Derbyshire Shire Horse Association hands over donation to palliative care unit

Derbyshire Shire Horse Association has presented £500 to the Nightingale Macmillan Unit, a specialist palliative care unit at the Royal Derby Hospital, following the group’s annual open day.

The money was raised from admission fees, raffle tickets, a tombola and sponsorship from local companies – and was handed over during a ceremony at Croots Farm Shop.

Staged at Farnah House Farm, just outside Duffield, and the home of Croots Farm Shop, the show is an annual event which attracts pedigree Shire horses from across Derbyshire, Cheshire and Staffordshire. 

“We have held our annual event at Farnah House Farm for several years and plan to hold it there again on the first Sunday of next August. We are delighted to have raised £500 for the Nightingale Macmillan Unit,” said Sheila Shardlow, treasurer of the Derbyshire Shire Horse Association.

Approximately 30 Shire horses took part in the show, dressed in all their finery – attracting crowds of visitors.

Farnah House Farm is the home of Jim Yates, President of the Derbyshire Shire Horse Association, and his wife Sue, who have been breeding and rearing Shire horses for many decades. Jim is also the chairman of the executive committee of the Shire Horse Society, the only national charity that is dedicated to the protection, promotion and improvement of the Shire horse.

Their daughter Kay Croot, who runs Croots Farm Shop with her husband Steve, said: “We thoroughly enjoy hosting the annual open day run by Derbyshire Shire Horse Association, and are pleased that the event raised so much money for a local good cause.”

Photo caption, front row, left to right, Simon Livesey, who is chairman of Derbyshire Shire Horse Association, Janet Sanders, from the Nightingale Macmillan Unit, Jim Yates, president of the Derbyshire Shire Horse Association, and committee member Kay Croot, from Croots Farm Shop, with other committee members of the Derbyshire Shire Horse Association.