Rescue Donkeys Dora and Nora Visit Parliament Hill School

Kentish Town City Farm’s beloved rescue donkeys, Nora and Dora, visited Parliament Hill School to bring joy and raise awareness about animal welfare and sustainable land management.

The school has worked alongside Growing Green to enhance its green spaces, creating thriving habitats for wildlife. With spring’s arrival, it was the perfect time to introduce students to these gentle animals and demonstrate the benefits of natural grazing. Instead of lawnmowers, the school highlights how animals can help maintain landscapes in a sustainable way.

Donkeys are intelligent, social and observant. This visit allowed students to appreciate the donkeys’ inquisitive nature.

Headteacher said: “Our school values unique learning experiences, and this visit inspired curiosity, compassion, and community spirit among our students.”

Claudia Kretzschmar, Growing Green’s co-founder, said: "We're hoping Nora and Dora will foster and increase the students' interest in nature. We also count on our special guests to support biodiversity on the school grounds.”

The mission of Nora and Dora in Parliament Hill School this week is to go round doing their donkeys’ business - grazing and trampling the soil. They will suppress monoculture grass and kickstart the growth of biodiverse flowering lawn sown by Growing Green recently.

This unique project is part of a wider ambition to allow London’s students to witness firsthand the recovery of nature in their school playgrounds. It is the result of a partnership between four local organisations: Growing Green, Parliament Hill School, Kentish Town City Farm and Veolia’s Sustainability Fund.

Phoebe, year 7 student, said: “Having the donkeys here is so exciting. They made everyone really happy.”

Watch the video on BBC news