My name is Sue and I run a Care Farm in Thurston. We recently jad a wash station installed but we dont have access to electricity so we need some other way of heating the water rather than having cold water. This will help not just the volunteers but also any visitors, this includes children and people of all ages and disabilities.

Please read our Facebook Post below ...

I know some people will think… “it’s only a sink.”

But for us… it really isn’t.

For years, every bowl, every scoop, every water bucket has been washed outside.

On the ground.

In freezing water.

In rain, frost, wind and everything in between.

Bent backs.

Frozen fingers.

Achy knees.

And we just… carried on.

Because that’s what you do when you care about the animals.

But over the past few weeks, something quietly wonderful has happened.

Our incredible volunteers, Karen and Jim — with Patrick lending a hand — have built us a proper indoor wash area. Walls around us. A solid surface. A real sink. Running water.

It might not look like much to the outside world.

But to us, it feels like being looked after.

And the part that truly got me?

Brenda. Our lovely, brave Brenda. 85 years young. Still turning up. Still giving her time. Still caring.

She can now stand comfortably and clean feed bowls without kneeling on cold ground or battling the weather. She can organise, scrub and chat without shivering.

That alone makes every bit of effort worth it.

This little wash area represents something bigger.

It represents progress.

Kindness.

Community.

People quietly making life easier for one another.

For the first time in a long time, I feel a little less worried. A little less stretched. A little less “how are we going to manage this?”

We’re not finished yet though.

At the moment, it’s cold water only. And after years of icy hands, hot water would feel like absolute luxury.

We need a small generator or water heating setup to make that happen. Nothing fancy. Just enough to take the sting out of winter.

If anyone would like to help us take that final step — whether that’s advice, equipment, or contributing towards a small hot water system — we would be so incredibly grateful.

Because sometimes…

it isn’t just a sink.

It’s comfort.

It’s dignity.

It’s caring for the people who care for the animals.

Thank you so much guys!

Community at its best ❤️