Introduction

What’s Behind The Stable Door?

“And it’s no neigh never”

With fears for our people, tears for our planet,
We’ve only one world that we all must cohabit.
Caught in the crisis of circumstance,
We are taking a stance against lack of equal chance.

These are our stories to share,

Our chance to appeal to those who might care.

If this was a Robert De Niro film we could leap straight to the part were we are already defeating the bad guys and you would keep reading. Sadly, in reality we can’t defeat a system full of bad guys that was ultimately designed to fail us - alone. Hence our desire to share our stories with you to see if you may have a common interest in what we do and would like to join forces with us. Now we have come to the conclusion that we are just too small and too cash poor to make a lasting difference we are looking for friends and allies. Hopefully we will read on despite the lack of fireworks in the introduction. I’ve been told a successful introduction to a book will make people read on so here’s a mention of a successful hero in case our wannabe story is of no interest. Always you will be our hero if you read on (even if it’s just a few pages). If you have picked this book up and you’ve already read this far, thank you x

A hero acts all swell

And is normally as sexy as hell

With an expensive cologne you can smell

That would make you want to kiss and tell

They know how to play the game

Have people who serve and maintain

Their super speedy fighter plane

Staying always in the fast lane

A wannabe hero is not the same

They normally smell of sweat and pain

If they try and ride in the fast lane

They speed right into an insurance claim

Our story has a wannabe hero

Without the skills of Robert De Niro

Their daily deeds all add up to zero

In the land of not now, not ever Dear no

If you still have an interest in what we do

Our stories have been written for all to view

For we might just find a friend in you

Who’ll forgive a wannabe hero for a story that’s true

Behind the Stable Door is a rural social enterprise, stable in name but not really in reality. The social enterprise was set up to help people with social needs access farm life so they could belong and work in a world that accepts them for who they are. We care for many different animals on the farm and we also home to a small recycling centre that recycles waste into animal bedding. This story is about how recycling waste has become our only salvation when we were repeatedly let down by a bigger system that did not care to support our work. This is were the title No Neigh Never came from, because we have faced repeated rejections, all of us. Life is complex and tough for people with a social need and society doesn’t lend itself well to include them.

When I write this all of us work very hard here currently no profit, but we try and model ourselves on normal workplace and a place that gives more than it takes, and we go through our trials, tribulations and milestones together. In a throw away society we did not want to be thrown away but our fight for the privilege of belonging and how we have got this far is unique and painful to us. Sharing our stories in the end may not save us, but hopefully at the very least it may help others facing the same struggles that they are not alone.

The two people who started Behind The Stable Door are Clare Cannon (me writing this book) and life and work partner Andy Spiller. First a word on Andy who you will meet later in the book, hard working, fixes everything, holds together like superglue when it all falls apart.

We have access to a farm through family privileges, my grandfather Fred who was awarded a CBE for charitable services was my own inspiration on why I started Behind The Stable Door, and is also the how and why I came to be lucky enough to live on a farm. My parents have allowed me access to the farm to work on it as I see fit and I choose to use it for the benefit of the community.

You wanting to read this book has cheered a week up that saw Andy hospitalised, the farm superglue that could no longer hold together under the pressure of the workload, me holding the fort while all in my head was screaming I can’t do this anymore, me out begging large businesses to help us through lean times with some sponsorship. A rejection letter through from the local council who told us they would not assist us as our purpose is not community based (I had applied for a grant to help with insurance costs we can no longer afford as insurance companies deem people with special needs extra risk and their charges are high). Lastly, but not least parents messaging asking when they can place more children on the farm and me having to tell them we have no money to help.

This is my week, this is my life. In the end when there is nothing left to pay the bills all we ever have in life are our stories. A wise person told me our greatest assets are our stories. My own stories have been supported onto paper by some ace writers on my Monday night writers zoom class.

