Redwings

What Redwings does

Redwings Horse Sanctuary is a registered UK charity (No. 1068911) and one of the country's largest equine welfare organisations, founded in Norfolk in 1985 and operating across England, Wales, and Scotland. Its core function is the rescue, rehabilitation, and lifelong sanctuary care of horses, ponies, donkeys, and mules, currently housing more than 1,000 equines on-site and a further 600+ in approved guardian homes under its Guardianship Scheme. Veterinary and welfare operations are the operational backbone: every intake is quarantined and screened for strangles (a contagious equine disease), with guttural pouch endoscopy used to identify carriers, and a published Strangles Carrier Treatment Protocol — credited with clearing 37 carriers between 2011 and 2016 — has been made freely available to the industry. The charity runs a behavioural rehabilitation programme led by specialist staff for traumatised equines and operates multiple large sanctuary sites, three remaining visitor centres in Norfolk and Essex (Aylsham, Caldecott, Ada Cole), and the Anna Sewell House heritage site in Great Yarmouth.

The business model is 100% donation-funded and direct-to-consumer in nature, with no parent company, shareholders, or government contract dependency. Revenue is generated through one-time and recurring donations, monthly Adoption Star sponsorships from £2 per month, legacies, a charity lottery, an e-commerce shop, and on-site café and gift-shop sales at free-admission visitor centres. Distribution is omnichannel: a website (redwings.org.uk), active social presence (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, Threads), email programmes, high-profile public campaigning (notably a 183,000+ signature fireworks-noise petition that triggered a parliamentary debate), and corporate partnership programmes (Harry Hall One Club, The Equine Market, Arsenal FC). A significant ecosystem dimension sits alongside the commercial channels: Redwings coordinates the international Strangles Awareness Week (900+ ambassadors, 5M+ people reached in 2025) and partners with World Horse Welfare, The Donkey Sanctuary, Bransby Horses, BHS, RSPCA, Dechra, Intervacc, the University of Edinburgh Dick Vet School, and UEA — most recently in Operation Teal (a 455-animal multi-charity rescue in November 2023).

The operating context in 2026 is one of financial discipline and consolidation: in March 2026 the charity closed two visitor centres (Redwings Mountains in Forfar, Scotland and Redwings Oxhill in Warwickshire), made 33 staff redundant, and cited the need to use financial reserves for the fourth consecutive year as the rationale. All remaining animals were relocated to Norfolk sites, and the headcount range (251–500) is expected to settle toward the lower bound as a result. Core sanctuary operations, rehoming, education, and campaigning programmes remain active, with two new commercial donation channels (Harry Hall and The Equine Market) added in 2025.

Name

Redwings

Legal name

Redwings Horse Sanctuary

Website

https://redwings.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Redwings Horse Sanctuary is a UK-registered charity founded in 1985 that rescues, rehabilitates, and provides lifelong sanctuary care for horses, ponies, donkeys, and mules, currently caring for over 1,000 equines on-site and 600+ in guardian homes, funded 100% by donations, sponsorships, and retail.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Welfare Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Veterinary Services (54194), Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (812910)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)

akta.pro primary industry

Sanctuaries & Long-Term Care (Farm, Equine, Exotic) (BPAGAIAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Veterinary Charity Clinics & Medical Aid (BPAGAIAD), Education & Community Outreach (Responsible Pet Ownership) (BPAGAIAK)

Keywords

• Equine welfare services
• Horse rescue charity
• Animal sanctuary care
• Equine rehoming services
• Veterinary care services

Headquarters

HQ city

Norwich

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Donations: Redwings is 100% funded by donations. The charity accepts one-time donations, monthly recurring donations, donations in memory, and bequests left in wills. Fundraising appeals target specific rescue cases such as the Ready to Rescue campaign.
2. Adoption Star Sponsorship: Individuals can sponsor a rescued horse or donkey from as little as £2 per month, receiving a certificate, photo, and story of their Adoption Star along with regular updates throughout the year. This is the core recurring revenue product.
3. Online Shop: Redwings operates an online shop selling gifts, horse-themed goods, and pre-loved tack. All profits from shop sales support the charity's work.
4. Lottery: Redwings runs a charity lottery as a fundraising mechanism.
5. Visitor Centre Admissions and On-site Retail: Visitor centres (in Norfolk and Essex) are free to enter. On-site cafes and gift shops generate ancillary revenue from visitors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Redwings Horse Sanctuary rescues, rehabilitates, and provides lifelong sanctuary care for horses, ponies, donkeys, and mules rescued from neglect, cruelty, abandonment, and emergency situations. It operates a Guardianship rehoming scheme, an Adoption Star sponsorship programme starting at £2 per month, and free-admission visitor centres in Norfolk and Essex. The charity also delivers industry-leading strangles screening, prevention, and treatment protocols, plus educational outreach through Redwings Academy, and is funded 100% by donations.

