East Lindsey Investment Fund supports crowdfunding to buy ‘amazing’ new trailer for therapy goats
A new made to measure trailer to transport therapy goats across East Lindsey has been described as a ‘game changer’.
Hensell Goat Rescue Care Farm, in Sutton on Sea, cares for neglected and unwanted goats and other animals.
The farm is open to visitors and offers animal assisted therapy – where the team take goats into places like care homes, schools and hospitals. People can benefit from interacting with the animals if they cannot visit the farm in person.
There has been growing interest and demand for visits from the therapy goats in recent years. Gillian Henshaw, who runs the centre, launched an online appeal in 2025, using the ‘South and East Lincolnshire Crowd’ crowdfunding website.
More than £2,000 was raised by donations from 47 backers. The East Lindsey Investment Fund (ELIF) donated £2,000 of match funding - bringing the final total raised to £4,095.
ELIF was set up in 2024 by East Lindsey District Council to improve life for everyone across the district.
Gillian said: “We needed the trailer to be small enough so we could unhitch it if necessary. We visit a lot of places with limited access and parking so we needed something we could park on a driveway nearby and take the goats inside safely.
“We were absolutely overwhelmed at how quickly that people responded to the campaign. We were then match funded by East Lindsey District Council to buy a new trailer.
“Goats can be a bit naughty so to be able to transport them in a purpose-built trailer is amazing and a game changer for us. We take the goats to places like care homes to do animal assisted therapy, which benefits everybody who meets the goats. The animals are so friendly, and everybody loves to cuddle a goat. It improves wellbeing and gives a sense of happiness.
“The joy on people’s faces when they see a little goat coming into a room - it is all smiles and it really does cheer everybody up. Goats are highly intelligent and we get them into a lift into people’s bedrooms where they are bedridden – that is the sort of thing you cannot really do with a pony or a larger therapy animal.”
The made to measure animal trailer was purchased and delivered to Hensell in February 2026. It means the team can expand their work visiting community settings with the therapy goats.
Councillor Sarah Devereux, Portfolio Holder for Partnerships, said: “It is heartening to see the impact that the East Lindsey Investment Fund is making by matching efforts to crowdfund for this much needed trailer. It means the therapy goats can be transported to more places in the community, so greater numbers of people can benefit from this valuable therapeutic work and improve their wellbeing.
“I am delighted the Investment Fund is making such a positive difference to projects like this and I wish the centre every success with the new trailer.”