If you purchased this book we’ve maybe earned another pound to help us, if you like it, you can maybe review it for us or tell another friend and we may earn another pound. Maybe if that continues to multiply that will help. Maybe one day we may meet a person who wants to give us more than one pound because they read this book and want to support us in what we are trying to achieve. Nothing is going to help us without us sharing our stories.

Some of these stories should make you laugh, others may be a little more thought provoking, because life is hard a lot of the time, but do not be concerned because we have many things we can laugh about here and you should not be bored reading our stories. We also happen to be poetic type nerds, we think this form of writing shortens lengthy text into a quick fire way of making a point, so if you enjoy that type of writing even better. So you will be pleased to know you won’t have to listen to me just waffling on.

There are several contributors to the book all working voluntarily in the background to help us or directly involved here, and I will introduce them individually as we go along. So with no further ado I present you with the Behind The Stable Door stories, No Neigh Never. Bless you for buying this book, you are now a hero to us.

Judy and Rescue Rabbit Buck

Who’s Behind The Stable Door?

We’ve already briefly mentioned Clare and Andy the founders of Behind The Stable Door. We will start with a brief overview on their stories before concentrating fully on the stories around the people they serve. Again, we have used a little poetry to get an understanding of their characters and motivations. The first Poem describing Clare has been very kindly written by her Mum, Sue.

This is a story of a girl named Clare
Who has a passion for horses and all things fair
Home from school as soon as she was able
She rushed to her pony who was waiting in his stable

Weekends were taken with all things equine
And making sure her pony was always looking fine
From pony club outings to eventing her horse
Then off to college to her equestrian course

From horses to breeding foals her passions she extended
To keeping sheep, goats, pigs the list never ended
Then inviting youngsters to take part in farm life
With an intention of easing some of their daily strife

The story extended to making animal bedding
Under the recycled product heading
Shredding cardboard through a bespoke machine
Now her animals are all bedded on a product that is green

Clare’s passion for causes great and small
Carry her over if she meets a brick wall

Clare trying to pitch for a funding competition (unsuccessfully).

Andy who was earlier introduced as the superglue that holds the farm together and all round DIY champion. Andy has many years of learning how to make do and repair which comes in exceptionally handy when you run a social enterprise with no budget.

Words written by Clare.

Handy Andy

My man’s name is Andy
And here is how he’s very handy
When all on the farm goes askew
There’s a thousand things he has to do

He might proudly say
He would never have an off day
And his nerves would never fray
At the amount of disarray

Mend, bend, extend and amend
He’s constantly driven around the bend
For every job that he’s had to suspend
To help me catch a furry friend

He’s had to drill ten thousand holes
Pens for lambs, chicks, rabbits and new born foals
When others would make a flimsy pen
He built a palace called BuckingHen

All that just happens in between
Mending another broken down machine
Oil, grease, bolts and then 10,000 volts
Needed for a fence to keep in the colts

When he’s on a well earned rest
His patience I will put to the test
To inform of something else to make
Needed immediately for goodness sake!
For peace to remain I don’t do it myself
For his is always a superior shelf
I’ll just leave the DIY to himself
As I find its much better for my health

Handy Andy

There’s no award on our sideboard
We just do our job
No warm office or bonus reward
We just do our job
No planned leave or bank holiday reprieve
We just do our job
We’ve not much to say and no ones attention to sway
We just do our job
So how do we make someone else’s day
We just do our job

Social Entrepreneur Rejections
Words written by Clare

Welcome to our world of No
Welcome to our world of stop and then go
Welcome to our world of writing grants and pleas
And begging for help while on our knees
Welcome to our world of getting it wrong
Welcome to our world of feeling we don’t belong
Yet with all the No’s that come our way
We still get up and and try every day
Loneliness hits us all
Feeling your banging your head against an immovable wall
Listen to us we are all trying
To create a community where everyone is thriving
We deserve a few more yeses
To ease our many and multiple stresses
While we continue to carry on
Creating a community where all belong.

Clare and Andy and mentor Frank

Rescuing an injured swan

We found a swan with an injured wing in our field, she unable to fly after hitting an overhead power cable. Watch our full video story on YouTube by clicking on this link: https://youtu.be/a1DisNLZnRQ

Words by Clare.