Product overview

Redwings Horse Sanctuary is Britain's largest equine rescue charity offering a comprehensive portfolio of animal welfare services rather than a technology product. The core offering centers on horse rescue and lifelong sanctuary care, supported by a Guardianship Scheme rehoming program and an Adoption Star sponsorship initiative starting from £2/month. Educational outreach is delivered through Redwings Academy, while the award-winning Stamp Out Strangles campaign provides industry-leading disease prevention resources including a free Horse Temperature Checker tool. The charity operates multiple visitor centers across Norfolk and Essex offering free admission, and maintains an online shop selling merchandise with all profits supporting the rescue mission.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Redwings Guardianship Scheme: The rehoming programme that involves loaning a horse from the sanctuary on a permanent basis while providing ongoing support.
• Redwings SWHP
• Redwings Academy
• Redwings Stamp Out Strangles
• Redwings Behaviour Centre

Products and services

• Horse Rescue and Sanctuary Care Rescue, rehabilitation, and lifelong sanctuary care for horses, ponies, donkeys, and mules. The organization provides veterinary treatment, welfare support, and permanent homes for over 1,000 rescued equines.
• Redwings Guardianship Scheme (Rehoming Programme) A permanent rehoming programme that loans rescued horses, ponies, donkeys, and mules to approved guardian homes while maintaining ongoing sanctuary support. Over 700 animals currently live in guardian homes.
• Adoption Star Sponsorship A recurring sponsorship programme allowing supporters to adopt rescued horses or donkeys from £2 per month. Includes a certificate, photo, story of the Adoption Star, and regular updates throughout the year, with gift adoption options available.
• Visitor Centres Free admission visitor centres at Aylsham (Norfolk), Caldecott (Norfolk), Anna Sewell House (Norfolk), and Ada Cole (Essex). Offer paddock walks, animal interactions, educational talks, cafes, and on-site gift shops.
• Redwings Online Shop Online retail store selling gifts, horse care items, pre-loved tack, and Black Beauty special edition books. All profits support the charity's rescue and care work.
• Stamp Out Strangles Campaign Industry-leading strangles prevention, screening, management and treatment campaign. Includes Strangles Awareness Week (reaching over 5 million people in 2025 with 900+ Ambassadors), carrier treatment protocols, educational resources, and coordination with equine industry partners.
• Redwings Academy Educational initiative including Young Reds for young supporters, Mini Reds for children, and broader education and outreach programmes promoting horse welfare awareness and the Black Beauty Pledge.
• Horse Temperature Checker Free online tool allowing horse owners to record daily resting temperatures, calculate averages over a week or longer, and contribute to a database of horse temperatures. Helps owners spot fever early as a sign of illness including strangles.
• Scoping Support Scheme Free service offering equine vets confidential one-to-one telephone contact with a clinical mentor, image and video sharing via WhatsApp/email, and practical advice on guttural pouch endoscopy for strangles carrier diagnosis and management.

