Redwings Aylsham – Big Characters, Second Chances and a Lifelong Connection
When Jude Palmer was a pony-mad little girl hoping for a pony for her fifth birthday, her mum knew where to turn.
She sponsored Rocky, a little Shetland at Redwings. He would stay in the sanctuary’s care, but Jude could visit him, receive his news and begin getting to know a pony of her own.
For her parents, who knew very little about horses, Redwings offered somewhere welcoming where their daughter could spend time with the animals she loved. What none of them could have anticipated was how far that connection would take her.
Today, Jude is Communications Manager for the whole of Redwings, sharing the stories of its rescued horses, ponies and donkeys.
We sit outside on the café balcony in glorious October sunshine, looking over the paddocks as we talk. Jude remembers the excitement of being the child receiving news from her pony. Now she knows everything that goes into making those happy updates possible.
The job her mum spotted first
Visits to Redwings became part of Jude’s childhood, and her mum began saying she could imagine her working there one day.
When Jude was about 13, her mum spotted an advert in the Eastern Daily Press for a communications officer. The role involved photographs and stories for the adoption scheme. She knew it was perfect for Jude—thought she could have done it even then, had she not still been at school—and cut out the advert to keep.
Years later, Jude interned with Redwings’ fundraising and communications teams during university. Then, with about a month of her final year remaining, a communications role was advertised.
She applied. Two days after her final exam, she started work.
Nearly ten years later, she is still there.
“There’s still that pony-mad little girl inside me,” she says.
Her involvement goes beyond communications. Trained to drive a horsebox, she can help when an animal needs moving and is on emergency call lists when the horse hospital needs extra hands.
It isn’t the usual addition to a communications manager’s role, but Jude’s approach is straightforward. “You muck in where needed.”
Small ponies, considerable personalities
Spending time with the residents also means getting to know their ways.
The Gangsters, a group of cheeky miniature Shetlands, seem to have been named with good reason. They now have girlfriends, too, adding another chapter to the lives of these small ponies with considerable personalities.
The donkeys’ enthusiasm for company, meanwhile, can turn taking a simple photograph into a gentle game of trying to get far enough away.
Jude steps back to fit those splendid long ears into the frame. The donkeys come closer to say hello. You can almost picture the conversation: Jude explaining that she needs the whole donkey, ears included; the donkeys wondering why she keeps moving away when they are being so friendly.
Aylsham is also home to two Shire horses, Holly Blue and Papillon. Papillon loves nothing more than a good scratch, and Jude knows exactly where to find the right spot. Watching this gentle giant lean into her attention, it is lovely to see how well they know each other.
The paddock boards tell visitors how the residents came to Redwings. Jude’s stories reveal the relationships that develop afterwards—sometimes before an animal even has a name.
“Pick Pickle, pick Pickle!”
Jude was there when a young pony arrived, poorly and with a painful eye injury.
Asked to photograph her condition, she began calling the unnamed newcomer “little pickle”. Nicola, one of the vets, warned her that the name was going to stick.
It did.
The veterinary team decided to remove Pickle’s injured eye to relieve her pain and help her recover. Even if they could save the eye, they were unlikely to save her sight. She also needed intensive care for problems caused by parasites.
Today, Pickle is friendly, loves people and has adapted to life with one eye.
When the team was choosing another pony for the adoption scheme, Jude knew who she wanted. “Pick Pickle, pick Pickle!”
She knew the public would love her as much as she did.
They do. Pickle is now an Adoption Star, with supporters following her news. For Jude, who remembers the poorly little pony arriving, seeing her enjoying life here is one of the rewards of the work.
Behind the contented paddocks
“We aim to be a place of sanctuary for the horses, but I think we are for people too,” Jude says.
Looking over these beautiful surroundings, I understand what she means. What is less immediately visible is the work and dedication that have made this contented scene possible.
Redwings has its own horse hospital, operating theatre and veterinary team. Jude has accompanied rescues, seen frightened and sick animals arrive, and followed their progress through treatment into a more settled life.
For all the charity’s scale, the care remains individual.
One pony will take medication in a banana. Another needs a jam sandwich. The teams know each animal well enough to know what works.
I particularly love that detail. Alongside the veterinary expertise is the everyday understanding of an animal’s preferences, habits and particular needs.