Swan Love

She should be swimming in the lakes
With her family, the ducks and the drakes
But she had taken to the air
And the trip she took has ended there
Her damaged wing has lost its worth
And she is now confined to earth
Her attempts at flight cannot get her back
While she’s grounded she’s vulnerable to attack

We could carry her to the lake
But her injury would make
Her chances of survival low
Her right to a long life we could not forgo
So a human pond has been filled
and now she is safely instilled
In a stable with no threat of being killed
When we bring her food it’s a new type of war
As she hisses her warning from the door
From administering care will not be deterred
We can respect she is feeling scared

As long as she heals shes free to spurn
The honour of her company we may never earn
The day we will return her to the lake
An attempt at gratitude she will likely not make
But we will continue to act from concern
For this is how we can give love without asking for it’s return

Swan in her makeshift paddling pool pond

So Introducing Judy and Support Dog Zoe

Judy has attended the farm for five years. Along with her love of animals she is also a fantastic artist and has painted many murals on the walls of the farm to show to visitors and make our workspace brighter and more cheerful.

Judy had been training her dog Zoe who was born on the farm. These words are written by Judy’s Mum Bridget.

The Dream Team

On Thursday nights through fair weather or fog
Off to training went handler and dog.
Working together, no mean feat
Stand, sit and stay, with the help of a treat.

Judy the handler taught Zoe to sit
Zoe the dog taught Judy to fit
into the group with her head held high
as happy as Larry, not a moan or a sigh.

Judy the handler taught her dog to come back,
Zoe the dog taught Judy the knack
of social chit-chat, of standing up tall,
of good eye contact across the hall.

The Gold test took place in front of a crowd
Zoe obliged and made Judy so proud.
Judy the handler had a smile like a dream
with Zoe the dog, Oh! What a team!

Judy and Zoe

Judy painting a Mural

Judy’s Poem

Words by Judy
I work on the farm
It’s my favourite place
I look forward to going with a smile on my face.Clare is the farmer
She’s busy all day
Helping me and my friends without much pay.
Clare’s inspired by her Grandad
Who was quite the celebrity
He got a CBE for his mental health charity.

Now Clare helps us learn
The skills on the farm
It stops my anxiety and keeps me calm.
I help feed the horses
And clean out their stable
Check the ducks, sheep and lambs, a full timetable.

We recycle egg boxes
And turn them to shreds
To make the softest and springiest animal beds.

But when I go home
Clare has to work hard
She needs some grants to save the farmyard.
She writes emails, makes calls
Another form is filled out
But no one is listening, they don’t hear her shout.

If the farm has to close
I will be so sad
It’s boosted me and my friends like a launchpad.

We have confidence now
To dare to dream
All thanks to Clare and her Stable Door team.
So who can help us?
Who gets our vote?
To help us get funds to keep us afloat.

We need a heroine
From high command
Who will listen to us and will understand.
Please come and visit
Our happy place
A home from home, our breathing space.

Words by Clare

What is Rapport at Behind The Stable Door
Normally it has a furry friend at its core
The people who come are wanting more
As life without companionship can be sore

So meet Buck and Felix our Rabbit Friends
And Riva and Diva in our Guinea pig Pens
Chickens, Ducks, Sheep and an injured swan
Recovering from injury in her makeshift pond

Too many horses to name
And the boss won’t count them for the shame
We can see all the same
How they can all unravel human pain

So what is needed at the end of a day
Of emptying wheelbarrows and filling the hay
A place for us all to continue to stay
Supporting others in our own unique way

Judy having a foal chat

Hold Your Noses, If You Can’t Stick The Smell!