Quantifiable outcome

• 43% of strangles-positive horses arriving at Redwings are carriers — all treated successfully
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Equine Veterinary Practices (Scoping Support Scheme)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 February 2023Redwings' Scoping Support Scheme provides equine vets with free access to clinical mentors experienced in guttural pouch endoscopy, strangles carrier diagnosis, and outbreak management. The scheme offers confidential one-to-one telephone contact, image/video sharing via WhatsApp/email, and practical guidance on scopes and accessories.
• Harry Hall One ClubcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRedwings partnered with Harry Hall's One Club, a horse insurance membership programme. When members join the Gold or Platinum tier (public liability and personal accident insurance plus perks), they receive a £10 gift voucher and Redwings receives a £10 donation. This is marketed as a Charity of the Year partnership.
• The Equine MarketcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Equine Market, an online equestrian marketplace offering clearance, outlet and pre-loved products, donates 1.5% of all profits to Redwings. A 'round-up for Redwings' checkout option is also being introduced. Founder Kayleigh Price won Wales Retail Entrepreneur of the Year 2025.
• Arsenal Football ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerArsenal FC donated around 40 pairs of footballers' footless socks to Redwings. The socks, which professional players cut the foot section off and discard, are now used at Redwings' Horse Hospital to protect sore legs, keep flies from wounds, secure bandages, and as enrichment toys for donkeys.
• RSPCAflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerRedwings' Head of Welfare and Behaviour assisted the RSPCA-led Operation Teal, a major multi-charity rescue of 455 animals from a Nottinghamshire farm in November 2023. Over 100 staff from Beauties' Legacy, Bransby Horses, British Horse Society, Dogs Trust, The Donkey Sanctuary, Redwings, and World Horse Welfare worked alongside RSPCA, vets, and police.
• World Horse WelfareflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld Horse Welfare participated in Operation Teal, the RSPCA-led multi-charity rescue of 455 animals from a Nottinghamshire farm in November 2023. World Horse Welfare is also a founding collaborator of Strangles Awareness Week, coordinated by Redwings.
• The Donkey SanctuaryflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Donkey Sanctuary participated in Operation Teal, the RSPCA-led rescue of 455 animals from a Nottinghamshire farm. The Donkey Sanctuary is also a collaborator in Strangles Awareness Week.
• Bransby HorsesflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerBransby Horses participated in Operation Teal, the RSPCA-led rescue of 455 animals of 19 species from a Nottinghamshire farm in November 2023.
• British Horse SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBritish Horse Society participated in Operation Teal and is a key collaborator in Strangles Awareness Week, contributing to the campaign's BEST practice messaging and resources.
• World Horse WelfarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld Horse Welfare is a founding collaborator of Strangles Awareness Week, coordinated by Redwings. Listed as a Strangles Awareness Week sponsor alongside Redwings, Mare and Foal, Dechra, British Horse Society, and others.
• DechracoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDechra (animal health pharmaceutical company) is a collaborator of Strangles Awareness Week. A Dechra survey found nearly half of respondents were not aware of the strangles vaccine, informing the campaign's messaging.
• The Horse TrustcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Horse Trust is listed as a Strangles Awareness Week collaborator, supporting the campaign's work to reduce strangles cases in the UK.
• University of Edinburgh (Dick Vet School)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe University of Edinburgh's Dick Vet School participated in complex strangles case referrals, including laser surgery for horses with strangles abscesses in their guttural pouches.
• Mare and FoalcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMare and Foal is a founding collaborator of Strangles Awareness Week, listed alongside Redwings, World Horse Welfare, Dechra, British Horse Society, and other organisations.
• Stromsholm LtdminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRedwings and Stromsholm Ltd teamed up to produce biosecurity tips for farriers, downloadable as free guidance to help protect horses and farrier businesses from strangles when moving from yard to yard.
• IntervacccoreGTM or Marketing PartnerIntervacc is a collaborator of Strangles Awareness Week, contributing to the campaign's resources and messaging around strangles prevention and vaccination.
• StreetVetflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerStreetVet, a UK charity offering veterinary support to the homeless, is collaborating with Redwings to deliver National Human-Animal Bond Awareness Day (NHABAD) at Redwings Caldecott in July 2026. StreetVet is the founding charity of NHABAD, which brings together multiple animal charities including Riding for the Disabled, Support Dogs, Battersea, and Dogs for Good.
• Riding for the Disabled AssociationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerRiding for the Disabled is participating in National Human-Animal Bond Awareness Day at Redwings Caldecott, part of a coalition of animal charities collaborating on the event.
• University of East Anglia (UEA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRedwings and UEA collaborated on a special fundraising edition of Black Beauty and launched the Black Beauty Pledge, an animal welfare pledge for children and young people. UEA awarded the Black Beauty project its Innovation and Impact Award. Professor Thomas Ruys Smith from UEA participated in the launch.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Blue Cross: UK animal welfare charity providing veterinary, rehoming, and education services, including equine programmes. Comparable donation-funded operating model and donor demographic make it a direct peer for fundraising benchmarking.
• The Horse Trust: UK equine welfare charity providing sanctuary and retirement care for horses, with a strong veterinary and research focus. Listed as a Strangles Awareness Week collaborator, making it a peer in both sanctuary operations and welfare advocacy.
• Bransby Horses: UK equine welfare charity providing rescue, rehabilitation, and rehoming services. Participated in Operation Teal and operates a comparable donation-funded sanctuary model, making it a close direct peer in scale and operational approach.
• World Horse Welfare: One of the UK's largest equine welfare charities, operating rescue, rehoming, and sanctuary services. Co-founding collaborator of Strangles Awareness Week alongside Redwings and a fellow participant in Operation Teal — a directly comparable scale and mission peer.
• The Donkey Sanctuary: Major UK-based equine welfare charity focused on donkeys and mules, with sanctuary operations and international programmes. Operates on a similar donation-funded model, is a Strangles Awareness Week collaborator, and participated alongside Redwings in Operation Teal.
• HorseWorld: Bristol-based equine rescue, rehabilitation, and rehoming charity operating on a donation-funded model similar to Redwings. A direct regional peer providing sanctuary and guardian home services to rescued equines.

Others

• British Horse Society: UK equine charity focused on equestrian access, safety, and welfare education rather than rescue. A Strangles Awareness Week collaborator with overlapping equine-welfare advocacy interests but a different operational focus.

Broad incumbents

• SPANA: International working animal welfare charity with UK donor presence. While geographically distinct (focused on developing countries), SPANA competes for UK equine-welfare donor mindshare and shares an advocacy-led operating model.
• RSPCA: The UK's largest animal welfare charity, leading multi-charity rescue operations such as Operation Teal. While not equine-specialist, RSPCA's welfare remit and convening power make it a broad incumbent peer with overlapping donor audiences.

Regional players

• Hillside Animal Sanctuary: Norfolk-based farm animal sanctuary with visitor centre operations comparable to Redwings' free-admission model. Operates in the same region and competes for similar donor and visitor audiences, though focused on farm rather than equine species.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RedwingsHS
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCweUYrrHIyC6Gc7iNQ6lbxA
• Facebookfacebook.com/RedwingsHorseSanctuary
• Instagraminstagram.com/redwingsuk/?hl=en
• TikToktiktok.com/@redwingshorsesanctuary

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Redwings