Redwings' Harry Potter

Harry and Frodo (www.redwings.org.uk)

I'm feeling slightly heartbroken. I've just found out, the gorgeous black shetland pony, named Harry Potter, has died. Harry was one of the adoption ponies living at the Ada Cole Rescue Center, run by Redwings Horse Sanctuary.

I've had Harry on adoption for several years, ever since my old neighbor Vanda brought a year's sponsorship as a birthday present in the early 2000s (the earliest certificate I can find is from 2008). Even after she moved away, she kept renewing my adoption. I used to pour over the letter 'Harry' sent, and I had every picture that came with them bluetacked to my wall. 

When we held jumble-sales and fundraisers at Brownies, I somehow always convinced them to have the money raised by the group I was in be sent to Redwings. I remember doing a sponsored silence and raising £70, and then sending that money to Redwings, I even got a little rosette back in the post.

News Screenshot  (www.redwings.org.uk)

I was originally checking their website for another project I was about to work on, a medallion run to celebrate 30 years of Redwings, but I then spied a news story about Harry (29th May 2014). I've decided to put the medallion on hold for a while, and try to raise some money for Harry's Memorial Fund. I'm going to draw a portrait of Harry, and release a print run, with all the profit going to Redwings. I'll then consider auctioning off the original drawing, or gifting it to Redwings, who could then auction it off themselves (larger audience, more chance of a higher bidder). We shall see soon enough I guess.

I'm going to email Redwings to check it's okay for me to use one of their photographs of him, and I'll give you guys an update once I get a reply.

If you would like to find out more about Redwings Horse Sanctuary, or adopt your own pony-in-need, see www.redwings.org.uk