Wonky Donkey Cafe, near Whitland, celebrates second birthday
Following on from the success of the inclusive café - where visitors welcomed include schoolchildren, senior citizens and the disabled, together with groups from homes, mental health organisations - projects in the pipeline under the Wonky Donkey umbrella include a teenagers' mental health area and a community garden.
And there is also an appeal for volunteers to help with the day-to-day running of the project – whether it's helping in the café, pottering in the garden or looking after the animals.
Anyone who would like to lend a hand can contact the Wonky Donkey Cafe, Community Farm and Sanctuary via Facebook.
Emma and James are always pleased to welcome volunteers to help in their sanctuary, cafe and farm. (Image: Wonky Donkey)
One happy visitor summed up the ethos of the project when she commented on Facebook: "Such a lovely place where you are made to feel welcome.
"Emma and James have worked and continue to work so hard to provide an inclusive space for people to visit. They deserve this project to succeed and I'm sure it will."
The Lloyd family moved to Llwyngwyddel Farm, between Lampeter Velfrey and Whitland in 2019. 'As soon as we began introducing our very first animals to the farm, we began to see just how much they were giving to Ioan,' explained Emma.
'The therapy that animals can provide is considerable. Because of Ioan's cerebral palsy, we understood only too well just how overwhelming busy places can be. But we also began to understand how beneficial interacting with animals can be, too.
Thesanctuary's goats get up to plenty of antics. (Image: Wonky Donkey)
"Many may find it difficult to talk to other people, yet they can offload to an animal in a totally natural way and get a wonderful sense of release.'
Emma and her family's animal sanctuary at Llwyngwyddel cares for rescued livestock including donkeys, goats, pigs, sheep, ponies and chickens.
She added: ' It's been five years of hard work but we are so proud of what we've finally achieved and being recognised by people wanting to use our service.
'It's never been about money, it's always been about providing a home to those animals that might be a little bit wonky and those animals engaging with our wonderful community.
Everyone loves a donkey, wonky or otherwise! (Image: Wonky Donkey)
'Having Ioan, our son with cerebral palsy, it was the dream from the start to have a place for disabled people to go without the crowds and strange looks and we really feel that this is what we are now achieving.
"We questioned if we would ever get there but we made it and this is only the beginning."
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