All of this needs funding.
As Jude explains, the transformation from a neglected animal to a contented resident is made possible by people’s kindness. Donations help pay for veterinary treatment, food and daily care.
Entry is free, allowing people to enjoy the sanctuary without buying a ticket. But donations are essential to the work that makes that welcome possible. If you can give when you visit, it is a practical way to help. Purchases in the café and gift shop support the residents, too.
The stories that stay with you
Not every rescue has the ending everyone hopes for.
Jude remembers Phoenix, a foal badly injured in an arson attack, who died during surgery despite the team’s efforts. Telling supporters was heartbreaking.
One person wrote that if love could have saved him, he would have lived forever. The message reduced the office to tears; the kindness of supporters stayed with Jude.
She also remembers Willow, who lived to 46. BBC Radio Norfolk listeners once put together a birthday playlist, which the team duly played to her. Losing a pony who had been part of daily life for so long was still painful.
These residents become dear to people. Sharing their stories means communicating the difficult moments, but also celebrating the joyful—and occasionally unexpected—ones.
When donkey socks went international
An email from Arsenal Football Club offering footless socks initially prompted some puzzled looks.
They proved useful for protecting donkeys’ legs from biting flies. Jude took photographs, and a practical solution became an international good-news story.
The Washington Post covered it. Before long, she was talking to journalists in America about donkeys wearing football socks.
“You never know where your day may take you,” she says.
There is obvious delight in her telling of it. Alongside the demanding work come moments nobody could reasonably have planned. An unexpected gift from Arsenal helped protect the donkeys’ legs from biting flies—and brought international attention to Redwings.
A friendship to follow, whatever your age
The adoption scheme offers a closer connection with a horse, pony or donkey who stays in Redwings’ care.
Adopters receive photographs, news and invitations to birthday celebrations. Jude describes the pleasure of getting a letter from your pony among the bills that land on your doormat.
Her colleague Katie helps the horses, ponies and donkeys write their updates, since hooves present certain practical difficulties when using a keyboard.
It makes a thoughtful gift for someone who loves animals and is difficult to buy for: a friendship to follow, rather than another thing to find room for.
Children enjoy it, but adults sponsor for themselves and give adoptions as presents, too. There’s no age limit on falling in love with an animal.
When my son was just four, we sponsored the Gangsters. Their news became something to read together, and visits gave us familiar ponies to find. We still put the photo we were sent of the Gangsters in the snow out every Christmas.
Returning brings back those memories. As I tell Jude, it isn’t just the sunshine making me feel warm.
Aylsham, and reasons to return
“You don’t need to know about horses to come to Redwings,” Jude says.
You can take a shorter wander near the visitor centre, explore the paddocks and two wildlife ponds, or stop for coffee. Dogs on leads are welcome, and Red’s Shed has undercover activities for younger children.
Birthday celebrations and seasonal trails, including the autumn Pony Pumpkin Hunt, offer fresh reasons to visit; the website has current details.
Winter brings its own attraction. The Shetlands become so wonderfully fluffy that their little legs barely seem to emerge beneath their coats. It is an excellent argument for putting on your own coat and coming for a walk.
Jude appreciates Aylsham’s location: close to Norwich for a countryside escape and a natural stop on the way to or from the north Norfolk coast.
Having grown up in Norfolk, left for a while and returned, she finds that seeing visitors appreciate the county reminds her how fortunate those living here are.
She also values the familiarity of small towns: recognising people in shops, knowing neighbours and feeling connected. “People need people,” she says.
Supporting the places that make a town special matters to her. A visit here can sit happily alongside browsing Aylsham’s independent shops or something to eat in town.
By the time our conversation ends, the paddocks beyond the balcony feel more familiar. I know more about the animals, the people caring for them and what makes this welcome possible.
You might arrive wanting fresh air and leave knowing a pony’s story—or understanding why Papillon is so fond of a scratch.
For Jude, that connection began with Rocky.
There is every chance you will find a favourite of your own.
Visit Redwings Aylsham
Spa Lane, Aylsham, Norfolk, NR11 6UE Tel: 01508 505246 Website: Click here to find out more about Redwings Aylsham Follow: Facebook / Instagram
Entry and on-site parking are free. Dogs on leads are welcome. Check the website for current visiting information and events.
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