Worried residents of Brockweir came together on Monday night (17th December) to discuss rumours surrounding the Happa equine rescue centre.

The centre has been shrouded for weeks in rumours of closure, but a lack of information drew members of the village to call a meeting to discuss the information at hand.

The passionate group, made up of 50 to 60 concerned members of the public and chaired by local woman Ruth Sinfield, crammed into a room in Mackenzie Hall, Brockweir, to voice their concerns.

In a press release sent to the Monmouthshire Beacon last week, Happa's Chief Officer Kay Brandist said: "Happa would like to confirm that despite growing local speculation, they are not in a position to confirm or deny suggestions relating to their future at Gregory Farm."

The statement went on to say: "While I understand speculation is rife and that imagined scenarios are being shared and embellished I really cannot provide an accurate statement at this time.

"I can confirm that Happa have been considering various options for at least two years and that until internal processes are complete, no final decisions will be made".

Residents present at the meeting seemed unsatisifed by this, claiming they were surprised by the news and answers had still not been given. Community members said the secrecy surrounding the charity was worrying, as they describe Happa as a key part of the village as well as a tourist spot, an educational centre and somewhere they are desperate to protect.

A British Horse Society welfare oficer, present at the meeting as a supporter of Happa, claimed that she had recieved a phone call from Happa confirming that the Brockwier site was closing, and the reasons stated were that, after 26 years on the site, the land was "unsuitable for horses", and that the centre had received "a large number of complaints from locals about the smell of the muck heap".

Happa have confirmed that several horses have been moved from the Brockweir site, and are now housed at the charity's other base in Shores Hey Farm, near Burnley. This has caused distress to many who have adopted the horses. Some in the room claimed that they had receieved only a letter, informing them that their adopted horse had been moved. One man described how he was surprised to be asked if he would like to keep his adopted horse on and hear updates on his progress, or have his money back. After asking to keep the horse on, he apparently received a cheque in the post only days later.

In a letter to a supporter, read out in the meeting, Ms Brandist said: "Any decision to move horses is a difficult one as staff and members of the public form personal attachments to these animals and often become so emotionally committed to their favourites that sometimes a sense of perspective on what is truly best for that animal in the long term clouded".

Although Happa staff at the meeting were unwilling to be named, there were claims that letters have been given out with notice of redudancy, siting between 13th January and 31st March 2013 as closing time for Gregory Farm.

Speculation was rife between residents at the meeting, of what they felt could replace Happa. These ideas included cycling and canoeing centres.

With a press release still pending from Happa containing a clear overview of the site's future, confusion was the overall tone of the meeting.

One gentleman present said: "If they were struggling financially, we would understand that, and could help. But there has been no word from them. It just doesn't make sense.

"They held a charity auction and locals paid over the odds to support them, but since there has been no plea for money.

"There seems to be a deliberate aviodance of talking to the public."

The group settled on a plan to draft a letter to the charity's trustees in search of more information.

A further worry that the group have, is that if Happa were to leave the site and change of use granted on it, the legality of this could be an issue due to the way the farm came into Happa's hands.

Gregory Farm was donated by a Ms Gregory almost 30 years ago, and the concerned residents have pledged to undertake research into the benefactor's will and if any rules have been put in place about how the land is to be used.

No representatives of Happa made themselves known at the meeting, and Ms Brandist was not available for comment at the time of going to press.