Donkey Derby raises £3,500 for local causes

WESTBURY Lions Club Donkey Derby made a triumphant return to Westbury following a two-year break, with the popular event seeing hundreds of people take the trip to the White Horse Country Park on Sunday 12th June. Along with the entertainment, £3,500 was raised on the day to help the Lions support local causes. 

The event, which was sponsored by Daykin Estates, featured donkey races, with local children being able to have a go at being a jockey. Bets were placed on the busy tote. In between the donkey races, entertainment for families included donkey rides, fun fair rides, a circus, dance performances, stalls, family games, refreshments and face painting. 

Westbury Lions President, Tracy Sheppard said, “Roughly 850 people came down to see the donkeys and we managed to raise £3,500 on the day for local causes, which is just brilliant! It looked like the children had a fabulous time with all the entertainment on offer. We saw lots of painted faces and smiles and the jockeys themselves were brilliant; they really looked professional! 

“A big thank you to everyone that attended – thank you to the stall holders for supporting what the Lions do, and a big thank you to Daykin Estates for sponsoring the event, as well as Richard and his crew for providing and looking after the beautiful donkeys. 

“We would also like to thank the Westbury mayor, cllr Sheila Kimmins, for popping along and having a chat with everybody. Thank you as well to Infinity Dance for their brilliant performances in between the races, and Wellings fun fair and Clare’s Circus who did a brilliant job entertaining the children. 

“Our next big event is the Westbury Lions Family Fun Dog Show on Sunday 17th July, so please do keep an eye on our Facebook for more details.” 

The Westbury Lions can be found on Facebook by searching ‘Westbury Lions Club’ or you can visit their website at www.westburylions.org.uk