DONKEYS are taking over the education office at Buckfast Abbey ready for a new Easter programme.

There are more than 500 so far but, with 900 primary school children expected to visit, abbey staff are in the process of collecting even more.

The cuddly toys will be given to the children while they learn about The Donkey’s Tale – the story of Solomon the donkey who carried Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.

The new programme, created

specifically for younger children, aims to help them better understand the story behind Easter.

Anna Harris, assistant

education officer who designed the new

programme, said: ‘The Easter story can be a difficult one to teach to younger children, so Solomon’s story seems like a lovely way to

introduce the children to the story in an enjoyable way.

‘We’re all really looking forward to welcoming the students to Buckfast Abbey to hear Solomon’s story and meet their new cuddly donkeys.’

The abbey’s education department hosts a variety of Easter workshops every year, including the popular Threads of Easter programme, which takes students on a journey around Buckfast Abbey while exploring the Easter story and encouraging students to reflect on times in their own lives when they may have been brave or helped others.