Charities

Whilst on the subject of Donkeys I must mention the wonderful Agia Marina Donkey Sanctuary which is located on the south coast of Crete near Phaistos and Matala, and is a loving retirement home for elderly, sick, unwanted and abused donkeys.

Donkeys have been used for 1000’s of years in Greece to carry people, firewood, bags of olives, bales of hay, and to pull ploughs, but these days many poor old Greek donkeys are being replaced by motor vehicles. After long, hard lives working every day, sadly many are being abandoned by the roadside, or tied to a tree in the hot sun without food or water, or even sent off on “meat trucks”.

The Noah’s Little Ark Animal Shelter and information centre is the only animal shelter in Chania with a proven record. It specialises in helping the many starving and injured animals you will see on the island. The shelter also plays a very important role in neutering many of the stray animals, and educating the children of Crete how to treat animals with kindness. The original shelter was started by an amazing woman named Silke Wrobel.

As our regular guests will know, we at Villas Crete Holidays have been supporting The Sara’s Hope Foundation since we first heard about it in early 2009.

The Sara’s Hope Foundation was started by Ged and Julie Hoburn after they tragically lost their 16 year old daughter, Sara, to cancer. Inspired by Sara’s bravery and positive attitude, the foundation successfully manages a holiday retreat in Crete offering respite for children and young people with cancer and their families.