November 2003- Maureen Rolls' efforts to help moorland ponies have earned her an invitation to Buckingham Palace
A Dartmoor woman's devotion to the wild ponies of the Westcountry has been recognised by the Queen.
Last month (October 2003), Maureen Rolls, from Princetown, was invited to a reception for Pioneers of the Country at Buckingham Palace, attended by the Queen and other members of the Royal family.
Her work helping the ponies on Dartmoor and Bodmin moor since she set up South West Equine Protection in 1996 had earned her the invitation and she rubbed shoulders with the likes Sir Cliff Richard, Sir Bob Geldof, Sir Trevor McDonald and Chay Blyth.
Mrs Rolls said: "I was thrilled to bits to go, absolutely thrilled, especially because I am very much a royalist. I think they do a marvellous job. It was a fantastic experience - indescribable. I still don't know why I was invited, or who put my name forward."
Mrs Rolls set up Swep after realising there was a need for a special society to help the wild moorland ponies should they be involved in a road traffic accident, have trouble foaling or be in poor condition.
She said: "If we get a call, we provide the initial veterinary cover free, no matter who owns the animal. We want to help that animal straight away. We also rescue ponies."
Such is the demand for the services of Swep, now a registered charity, that as soon as Mrs Rolls returned from Buckingham Palace, she spent the next day and night attending a foal which had contracted tetanus.
She explained: "One of our group had been to Halworthy Market and seen a foal in a very bad way. It was subsequently withdrawn from the sale. She brought it home and it had a horrendous gash on its leg and tetanus - its jaw had already locked.
"We were close to putting him down but remarkably he made a full recovery thanks to our vet and Anne Barnett who does 'equine touch', the equivalent to the Bowen technique. Anne has treated a lot of our ponies with success and she doesn't charge us anything."
Now Mrs Rolls has 15 ponies in her care but she says she is desperate for some adults to volunteer to help on a regular basis.
She said: "I need committee members who are willing to be hands on. With this amount of work, and the dark evenings, I am finding it harder and harder."
Swep has rescued and owns 160 ponies which are looked after by approved carers. It has also helped hundreds of animals in distress on the moors.
If you want to help Mrs Rolls continue her nationally acclaimed work, call Swep on 01822 890668.

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