offers indirect public benefit through improving the welfare of horses and ponies on behalf of the general public and direct benefit through the support of private owners or people considering becoming owners of equines and to carers in our rehoming scheme.
• By focussing our rescue work in the South West but playing our part nationally. We are members of the National Equine Welfare Council and collaborate locally and nationally with the RSPCA and other animal welfare agencies. This gives direct public benefit through support of private owners.
• By giving non-judgemental advice and no-shame support to any horse or pony carer through our Welfare Outreach and Advice team, in person and through an advice helpline staffed by this team. This support brings about positive welfare interventions which brings direct public benefit through support of members of the public who raise welfare concerns, private owners, and carers in the rehoming scheme.
• By providing equine advice, support and welfare education to prevent welfare issues in the future. This offers direct and indirect public benefit through education and sharing of robust, evidence-based practices.
• By campaigning and advocating for improved equine welfare to influence legislation and generate public awareness. This gives indirect public benefit through education and influencing welfare policy change.

We provide relief of those in need, by reason of youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial or other disadvantage:

• By providing human-equine interactions through Equine Assisted Services with our rescued horses and ponies. The direct public benefit is offered through the provision of human-equine interactions.
• By providing access to nature and the countryside through outdoor learning at our sites. The direct public benefit is access to the countryside which supports opportunities for biophilia, relief of distress and enhanced recovery from physical and mental ill health.
• By supporting the development of life skills in particular communication skills and relational skills. This gives a direct public benefit through provision of human-equine interactions and participants transferring these communication and relational skills into their day-to-day interactions with others.

This statement was last updated August 2024.