A HORSE therapy charity has been given a leg-up thanks to Stratford Rotarians.
Stratford upon Avon Riding for the Disabled group (RDA) was gifted £400 by fund-raising group Stratford Rotary to sponsor two of its regular riders.
The Compton Verney-based charity provides therapy through horses to local disabled people – all supported by a team of dedicated volunteers.
To protect participants and volunteers from coronovirus, Stratford RDA suspended all activities for two significant periods over the last year.
Group chair Donna Jenkins: said: “We are so grateful to Stratford Rotary, it was a lovely surprise when we heard that they were able to continue with their sponsorship.
“We support and work with many people who are more vulnerable to infection, so we had to make the decision to close our doors until the situation with coronavirus improved. This comes at a big price for us, as without riders we have not had an income apart from sponsorship, donations and fund-raising challenges.
“Our loyal horses still needed care, hay, and to see a farrier and vet, which all adds up, all with no clear idea of when we will be able to resume activities fully again.”
Donna added the impact of lockdown on some riders, physically and mentally, was ‘huge’.
She explained: “It has never been so clear just how much the time they spend with our horses helps.
“We firstly held non-riding activities to most of our riders and slowly we have resumed riding, albeit not yet to full capacity and with lots of procedures in place. “We have also held a ‘Tea with a Pony’ session for a group of elderly residents from a Care Home.
“This support from the Stratford Rotary has been a big help to us, so that we can continue our therapeutic service, so we would like to thank them wholeheartedly for their continued support.”
Visit http://www.rda-stratford.org.ukwww.rda-stratford.org.uk for more information.
