A Brighter Future

The Suffolk Punch Trust, a registered charity, was formed in 2002 to take over the ownership of the largest stud of Suffolk Punch horses in the UK. For the last 65 years this stud, which plays a crucial role in perpetuating the breed has been in the custody of HM Prison Service Hollesley Bay, Woodbridge.

Philip Ryder-Davies, Chairman of the Suffolk Punch Trust said "breeding these heavy horses requires considerable expertise and the availability of stallions. The Colony Stud is a breeding facility which is readily available to all other owners"

This rare breed of heavy horse (about 300 exist and it is rarer than the Giant Panda) has the longest written pedigree of any breed of livestock and can be traced back to a single stallion foaled in 1768. It is an icon of Suffolk and part of the Countys farming heritage. It owes its survival to the dedication of many individual breeders, the work of the Suffolk Horse Society and the existence of the stud with its breeding expertise at HM Prison Service Hollesley Bay. The Trust will, of course, be an active member of the Suffolk Horse Society as the Prison stud has been for so many years.

Negotiations are taking place between the Suffolk Punch Trust and HM Prison Service to lease and subsequently purchase the existing stables at Hollesley together with 180 acres of land. Thereafter, with the support of HM Prison Service, the Trust will continue the work of operating this important breeding facility, increase the numbers of horses, improve the facilities to allow public access, provide work training and rural craft skills for prisoners as part or their resettlement programmes and undertake heritage, conservation and environmental education to all age groups. Michael Wood Governor of the Prison said "I am pleased that the Trust is seeking to secure the long term future of these horses at Hollesley and that training and employment opportunities will be available for prisoners and will be linked to their resettlement needs."

The Trust is pleased to announce it has reached a number of key milestones in the development of this exciting project the first phase of which could cost £2.5million:

• (a) Hollins, a well known Framlingham based firm of architects has been appointed to draw up plans for a new stud and visitor facility
• (b) Discussions are taking place with the planning authorities in order determine their requirements for consent to the construction of a visitor attraction
• (c) The Trust is embarking on major fund raising campaigns which will include a public appeal, an application to the Heritage Lottery Fund and the European Rural Development Fund
• (d) A project manager has been employed to coordinate these developments

The Trust is due to take over responsibility for the horses at Hollesley in September 2004 and a new visitor attraction should be open to the public in the spring of 2007.