Portraits of our Friends, the Animals

In November 2021 we took a 5-day test ride to visit Friend Sanctuary in southern England. Friend is a farmed animal sanctuary giving a peaceful home to rescued animals on a tranquil 10 acre site.

What stands out about Friend is not only their loving care for the animals, but their vision to serve as a model for permaculture and regenerative food systems whilst offering a creative space free from oppression and discrimination for humans as well. Walking around Friend feels like stepping into an outdoor art experience and animal haven, with painted signs, artworks and of course, beloved animals greeting you. From their website:

"Our mission is to offer a lifelong, no-kill, free-roaming, safe-haven, forever home to unwanted, neglected and abused non-human animals, while educating about animals, veganism and ecological sustainability."

We arrived for a special Samhain event at the beginning of November and learned more about their many initiatives. We camped on site that night and had the honor of joining the morning wake-up and feeding routine with the animals.

The photos Steven created feature some of the many animals, all with names and unique personalities. They are truly Friends and we hope you will become their friend too. The sanctuary relies heavily on community support, so we invite you to learn more at their website and make a donation to help the animals.

These photos were shared with Friend to help them with their fundraising efforts and tell the stories of the rescued animals.

Support the incredible efforts of Friend by learning more here.

Thank you Friend Sanctuary for having us, introducing us to the residents and sharing the tour through your loving sanctuary.

Written by Karla Sanders @karlasandersart | Photos by Steven Tiller @steventiller