Meet Frankie and his owner, local resident Jim Plant. You may have seen Frankie & Jim at the Arts Festival or the Christmas Light Switch-on. Jim and his donkeys have been attending Cheadle events for several decades, and you'll often see them popping up in the town. COGNEWS recently caught up with Jim to find out more about these beautiful, gentle creatures.
Around 40 years ago, I decided I wanted a couple of donkeys. At that time, they were hard to come by, but eventually, I was offered Moses and Rebecca. Shortly after, I was asked if I would take another one, whom I named Ruth. I built a small cart, and Rebecca was both willing and able to pull it. During this season, we regularly provided transportation for Santa as he visited local children before Christmas. Unfortunately, in May 1990, I lost Rebecca, my driving donkey, and needed to find another. I took in Dawn and her daughter Poppy, and later, another charming donkey named Mighty arrived. Then came a little donkey I named Mary. Over the years, all the donkeys took turns leading the Palm Sunday Procession to the Parish Church, and we offered donkey rides for the Primary School Fairs and Carnivals throughout the 1990s.
All the old donkeys have now passed on. To honor them and Jim's remarkable contribution, Cheadle Primary School created a headstone for the donkeys. Jim currently has three donkeys: Frankie, Snowy, and Tommy. Frankie is the one who participates in all the events, such as Palm Sunday and the Children's Carol Service.
We want to express our gratitude to Jim for his outstanding contribution to Cheadle life and wish him and his donkeys a peaceful and joyful Christmas.
Get to Know Jim and His Adorable Cheadle Donkeys: A Heartwarming Tale - Last updated 26.11.24
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