Leaping around by morris dancers has raised money to improve wellbeing sessions where children learn how to care for guinea pigs and chickens.
Hurst Morris People have given Wokingham borough charity Just Around the Corner £350 to help pay for a new £15,000 building. It will house the children’s sessions – and the all-important small animals.
Charity co-founder Yvonne Milligan thanked the dancers and added: “The children learn about the animals’ needs and also their own needs and feelings.
“We see the children progressing in confidence and happiness as a result. They’re referred from Wokingham and Bracknell primary schools.
“At the moment the animal enclosures are scattered round our site at Forest Road, Wokingham. The new building will bring them together. The children can then move easily from feeding the chickens and ducks, for instance, to looking after the rabbits.”
Hurst Morris People (HuMP) squire (leader) Karen Ricketts said: “JAC do such good work, we were pleased to make them our 2019 charity.
“We raised the money at our spring barn dance and when we danced at local pubs.”
HuMP, celebrating their 30th birthday, attracted eight people to their morris dancing taster sessions last month.
The group meets on Thursdays at 8pm at Hurst Village Hall, School Road, Hurst RG10 0DR.
HuMP can be contacted via 0776 1222 390 or [email protected].
Details are at www.hump.org.uk and www.facebook.com/hurstmorrison