Delight at Helping Hands for Riding for the Disabled
WellChild, with the help of staff volunteers from Cheltenham Racecourse and funding from the Charles Irving Trust, have carried out a Helping Hands makeover project on the sensory garden at the Cotswold Riding for the Disabled Association in Cheltenham.
Racing legend Sir A P McCoy who is a WellChild ambassador attended the project to help out and meet those taking part.
Cotswold Riding for the Disabled General Operations Manager, Debbie Powell was delighted with the new look at the garden which will now be a fantastic space to be used by the children, young people and families who visit the centre.
Debbie said: “It was an absolute delight to be the beneficiary of this amazing project, which will enhance the way we use our Sensory Garden, giving more opportunities and experiences for our participants and volunteers to enjoy. Kieran and his team of helpers from WellChild and The Jockey Club have been absolutely remarkable and wonderful to work with. We cannot thank them enough for donating their time, energy and skills, creating this fantastic new space.”
The project took place because the centre’s sensory garden was looking tired having been well used over many years and was in need of a revamp. The Helping Hands project has created a flexible and sensory space that can be used by their beneficiaries and staff alike. It is now an area where the horses can be walked, petted and interact with the visitors, and also somewhere for the hardworking staff to sit, relax and enjoy the magnificent Cotswold scenery between classes.
It was an absolute delight to be the beneficiary of this amazing project, which will enhance the way we use our Sensory Garden.
The Cotswolds Riding for the Disabled Association provides life-changing equine experiences for disabled children in the Gloucestershire region. With their indoor and outdoor arenas, stables and grazing space, they offer a safe and friendly environment to ride and interact with their horses. This has now been enhanced with a suitable, safe and accessible outside space at the centre for the use of beneficiaries and staff.
WellChild Head of Communications Chris Capewell said: “We’re incredibly pleased to have teamed up with The Jockey Club right here in Cheltenham to transform the outdoor space at The RDA. Our combined efforts will allow the RDA to further the amazing work they already do with their participants for years to come. We’re hugely grateful for the hard graft of all of the brilliant volunteers that came together to create this transformation and, of course, to The Charles Irving Trust who kindly funded the project. Our Helping Hands programme helps families nationwide. If you’d like to get involved or sponsor a life-changing transformation for children with complex needs in your local area, please get in touch via wellchild.org.uk”
