SUGARLOAF RDA

Sugarloaf RDA is a registered charity that provides specialist riding sessions to people with a disability that cannot access riding elsewhere and that wish to ride for the benefit of their health and well being.  

The last few years have been difficult, with little or no income coming in during the covid pandemic.   Previously to that the group had to cease rides as a virus affecting horses struck at the centre.   As the charity enters its 50th year it is looking for funds to keep its vital services running.  

Sugarloaf was started in 1974 by Rosemary Ockendon who lived at Sugarloaf House in Grays and who ran a small livery yard and riding school. The first rides were children that came from North Ockendon Mental Institution and a Special Needs School in South Ockendon. Helpers were friends or owners of the livery ponies that were loaned.  When Rosemary retired and Chafford Hundred was built on the livery yard and riding school, the group moved to a new home and took the name Sugarloaf with them. 

Today we have 29 regular riders.  Coming from Grays Thurrock and the surrounding areas, including from a special needs school and centre.  Riders come to us across all ages and all with disabilities that prevent them from accessing their therapeutic riding elsewhere.  The sessions are taken by the volunteer RDA trained coaches, Carleen and the newly qualified Emma.  Supported by a band of volunteers who help to support the riders on the session.  The group has three specially trained horses and make use of specialist equipment.  

Riding is unique in being able to offer benefits on three fronts through one activity. A fun physiotherapy and keep fit session, a social event interacting with the other riders, coach and volunteers and an opportunity to improve mental well-being,  with the mental stimulation of learning a new skill leading to a feel good factor and confidence.  

The group has 16 volunteers that come from different sections of the community that come together at Sugarloaf RDA to help those with special needs and disabilities enjoy the benefits of riding.  

For some volunteers helping on the riding sessions is their first opportunity to build friendships and interact with people with a disability.  At the same time they are getting to enjoy some exercise, have fun, and gain a feeling of fulfilment by helping others.

The group’s management committee of five includes a rider’s parent, a coach and individuals with business experience.  The group has in place Child and Vulnerable person protections policies, volunteers and staff are DBS checked.  The group is a member of the federated parent organisation RDA UK.

It costs over £400 a week to pay for all the costs of running the sessions, including the costs of keeping the groups horses needed to provide the sessions.

The funding requirement

Our three horses provide weekly riding to 29 riders, amounting to over 600 hours of therapeutic riding each year.  The direct cost of keeping each horse for a year is £4,345, feed £1,065, bedding £720, shoeing £225, vet £335 and stabling of £2,000. 

Riders contribute to the costs with a ride fee, this covers the costs of the feed, bedding, shoeing and vets fees and equipment such as specialist reins.  But this still leaves a shortfall.  The overheads of the group such as horse and riding lesson insurance, membership of our parent body and the costs of premises hire including stabling are contributed to by fund raising events.  Each year the group has a deficit of approximately £9,000 that needs to be met.  The shortfall has been funded by reserves and donations, which equates to a cost of £15 needed to fund each hour of therapeutic riding. 

Our reserves assist to meet funding shortfalls, and other emergency expenditure such as unexpected vets fees.  Fund raising efforts, grant applications, identification of new funding sources and a review of expenditure is undertaken on an on-going basis.   But in current times with rising costs, fundraising events such as quiz nights have not been able to keep pace, however increasing the ride fees to the level to cover all costs would make the rides unaffordable to many of our service users. 

Assistance with funding the charity is requested to provide monies to meet these costs to enable the charity to continue to provide its much needed service. 

Our last examined accounts are available on the Charity Commission Website.   

The continued future need for our service is evidenced by the fact that there is always a waiting list for our service, with regular new enquiries.

The trustee committee that look after the management of the charity are looking for funding to help keep this vital service operating.