The Ponies of RDA Duchy Group Need Your Help.

Aim

Help us raise funds to cover the cost of keeping our four much loved ponies who provide riding and therapy for so many children and adults

WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO

Enriching the lives of all disabled people through horses.

Riding for the Disabled provides opportunities for therapy, achievement and fun to people with disabilities. The aim is also to enrich the lives of all disabled people through horses. We are a community of people who believe it's what you can do that counts and who enable participants and volunteers to achieve their goals. 

RDA helps people to - Reach Therapeutic Goals - Achieve Personal Ambitions - Combat Social Isolation - Develop Life Skills - Experience the Outdoors - Connect with Animals 

RDA Duchy Group offers riding and therapy to disabled children and adults in Callington, Launceston and Liskeard area. The group have been based at Duchy College for over 30 years offering a much-needed service to local disabled people and their families. We usually ride during term time in groups of 6 riders per session which ensures that everyone has individual attention and the help of our wonderful volunteers and qualified RDA Coaches. Our riding sessions give our riders a sense of independence, physical therapy, mental wellbeing, the opportunity to learn in a fun and safe environment with challenges to improve their confidence and sense of achievement. Our sessions teach life skills and also support the national curriculum through our education programme.       

WHY WE HAVE LAUNCHED THIS CAMPAIGN?

Due to the COVID pandemic, our group has been closed for over a year and are unable to offer much-needed riding and therapy. Many of our riders need close contact to enable them to ride and the social distancing rules and government restrictions have meant it was impossible to safely continue our sessions.

This has also meant we have not had vital opportunities to raise funds to cover our running costs. We normally arrange many public events throughout the year in our local area along with social fundraising events such as quizzes, BBQ's and attend local shows. Like so many charities our public-facing and awareness are vital to ensure fundraising is successful. The group is totally self-funded and rely on fundraising events and donations, our riders also pay a small amount each week to ride with us.  

WHAT ARE OUR COSTS?

Our horses and ponies are central to everything we do. We own four wonderful equines and whilst the riding has ceased the bills have not stopped and we need to raise some money to cover the cost of their keep.  The ponies need feed, hay, bedding, shoes and each one has to be insured as well. There is also the cost of routine veterinary care such as vaccinations and care of teeth. We also have costs such as our group insurance and membership fees along with maintenance of our equipment and building where we meet to ride.     

Our ponies are very special and each one is specially trained for the amazing work they do as an RDA pony. This training takes time and money and is a large investment for the group. By supporting our project we will hopefully still have 4 ponies for our riders once we can reopen and start riding again. Our horses bring much joy to our participants and we are dedicated to making sure their care is first class.

WE ARE PART OF THE COMMUNITY

Our group is very much part of the Duchy College and also the wider community in the Callington area. RDA Duchy Group offers an all-inclusive activity for disabled children and adults of all ages to come to ride with us each week.

We know they are missing their riding sessions a lot and gain so much from them. Our riders have a variety of disabilities, some are physical and others are learning disabilities and also Autism and Aspergers. However, they all have one thing in common and that is that riding makes a difference and being around the ponies and riding each week improves both physical and mental well-being. The ponies never judge or ask questions they are just there for our riders 

Our volunteers are a vital part of our group and for many coming to RDA each week and helping others is very rewarding as well as an opportunity to meet other people and feel part of the community. We are a small and very passionate group and committed to keeping our ponies so we are ready to start when allowed.

Our motto is “Changing Lives One Ride at a Time” 

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

The quickest way to help us is by making a donation of any amount. This will help us immediately with the ongoing costs of our ponies. 

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO OUR GROUP?

Raising our target of £10,000 would mean our group can reopen and concentrate solely on our riders without the worry of immediate fundraising. This means we can continue to deliver an excellent experience to all our participants according to their specific needs and enrich their lives through horses. 

CHANGING LIVES ONE RIDE AT A TIME 

With your help, we sincerely hope to be doing just that very soon. Thank you so much for reading our project page.   

This project successfully funded on 15th May 2021