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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Annie Williams

Love Island winners back under threat charity

Love Island winners Paige Turley and Finley Tapp spent the day 'getting stuck in' at a Merseyside rescue charity.

The reality show winners, who found fame in series six of the ITV show, reached out to Horse Sense Wirral in Thornton Hough after the charity put out an urgent plea for help.

Horse Sense, who rescue ponies and horses by giving them a place to stay and recover, issued an appeal this month as they are in need of donors to help keep their front doors open.

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Along with facing spiralling debts as a result of Covid, the charity said the winter weather has also led to an increase in rescued ponies, which is adding to the "increasing financial hardship".

Paige Turley with one of the horses at Horse Sense Wirral (Liverpool ECHO)

The charity, which is run entirely by volunteers, is now operating above full capacity and has seen a slump in donations since the start of the year.

Founder Amy Pirie has significant financial concerns to meet the charity's bare minimum 16K monthly running costs for rent, animal feed and vet bills and calls on the public for help.

After issuing an appeal for help, the charity was contacted by Paige and Finn who offered their help for the day.

Visiting the rescue on February 16, the Love Island couple got 'stuck in with the chores' and fully embraced their roles as volunteers for the day.

The couple were pictured engaging with numerous activities, such as grooming the horses, 'lunging' with the Shetland ponies and offering companionship to the shelter's animals.

Posting updates of the day on social media, Paige told her 1.7 million followers how she 'helped out with grooming and mucking out'.

Finley Tapp with one of the horses at Horse Sense Wirral (Liverpool ECHO)

Later that evening, Finlay posted a photo accompanied by a fellow Finlay asking his followers for help.

He wrote: "When Finley met Finlay. Brilliant day today, Paige and I headed to Horse Sense Wirral, an animal sanctuary that are doing amazing things, to give them a helping hand.

"Finlay is a miniature Shetland pony with dwarfism. Many people didn't give him a chance, but these guys took him in and he's looking happy as ever.

"They're always looking for volunteers and can only keep doing what they're doing with the help of donations. Find the link in my stories."

Earlier this month, the ECHO reported how the rescue charity had suffered further struggles and was on the ‘brink of crisis’ after strong winds caused significant storm damage and equipment loss, with additional maintenance funds required to fix roofing and replace lost feed buckets.

Finn Tapp and Paige Turley spent the day volunteering at Horse Sense Wirral (Liverpool ECHO)

Founder of Horse Sense, Amy, said: "We had a great day with Paige and Finn, they are such down to earth people, with a genuine interest in our residents and supporting us as much as they can.

"It's lovely that they have a keen interest in learning how to care for the ponies, Paige was particularly happy learning to lunge little Cosmo and Finn's mucking out skills were excellent."

To make an urgent donation or to find out more about volunteering opportunities, click here.

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