Everybody needs good neigh-bours

We have donated time and materials to help a horse and pony sanctuary that was hit by flooding in the aftermath of Storm Henk.

We provided 20 tonnes of aggregate from our MQP Cliffe Hill quarry in Bardon Hill, Leicestershire, to support The Next Chapter, located about 15 miles away.

Volunteers from our Syston customer service centre then used the material to resurface the car park and create a safe standing area for volunteers and visitors to the centre. 

Customer Excellence Agent Sophie Cheslyn, who was among the volunteers, also raised £290 towards horse feed and vet bills and donated some horse blankets to the charity.

Kate Pizer, Revenue and Logistics Performance Manager, who led the project, saw a Facebook post about horses stranded up to their neck in water after the River Soar burst its banks.

“There weren’t just horses, there were foals too, which made it even more desperate,” she said.

“A campaign was started to rescue them and, thankfully, all but one survived.

“I then saw a post from the centre about a black and white foal they had saved, which they’ve named Noah, who was near death’s door, and they were asking for help with vet costs.

“They were also in need of some stone for their yard, so I put in a request at work, which was agreed. The centre was over the moon we were able to help.”

The Next Chapter Rescue and Rehoming Centre is a not-for-profit charitable trust that relies on donations to help, rehabilitate and rehome horses and ponies that have been neglected, abused or no longer cared for.

Kate, who has a passion for horses and used to ride with her daughter, added: “As an animal lover, I saw the charity’s plight in trying to rescue these horses and the need at their yard. 

“I was overwhelmed by the number of people who wanted to help. By giving them the granite stone and laying it for them, we have been able to help the centre and its volunteers continue all the fantastic work that they do.”