Queen Charlotte residents love donkeys visit

West Hill Donkeys are popular with children on Weymouth beach, but a visit to Queen Charlotte Care Home showed they are just as big a hit with the older generation.

Melanie Llewellyn took her award-winning donkeys Annie and Dainty along for a festive visit and confessed that the reaction of residents “gave me goosebumps”.

She said: “One resident who has dementia and is normally non-verbal, suddenly came to life and had a full-blown conversation with the donkeys as he was stroking them.

“It is such a two-way relationship. The residents connect with the donkeys and they connect with them. It is amazing to see.”

Claire Sheppard, head of activities at Queen Charlotte, echoed the words of Melanie.

“There is certainly a magical connection. We love inviting the donkeys to Queen Charlotte,” she said.