Charlie the donkey has a busy diary of engagements from starring roles on stage and small screen to guest appearances in Nativity and Passion plays.

But one of his most important jobs is meeting the pupils of special needs schools and residents of homes for the elderly - and last week he was invited to ‘take tea’ in the communal lounge at Greenhill Residential Care Home in Crickhowell.

Some residents couldn’t wait to welcome him, others were a little nervous but, by the end of the afternoon everyone in the room had been won over - smiling broadly at his antics and offering him bits of cake and sips of tea.

In the words of one member of staff, “It’s normally really quiet in here during the afternoon but the whole room’s buzzing. Everyone’s chatting and laughing, even those residents who can be quite withdrawn.”

In fact Charlie worked his charms on all ages, from one to one hundred!

Staff member Julie Burgess’s 16-month-old grandson Louie was soon trying out his skills as a jockey, while centenarian Joan Nathan - who has had a lifelong interest in horse racing and still prefers champagne to tea! - was also quick to make his acquaintance.

Charlie might be familiar to some Chronicle readers from his recent appearance in the Blackpool edition of Strictly Come Dancing. He has also appeared in Nativity scenes on Casualty and This Morning and last week, before his visit to Crickhowell, he was on stage in a production of the opera Carmen in Swansea.

His handler Kelly Baker said, “The great thing about Charlie is that he’s happy to work on his own when most donkeys prefer to have company.

“He’s also happy to walk into buildings and get into a lift to visit an upstairs ward in a hospital or bedroom in a care home.

“He’s very quiet and well behaved and loves all the attention.”

Greenhill’s manager Sylvia Illingsworth is a strong believer in pet therapy.

Her own Jack Russell accompanies her to work every day, while Joan Nathan also owns a little one-eyed dog called Scooby who’s a great favourite, and a new resident recently brought her two budgies with her.

Not long ago Greenhill was treated to a visit from Zoolab, which saw residents getting up close and personal with the likes of corn snakes, stick insects and guinea pigs.

“Because the Zoolab visit was such a success I went on the internet to find out if anyone did the same thing with donkeys - and that’s where we found Mike’s Donkeys!” said Suzan Alderton, one of the home’s volunteers adding, “I think the visit today has been brilliant.”

Mike and Kelly keep around 25 donkeys who’ve been selected for their fantastic temperaments.

Mike describes them as ‘much-loved individuals with their own likes, dislikes and personalities’

“It brings us great pleasure to see the happiness they bring to those who meet them,” he said.

Kay Mabberley, aged 96, who has moved to Crickhowell from Bromley in Kent to be nearer her family, was one of the first to welcome Charlie and thought his visit was ‘a wonderful idea’.

“We always had a farm in the family and the children loved going to see the animals.

“I think everyone was a bit surprised that Charlie actually came indoors to meet us - they were expecting he’d be kept outside and we’d be talking to him through the window!”

Susan Annatt, who had celebrated her 93rd birthday the day before, was also delighted by Charlie’s visit.

“We used to keep ponies but I always wanted a donkey. They’re lovely creatures.

“There was one in a field up the lane from us who used to bray really loudly and disrupt the church services!”

While it’s well-established that interaction with traditional pets such as dogs and cats has a positive effect on even the most withdrawn residents of care homes - Charlie and his friends, it seems, are just as adept at lighting up people’s lives…