It all began sixty years ago with a donkey called Maudie. She was the first of hundreds of equines to be saved from slaughter and destitution in the lifetime of our founder, Olive Lomas.

​

Originally working as the Animal Welfare Liaison Network, Olive acquired Redshell Farm, Oswaldtwistle, in 1994. A year later, the script-writer of one of the best-loved television series of all time agreed to let her use the title, and her charity became Only Foals and Horses Sanctuary. It was apt because Olive’s preference was to save mares in foal, or with foals at foot.

​

Until her death aged 86 in 2013, she raised hundreds of thousands of pounds’ worth of donations and legacies just by telling people what she had witnessed at auctions, and through her letters and petitions. She would be thrilled by the powerful outreach of today’s technology.

​

With our dedicated Staff, volunteers and your donations, we are able to continue in her memory, by taking in equines in need and give them the life they deserve.
A life of love and care.