Scent

Words written by Clare (about Clare)

Scent is not a word to give me
As there is only one scent it could be
It’s not found in aromatherapy
Or in a pot of potpourri
It doesn’t have the smell of fresh baking
And it isn’t a rose masquerading
It won’t be good in the washing machine
And if you used it as soap you will never be clean
You cannot buy it as incense
And it doesn’t produce a Florey finesse

But yet I smell it every single day
It consumes my work and play
I clean it, I stand on it, I handle it, and sometimes I will also land on it.
And I know it isn’t swell, but it is often how I smell, and sometimes that doesn’t go down too well, but what the hell.
The game is up and I would be best to admit
That My names Clare and I smell of horse sh…!

Foal sleeping on Ecoshred Bed

Love On The Farm

Here’s a little tongue in cheek poem for all the romantic farmers out there. You’ll know if you stand a chance for romance on a farm!

Words written by Clare (nobody else is to blame and there are no x-rated images attached to this one!).

Love on the farm
Has its own brand of charm
Where new life is often created
Once the mating plans have been debated

There may be a chance of a human romance
If the farmer can stumble on a female perchance
He would invite her back for a romantic tour
To see how she copes with the smell of manure

He would teach her to milk a cow
And how to watch over his pregnant sow
He will then show her what to feed the ewes
And how to look up the tractor reviews

At this stage he’s hopeful she’s not coming to her senses
And she will stay long enough to help mend his fences

One day he’d get so used to her tending his land
He’d have a rare romantic notion and ask her for her hand
Although he knows he’d have to delay the wedding
Until after he’d finished the slurry spreading
Then mating plans may again get debated
And a third farm hand may get procreated

Andy and the farm tractor

The Three Little Piggies

Story Written by Clare

Once upon a time there was three little piglets born on a social farm. They had been raised on the social farm and the time had come for them to leave their mother and get their own new homes. Their mother had nursed them and social farmers Chris and Judy had helped to make sure they always had clean dry bedding, feed and water.

They had full tummies and slept well every night and they thought life was just eat, sleep and play, until one day their mother announced that it was time for them move out and make their own way.

Now this was a bit of a shock to the three little pigs who had planned to live with their mother forever, and be looked after by Judy and Chris together.

They did their best piggy squealing, then thought to themselves how can we make this situation more appealing? They decided on a plan they would run around the farm to see if they can find any suitable house building materials the farm may be concealing.

The first little piglet ran into the sheep pen and saw them lying on some straw. He asked the sheep if they could kindly spare some of their bed so he set about building his new homestead.

The second little piggy saw farmer Chris chopping some logs from a fallen tree. There were many small sticks and he asked farmer Chris could he spare these for free. Farmer Mathew did agree that he could have the sticks from the fallen tree, and the pig set about building his house of sticks so he could be finished in time for tea.

The third little piggy saw a pile of bricks that had been left over when the hay barn was being fixed, the little piggy asked farmer Judy could he have some leftover bricks, and Farmer Judy agreed that to build a safe house brick is the right material to pick.

Now the three little piggies set about building their own places. They where very pleased with themselves and had smiles on their faces. They were confident that they were well on their way to having their very own spaces.

What a great idea to build their own homes on the farm, close enough to visit each other, the other animals, and the social farmers when they wanted a yarn.

They were so enthusiastic they soon had everything accounted for. The first little piggy who made his house from straw was just about to ask the others over, when he heard a knock on the door.

Mr fox was outside and he asked the piggy would he agree to him coming in for tea.

“In with me for tea, not on my aunt Nellie, I won’t let you inside,
I will hide and save my backside.”

The fox roared in his loudest voice “then I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house down.”

The pig hid but it was no use, his house of straw could not stand the abuse, the fox blew his house clean away, and the little piggy ran off in dismay.

The fox was still up to his antics so he moved on to the house made of sticks.
When Mr fox was outside the house he asked the pig would he agree to him coming in for tea.

“In with me for tea, not on my aunty Nellie, I won’t let you inside,
I will hide and save my backside.”

The fox roared in his loudest voice “then I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house down.”

The pig hid but it was no use, his house of sticks could not stand the abuse, the fox blew his house clean away, and the little piggy ran off in dismay.

