Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I have been involved with Cranleigh RDA for many years and have been amazed at the impact they have made on the lives of the people they support. Many people have an outdated view that RDA provides pony rides to disabled children, however the reality is very different.

From the very young to the very old RDA is enabling people to achieve goals they never thought possible through riding. These range from parents seeing their children develop new skills and confidence to adults discovering the joys of riding after being struck down through illness or accidents.

Qualified instructors ensure every session is geared to meeting the needs of their riders. I have seen first hand how riding strengthens the body whilst at the same time providing a very positive mental stimulus. The bonds that develop between riders and their horses are very real and very strong. It can have a profound impact on individuals who struggle to make connections with other people.

This fantastic achievement comes at a cost. With eight horses to house, feed and look after it costs £30,000 a year to provide this fantastic facility which is currently providing riding to 150 people every week. Cranleigh RDA has over 80 volunteers to provide all this and only one paid employee. It receives no grants from central or local government and relies totally on fundraising.

I am one of those volunteers and if I can raise £1000 that will gurantee the riding for 150 disabled people for the next 12 months. In these days of cutbacks it is vital that we continue to support the work of organisations that are making a real difference.

Give whatever you can and help individuals who have been dealt a raw hand in life enjoy things that we take for granted. You never know you just might be helping a future paralympian.