Two donkeys were special guests at a 60-strong family reading event at a library in mid Wales last month.
Mosses and Joey, who are part of a therapeutic herd of 12 Donkeys from Dyfi Donkey Equine Assisted Learning and Wellbeing Centre, took part in the Reading Well for Families event at Machynlleth Library on Wednesday 18 February.
The Machynlleth library team, working with Dyfi Donkeys and the Coed Lleol and Awyr Iach projects, organised the event for expecting parents and those with young children to introduce the Reading Well for Families range of books.
Attendees enjoyed a buggy walk from the library led by Jenny Dingle and Elin Vaughan Crowley of Awyr Iach which visited local places of interest such as the leisure centre and community hub where people went to the extensive baby bank as well as the food surplus project, before returning to the library for story time with a twist.
“We had a small interactive pen outside the library building where members of the public, both young and old, could enter and have a brief immersive experience with Mosses and Joey,” explained Louise Peeters from Dyfi Donkeys EAL and Wellbeing Centre.
“For 1pm story time Mosses was invited into the library to listen with the children to a bilingual reading with actions of “We are going on a Bear Hunt”. We nearly got eaten by the bear as Mosses insisted on stopping to eat the long grass on the way back instead of swishing and swashing as quickly as possible away from the bear!
“This was the second time we have attended an event at the library. The last was to promote the 100th anniversary of the town clock, but this was there first time one of the donkeys went into the library.
“Both are used to indoor visits as they regularly visit residential homes for the elderly in the area, and Mosses has annual church visits at Easter and Christmas.”
Mosses, who is 27, and Joey, who is 25, are former beach donkeys who now spend their time improving people’s well-being through Dyfi Donkeys’ immersive donkey experiences for physical health, mental wellbeing and fun.
“The library was full and buzzing, it was wonderful to have Dyfi Donkeys join us for story time inside. We had lots of new members joining the library and so many happy children and adults,” said Tegwen Brickley from Machynlleth Library.
“We are delighted to strengthen the links between the library and local organisations. Even just in the planning of it this event has already led to the revival of the dormant Machynlleth buggy walks and requests for more donkey story times. We look forward to more collaborations.”
For more information about Dyfi Donkeys and their work, click here.
Image © Machynlleth Library.
