Take Five with X Factor winner Leona Lewis
The British popstar and 2006 winner of The X Factor on teaching pigs sign language, loving the smell of horses and her vital work at Hopefield Animal Sanctuary
Why did you get involved with Hopefield?
I first visited Hopefield about 12 years ago and fell in love with the rescue work they do. The founders, Paula (who sadly died before I became involved) and Ernie Clark, put their life’s work into saving animals and keeping them safe on the land. But they were having problems keeping the sanctuary going due to lack of funding. The sanctuary gives so much to the animals and people that volunteer and visit. I didn’t want to see such a special place shut down and so I became involved in their campaigning.
What role do you feel animals play in people’s lives? My animals are part of my family. Most of us have regular contact with dogs or cats and we love them dearly. I wish people would see all animals that way. Farm animals are just as loving and full of personality. At Hopefield, we once taught one of our pigs sign language — he’d sit for treats. They’re intelligent and feel joy, sadness, pain and love just as we do.
How important are animals in your life?
I went through a very upsetting time years ago when I was attacked by a stranger and I used animal therapy to help with the trauma. A kind family allowed me to spend time with their horses and connect to just being in nature with them. It greatly helped heal some of the pain I was going through. I think animals play a vital role in our lives, whether it’s the loving feeling we get from a family dog or the feeling of wonder we get at seeing an image of a whale in the ocean.
Do you have any pets?
I have three dogs. Zion, a Doberman, whose previous owner could no longer care for him, and Forest and Lilly, whose mother was found pregnant on the motorway. I rehomed two goats — Pierre and Pearla — and I used to have a Friesian horse called Spirit.
Where does your interest in horses come from?
I used to visit family in Wales when I was growing up. On the drives, I would see horses and was always in awe of how beautiful and strong they are. I started to volunteer at Lee Valley riding school in London. I loved the smell of the barn and taking care of the horses.
What is your happiest memory involving a horse? As a child, I begged my mum for a horse, but it was too expensive to have one in the city. When I could afford to keep one, I got Spirit. I had butterflies seeing him come out of the trailer. It was one of my dreams as a child to have a horse, and that day it came true.
What is your role at Hopefield?
I’m now a trustee, which is rewarding but very hard work as we are constantly campaigning about our rescue work in order to keep running. It’s often old or sick animals that are abandoned, who usually require specialised veterinary care — an expensive cost on top of the day-to-day running of the sanctuary.
Is it rewarding work away from your singing?
It’s a big undertaking, but it’s amazing to see the transformation of some of the animals. Whether it’s a neglected and emaciated horse who is now healthy and happy, or an injured and scared rabbit who is now healed and able to play with our other rescue rabbits.
How important is the sanctuary’s work?
So many of our animals have had such tough lives, filled with cruelty and neglect. It saddens me to think about what would have happened to them if Hopefield wasn’t around to help. Not only do we rescue animals, but we campaign and create awareness around animal welfare issues so that we can help move towards passing laws that protect them in the first place. This is such important work as it moves us in a direction of a more compassionate and caring world.
What is your favourite animal there and why?
I love horses — I have such a soft spot for them. Hopefield was originally a horse rescue and started 20 years ago during one of the coldest winters in the UK. Horses and ponies were being abandoned on Rainham Marshes, a nature reserve, and Paula and Ernie decided to take action to help rescue them.
“I remember having butterflies seeing him come out of the trailer. It was one of my dreams as a child to have a horse, and that day it came true”