Dame Dame Judi Dench has been announced as the patron of The Flicka Foundation, a UK charity working towards the rescue and rehabilitation of horses and donkeys, with the veteran British actress adopting 'three of the sanctuary’s residents via the charity’s Adopt a Donkey scheme’.

Claire Turnbull, The Flicka Foundation's development director, commented ‘Having Judi Dench agree to offer her patronage for the donkeys really is such a fabulous boost, especially at what is still a very difficult time for us for fundraising and when we are inundated with requests to help more donkeys in desperate need'.