Mrs Judith Finney

"Mum had a real soft spot for donkeys.
Whenever she saw adverts about mistreated donkeys on television, they would really upset her, and she often told us she wanted one of her own.

When we asked where she would keep it, her answer was simple: “In the garden.”

There was just one small problem — the garden was completely covered in decking!

Because Mum was bedbound, she would often lean over, and I’d tell her, “Come on, Mum, you’ve gone all wonky donkey!”

Knowing how much she loved them, I decided to buy her a donkey-shaped cushion. Unfortunately, what arrived was a very, very small soft toy donkey. Zoe found it hilarious and immediately started singing Little Donkey.

Mum, however, simply said, “Never mind, I love it.”

And she really did. That little donkey never left her side. She held it, talked to it, and the carers always made sure she had it with her. It became her constant companion and brought her so much comfort.

So it feels fitting that, if you would like to remember Mum with a donation, it can go towards helping donkeys in need. Donations can be made to the chosen donkey sanctuary using the link on the back of the order of service.

Mum would have been very proud — although she would probably still insist the next donkey belonged in the garden."