Big name for such a little foal

A FOAL born at a Deeside charity has been named following a competition at a local school.

The new arrival was named Marmajuke, a name suggested by Rebecca Levie, a primary-six pupil at Aboyne Primary, which was chosen by Jock Hutchison who runs the charity with his wife Emma.

Head teacher Kay Gwynne said that the school’s pupil council had recently visited Horseback UK, a charity based near Aboyne, which aims to use equine therapy to help soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress, returning from war zones.

The charity will combine equine therapy, nature therapy and adventure training when it welcomes its first participants in the spring.

“The pupils were shown the horses and introduced to the foal and got a talk round the camp fire about the charity.

“The outcome was the pupil council ran their own competition to name the foal and they had a shortlist of names and Mr Hutchison was invited to come and choose the winning one,” Mrs Gwynne said.

“It’s a new charity and we have got involved as a school and next term Mr Hutchison will be presenting an assembly about the charity, talking to some of our senior classes and taking some veterans to talk to the children.

“We’re involved with fundraising for them already and I think it will fit very nicely into our curriculum.”

Mr Hutchison said: “I was asked to select a name and plumped for Marmajuke as Jim Duke is the vet who helps us with all our horses and helped with the birth and follow-up care of Marmajuke.”

For more information on the charity log on to www.horseback.org.uk