The fox moved on to the house made of bricks. Now this was a smartly built house and the piggy knew his house was so sound he had invited Farmers Mathew and Judy around.

Mr fox was outside the house and he asked the pig would he agree to him coming in for tea.

“In with me for tea, not on my aunty Nellie, I won’t let you inside, and I do not need to hide to save my backside.” He blew a raspberry at the Fox and laughed at him through the letterbox.

Now Mr Fox was so outraged by his rude expressions, he would get into that house and teach that Pig some lessons.

He huffed and he puffed and he could not blow his house down,
but he could not let that pig make him feel like a clown.
Mr Fox was cunning and he had a good think about were he would find the houses’ weakest link.

He leapt up on the roof and climbed into the chimney, he slid down it sneakily, but his luck wasn’t to be.

Because the pig was boiling up some tea, and the fox landed on his bot in the pot and he couldn’t get it free.

He ran out the door screeching with a hot tea pot stuck on his bot, and Mathew, Judy and the piggies they all laughed a lot.

The fox never bothered the piggies again, and the two piggies built brick houses and lived safely in the end.

Chris with one of our little Piggies

Recycling Behind The Stable Door

Behind The Stable Door set up a recycling area to make animal bedding called Ecoshred Bed and to give the guys who work here more experience at leaning different skills.

This was the one grant that we got to help purchase the equipment but it came with so many conditions that we nearly lost it as the government department who granted it tried their upmost to get in the way of it ever happening.

The energy it took to fight this almost wiped us both financially and emotionally.

We had gained the support of two great factories who provide us with cardboard produce from their factories that we can recycle to enables us to make a product we could sell on the open market. And boy do we make an amazing comfortable bedding for pets and horses that we can now sell to raise funds for the farm. This is our only income source so the support from our customers has been vital.

If you would like to see the video of our recycling in action please head to: https://youtu.be/moXN2JF3QSc

This is a poem about waste we now recycle from an angle of love.

Words by Clare

I’m an egg carton that nobody wants, because my colour is wrong and I have a problem with my fonts

I used to have a trio of 11,000 miles
To be buried in the ground and forever exiled.

Until the team Behind The Stable Door
Saw my Beauty and wanted to learn more.

Now my journey is 30 miles and I don’t need to be shipped from the Irish Isles

Here I gain a purpose and a new reduced shape
My trip into exile I now escape
Because my new job is to make cosy beds
For pets and horses to rest their heads

I’ve been told I lessen the greenhouse gas spread
And contribute to a work place that is socially led

Once I’ve been used as an animal bed
I can then find another homestead
I can keep plants warm and fed
When I’m applied to soil as a bedspread

Here I can rest with the flowers
and gaze at the stars
Content with my life full of purposeful memoirs

We all make waste
So to create zero trace
We need to embrace
It’s value in another place

Ecoshred Bed

Today we met you or gave you this card
To say to you we will work hard
To recycle, reuse, repurpose, reinvest
Giving it all our very Best
If you in return can give us some time
Just a little like or another small sign
This will help ease our daily grind
Because a new friend in you we did find

We’ve No Plan(et) B

Words by Clare

See the water cascading down the fall
Surrounded in luscious green trees standing tall
Home to beautiful birds with their distinctive call
A natural harmony amongst them all.

See the eagle soaring above the mountain
And the leopard drinking water from a fountain
The penguins leaping off the ice
Into a crystal sea of paradise

See the mighty whales blow water from their spout
And admire the dolphins diving in and out

Until one day the water stopped coming down the fall
And the tall green trees began to fall
And the birds with their distinctive call
Went from harmony to no home at all

The fountain dried up in a drought
And the leopards found themselves without
Water to sustain their existence
Even when they covered a vast distance
Getting weaker by the days
Exposed to the heat of the suns rays

The heat also made the ice melt away
The penguins were left with no safe place to stay

The dolphins could not thrive in this heat
and their playful calls
turned to cries of defeat

There’s no sight of the whales spurting water from their spout
The heat took their food source and they are no longer about

