Redwings to consult on visitor centre closures
More than 100 horses and donkeys would need to be relocated to the charity's Norfolk site.
Redwings Horse Sanctuary has begun a consultation on the potential closure of two of its visitor centres.
The centres, Redwings Mountains in Angus and Redwings Oxhill in Warwickshire, could close their doors as a result of rising costs. The charity says it is ‘simply not sustainable’ to keep funding the centres from its financial reserves.
The consultation is expected to take at least a month, with 39 roles across the two centres put at risk.
Redwings Oxhill has operated as a visitor centre for almost twenty years. Meanwhile Redwings Mountains, based in Forfar, Angus, became part of Redwings as part of a merger in 2015.
For the duration of the consultation period, both centres are temporarily closed to visitors.
If the centres are permanently closed, more than 100 rescued horses and donkeys would need to be relocated to the charity’s Norfolk sites. Those who sponsor a horse or donkey will receive new information in due course.
Lynn Cutress, charity chief executive, said: “Our loyal supporters have been and continue to be incredibly generous, but with rising costs that are beyond our control, it is essential that we act now to ensure that we are using their donations most effectively and are investing in activities which will have the greatest impact for the horses in our care and the welfare of those beyond our paddock fences.
“We are now in our fourth year of needing to spend from our financial reserves to balance the budget and continue to provide excellent care for our horses, but it is simply not sustainable to do so any longer. We need to immediately reduce our operating costs, and these sites have been selected for consideration due to their high running costs.
“Rest assured we have not made these proposals lightly, this is an incredibly sad and painful time for us and not something I ever wanted to see during my time at Redwings, but it is essential that we explore every avenue to ensure we can safeguard the wellbeing and future of the 1000+ horses in our care.”
Image © Redwings Horse Sanctuary
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