Rising costs may force horse sanctuary to close

A horse and donkey sanctuary in Warwickshire is facing closure, with the charity that runs it blaming rising costs.

Redwings Oxhill is one of two sanctuaries the charity runs that are temporarily shut while consultations are undertaken on whether to close them permanently.

In a statement on its website, Chief Executive Lynn Cuttress said: "We are now in our fourth year of needing to spend from our financial reserves to balance the budget, but it is simply not sustainable to do so any longer."

She said both Oxhill and its Scottish sanctuary, in Forfar, are earmarked for closure. Almost 40 jobs across the sites are at risk and up to 100 animals would need rehoming to the charity's Norfolk base.

Redwings Oxhill, based between Stratford-upon-Avon and Banbury, has served as a visitor centre for almost 20 years, while Redwings Mountains, as Forfar site is known, was taken over by the charity in 2015.

A consultation on the closures is under way and the decision has been taken that both will stay closed on a temporary basis, until that process is complete.

"We want to be able to continue our vital mission well into the future; being there for the horses currently in our care and for neglected horses when they need us most," said Cuttress.

"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."

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