In our lifetime we are blessed
To have seen our wildlife at it’s best
Now there’s a high probability
They are heading into our history
Because we took the Life from the trees
And we heated the up the seas

A chance to turn it around will lie
In the actions of you and I
On how we do this nobody agrees
But a start is better than more casualties
In order to not leave our planet on its knees
we need to lower the temperature a few degrees

So let us get together and have a think
about what we can do to bring them back from the brink.
How to save the remaining tall trees
That house the birds with their harmonies
To Drop the temperature of the seas
And keep the ice in a state of freeze

And the dolphins around with their joyful call
With the whales and penguins swimming amongst them all

A change from us is what it will take
So we must all learn to forsake
Some harmful activities in which we partake

They don’t have the time for us to wait
So let’s do this together before it’s too late

In the end maybe we not have succeeded at making the world a better place but you have definitely made our world a better place by reading our stories.

Also, to each and every one of you who has coached us or spent money buying from us, again you’ve changed our world showing us the possibilities of people supporting people.

My writing coach Lissa Oliver and a true friend to my dreams of publishing our stories has a few words to say on human beings as a species that she kindly wrote for us to include:

I often wonder at our purpose; what we are. Parasites? A virus? Or, perhaps as it will turn out, a terminal disease. Before you try to argue otherwise, do me one small thing. Name just one single good thing Mankind has done for The Planet. It’s a safe bet, because I know you can’t. We cannot Save Our Planet because it has never been ours to save. We have raped, pillaged, abused and destroyed, with no attempt to care or fit. The tarmac river that floods the landscape is proof. My view from the front door hosts no wildlife. When was the last time you saw a badger? Alive?

Before we become too depressed, there is another view to that of discord. The harmonious view from the back door. A different world. A different world because Mankind is not in it, perhaps; but a world that is very much in safe and expert Paws, Hooves, Claws, Talons, Flippers and Fins. Nature’s Creations, who are in-tune, aware and intrinsically a part of Their Planet. They each have their place, a distinct and vital purpose, nurturing and strengthening their environment and Their Planet.

A finely-tuned machine? Only Mankind would say that, but Mankind is the sole exception to the intricate balance of organisms who have the right to call this Planet Their Own. Every living thing, bar us, dependent on the next, working together in perfect harmony to replenish and feed Their Planet.

Thank you Lissa, I will sign off again by thanking you for taking the time to read our very real stories. The last two poems are my future world poem which is Andy’s favourite piece of writing from my work, and my brighter future poem which seems a fitting way of signing off.

Bless you again for getting to the end of this book. If you would like to support our work any further you will find us at either:

https://behindthestabledoor.co.uk

http://ecoshredbed.com

Lastly, a request to please be the change or join forces with those who are trying.

Judy painting words of positivity onto our Recycling area

Brighter Future

Brighter future

Is there a brighter future for you and me
For me that reality is very hard to see

For I’m not someone full of optimistic glee
I’m Far more comfortable with what will be will be

I’m more scared than I like to admit
About human actions that are not a good fit

To have a future we have a duty to protect
Our beautiful earth that we’ve chosen to neglect

I’m no less guilty of that crime than my neighbour
Engaging in damaging behaviours in which we all like to savour

But the taking not giving has left us in a mess
Much more than any of us Is willing to confess

I don’t cope well with the future predictions
Of Droughts and floods and human frictions

So I need to stay right here in the present
When future forecasts are so unpleasant

There’s hope in hanging out with change makers
And avoiding the endless takers and breakers

The future is brighter when people join forces
To try and amend our current wrong courses

I give thanks these people are now in my life
As It l greatly eases my habitual strife

I will just move forwards day by day
Some will be brighter others will be gray

That’s the best I can do and it’s how I will cope
With not staying focused on a world without hope

So here’s to the present and all we can do
To make a brighter future for me and for you.

Bringing in the Sheep Behind The Stable Door

While we wish for

“No Neigh Never No More”

Table Of Contents