Service of thanksgiving for Donkey Sanctuary founder

Life and work of Dr Elisabeth Svendsen MBE to be commemorated on Friday.

A service of thanksgiving will be held on Friday (July 1) in memory of Dr Elisabeth Svendsen MBE, founder of The Donkey Sanctuary.

The 11am service, at the sanctuary, will celebrate Dr Svendsen’s life and work and provide an opportunity for supporters and staff of The Donkey Sanctuary and its connected charity, The Elisabeth Svendsen Trust (EST), to commemorate her lifetime love of donkeys and her compassion for abused, abandoned and neglected donkeys and mules around the world.

It will be led by The Donkey Sanctuary’s Chaplain, Reverend Angie Gammon, and will include tributes from David Cook, Chief Executive of The Donkey Sanctuary, John Akers, Chief Executive of EST and a family tribute by Dr Svendsen’s son, Paul, Director of Care and Welfare.

There will be a photo exhibition of Dr Svendsen and her work, and a dedicated DVD playing in the video room for people to view.

Dr Svendsen died peacefully on Wednesday, May 11, after a stroke, with family and her lifelong friend June Evers by her bedside. She was 81 years old.