COMEDIAN Josh Widdicombe, broadcaster Angela Rippon and actor John Nettles are among the well-known names congratulating The Mare and Foal Sanctuary as the charity prepares to open a major new welfare and education centre in South Devon.
The Rosemary Kind Barn at Coombe Park, near Littlehempston, will officially open on Wednesday, September 30, marking a major milestone for the Devon-based charity, which was founded in 1988.
The purpose-built centre includes 13 stables for rescued horses and ponies with complex needs, as well as facilities for specialist care, education and community work.
It replaces the site's former American Barn, which was demolished in 2020 after subsidence made it unsafe, and the temporary stabling used since.
Among the first residents is Inula, a draught cross rescued in 2019 as part of a multi-agency operation involving more than 100 horses.
She arrived underweight and malnourished, with life-threatening liver problems. X-rays also revealed an air gun pellet embedded in her foot.
She is joined by Iris, a Shetland cross born at the Sanctuary in 2011.
Iris lives with equine metabolic syndrome and has suffered from laminitis, while her mother, Matilda, now 34, has chronic dental problems requiring ongoing care.
The new building honours founder Rosemary Kind, whose belief was that every horse should have safety, dignity and the opportunity for a good life.
The Sanctuary is now the South West's largest horse welfare charity, caring for around 550 horses, ponies and foals across four Devon sites.
It also runs therapeutic equine-assisted programmes designed to support the wellbeing of children, young people and adults, helping participants build confidence, resilience and life skills.
Rhodri Samuel, the charity's chief executive, said the new centre brought together its work supporting both animals and people.
‘Seeing the horses settled in a place built around their needs is a proud moment for everyone here’, he said. ‘It's the foundation for decades of care and wellbeing to come’.
Ahead of the opening, supporters including Widdicombe, Rippon and Nettles have sent messages praising the charity's work.
Widdicombe, who is from Devon, said the horses and ponies were important to both the region's landscape and its people, adding that the new facility would provide a place where animals could be cared for while helping people ‘find peace and connection’.
Rippon, a patron since 2018, said she had a ‘very personal connection’ to the charity and praised the care given to animals arriving after difficult experiences.
‘The Rosemary Kind Barn represents an important new chapter’, she said, adding that it would strengthen the charity's ability to care for animals while supporting its education and wellbeing work.
Nettles, a patron since 2014, said the centre would make a ‘real difference’ to the lives of horses, ponies and foals in need.
Construction began in 2020, with the first phase completed in spring 2025. Local contractor MW Benney Ltd began the second phase in January 2026, completing the work in July.
More than 1,200 supporters contributed to the initial fundraising appeal, with further donations helping fund a tack room and Crowdfunder campaign.
The official opening on September 30 will be attended by invited guests.
The Sanctuary will not be open to the public that day, but guided tours of the new centre can be booked through the charity's website - www.mareandfoal.org
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