The work off the equine charity The Donkey Sanctuary has been highlighted to a wider audience thanks to BBC Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time, with an unexpected guest joining proceedings to the delight of the audience.
A live recording of the popular show at the Sidmouth sanctuary involved panellists Anne Swithinbank, Pippa Greenwood and Matthew Pottage, as well as an audience of around 150 gardening enthusiasts.
It was hosted by Peter Gibbs who set the scene for listeners by describing The Donkey Sanctuary’s location and setting in Devon, before going on to explain the global reach of the charity.
The longstanding radio programme is recorded in a different location every week and each show attracts around two million listeners, providing the perfect opportunity to introduce The Donkey Sanctuary to a new audience on national radio.
Conundrums and kiwis
“It’s just such a lovely, quiet, peaceful spot, great horticulture, which of course is the reason we’re here,” said programme host Peter Gibbs ahead of the recording.
“I’ve only seen one or two donkeys so far, so I have to put that right and actually go and get up close and personal with a donkey or two.”
The audience provided a wide range of horticultural conundrums and some even came prepared with examples to back up their questions, the most unusual being some locally grown kiwi fruit.
A feline fan
There was an unexpected twist in proceedings, which brought a ripple of laughter to the audience, when the resident sanctuary cat made a brief appearance on stage alongside the panellists.
Grey moggy Beau was not one to be left out of the limelight, but he was soon escorted somewhere quieter by a member of staff, leaving no further interruptions.
During the evening, two programmes were recorded at the sanctuary, the first was transmitted on Friday 28 August, and the second will be broadcast on Friday 25 September. The original broadcast is on Fridays at 3pm, then repeated on Sundays at 2pm. People can also catch up with the episodes on the BBC Sounds platform.
The Donkey Sanctuary is open every day and is free to visit. Alongside a couple of hundred resident donkeys, the sanctuary’s small team of dedicated gardeners look after the landscaped gardens for visitors to enjoy. The sanctuary also has its own award-winning RHS Chelsea Flower Show Garden, which was relocated to East Devon in 2019.
Among those who were in the audience for the show’s recording last week was The Donkey Sanctuary’s Head Gardener Morley Martin.
“To have Gardener’s Question Time at The Donkey Sanctuary is quite a thing, it’s a real feather in our cap,” he added.
