We had a fantastic RDA National Championships 2024
We had 18 riders taking part and for the first time we took all of our six horses.
You can see what the weekend was like on our Facebook and Instagram pages by clicking the link at the top of the page.
Congratulations to everyone who took part and to our all volunteers who made it happen.
A special thank you to Wiltshire Area Board Grant Bradford on Avon for the funding to help with the costs of entries, travel, and livery.
Congratulations Anne on your Coronation Champion Award for 2023
Congratulations Anne on your Coronation Champion Award for 2023
Huge congratulations to Anne who has been named as a Coronation Champion for 2023 by the Royal Voluntary Service. Anne was one of 500 extraordinary people nationally who volunteer to make their communities better places, and we are so proud that Anne’s hard work at Saxon RDA on proficiency, ASDAN and Tea with a Pony has been recognised in such a special way. I am sure you will agree that Anne’s amazing resources and selfish dedication to our proficiency participants has impacted so positively on the lives of so many within our group, we couldn’t be more proud of what Anne achieves, Thank you Anne from everyone at Saxon RDA.
you can read more about the awards at https://www.royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk/volunteering/coronation-champions-awards/
Introducing Tuck
We are very excited about our latest addition to our Group. He is called Tuck, and despite being 16.1 hh he is very gentle and has settled in very easily. He loved meeting some of our riders and volunteers when he arrived during one of our sessions on Monday and was not phased at all with all the attention.
Look out for updates on his progress on our Facebook and Instagram pages.
Chris receives Nationals Plaque
Chris on Baloo proudly showing his Nationals Plaque in recognition for qualifying for the 2km Endurance task.
MP writes Thank You to Nicky
MP writes Thank You to Nicky
On 30th September we launched our Tea with a Pony, and our lovely rider Nicky volunteered to show a typical riding session on her favourite horse Saxon. Michelle Donelan MP was one of our many quests and later wrote to Nicky to thank her and congratulate her on all her achievements.
Congratulations to Kady
Not only has Kady won the Riding for the Disabled Association Coach of the Year Award but we have just heard that Kady is a finalist for the UK Coaching Awards in the Community Coach of the Year for Children and Young People category.
We are very proud of you and lucky to have you as our Chair.
Good Luck Summer
Good Luck to Summer and Bertie competing at Hartpury today in the RDA Grade 7 Championship
We have been awarded £10,00o in National Lottery Funding
Jo Rutherford, Trustee and Coach said, “We are celebrating our 40th birthday this year, so to be awarded this funding is especially exciting. Buying another horse will mean being able to expand the number of riders the charity can reach as the group and its equine-assisted therapy services continue to grow in popularity”.
National Volunteers Week
1st -7th June 2022
According to the Volunteering and Charitable Giving - Community Life Survey 2020-2021, over 23 million people in the UK carry out some form of volunteering, either formally or informally. The main reason given for volunteering is to help people in their local community.
Please join us in thanking our wonderful volunteers at Saxon Group RDA.
Up date on Stanley
We are very sorry to announce that we have had to make the decision to sell Stanley. His ligament injury hasn’t healed as much as we had hoped. The Vet advised that Stanley needs to stay in walk for another 18 months, preferably hacking out rather than being in a school environment. A gentle hacking environment will aid his rehabilitation and give him many more years of enjoyment.
Thank you to everybody who has been on the hacking rota and helped with his rehabilitation which has really helped him.
We will of course be fundraising for another horse, although Stan the Man will be hard to replace and we know so many of our riders and volunteers hold a soft spot for this loveable moustached dufus.