An animal charity on the Beara Peninsula credits volunteer farm workers for keeping their organisation running.
BY HELEN RIDDELL
Jacquie and Alan Young operate the Beara Farm Animal Sanctuary in Adrigole.
The couple initially helped a neighbour to care for some orphaned lambs, then took in two kid goats.
Jacquie said people soon started contacting them when they heard of a farm animal in need.
The couple currently have around 100 animals, and are now a registered charity.
A friend first mentioned Workaway to Jacquie, as a way to help with the workload involved in caring for the animals.
‘The winter months can be difficult here, we’re both getting on and it’s a huge amount of work, with feeding the animals, changing their bedding and general maintenance around the sanctuary,’ she explained.
Ann with Peggy the pig.
Workaway is a global organisation and connects travellers with hosts who offer accommodation and food in exchange for a few hours of help per day.
Volunteers help with a variety of tasks at the sanctuary from feeding and grooming to mucking out and maintaining the animals’ shelters.
Overall their Workaway experience has been very positive says Jacquie, with just the odd hiccup.
‘We do specify on our profile that we have lots of farm animals on the site, along with dogs and cats in the house,’ she said.
‘One lady who arrived did get a bit of a shock, I think it was the sheer number of animals. We’re used to it, but when someone walks through the gates the pigs, goats and the donkeys might all be wandering around the drive and it can be overwhelming to walk into that.’
Jacquie and Alan help their volunteers adjust to the working day at the sanctuary.
‘Most have never had contact with farm animals, feeding time is full on, but we ease people into it until they’re comfortable,’ Jacquie continued.
‘We enjoy having people to come and stay, it’s not all about work, we do make sure they get to see the area and enjoy their time here.”’
A previous volunteer set up an app where all the day-to-day tasks are listed, along with the animals, their names and feeding routines and habits, which is now available for all new volunteers.
Many of the sanctuary’s volunteers return and those spending time at the sanctuary also find it helps them with life issues says Jacquie.
‘We are not counsellors, but some people do come here to work through certain issues they’re facing.
‘One man who came was just living to work, he was like a tight ball when he arrived. I could see him unwinding when he was here, working with animals, they don’t judge you. He returned to us twice, he’d changed his attitude to work and is a completely different person, he said coming here showed him a different way of living.’
Eve with goats Kat, Kandy, Pippy and Dippy.
Two volunteer workers currently with the sanctuary are Eve from the UK and Ann from Germany.
Eve’s first visit was in 2024 and she is now back to help again until August. She explained: ‘I wanted to do some volunteer work and joined Workaway as they are very well established. I’ve really enjoy it here and how Jacquie and Alan are helping these animals and glad I could come back again.’
Ann has been with the animal sanctuary since February and says she felt at home from the minute she arrived.
‘I love the animals, I love working outside and I really enjoy the area, everyone is so friendly.’
Offering advice to others thinking of hosting volunteer workers, Jacquie is adamant that volunteers should not be looked on as a means for free labour.
‘Volunteers come for an experience, the more you interact and make that experience pleasant the more you both get out of it, we feel our volunteers are part of the family.’
