The Kitty Barron Riding for the Disabled group is one of the oldest groups in the country, yet also one of the smallest with just four ponies - Macroom, Fergus, Snoopy and little Shetland pony Sweetie. They receive no government funding and are often overlooked for local funding due to being small, yet their dedicated volunteers provide free weekly sessions to local disabled children and special schools, which acts as part of their therapy sessions as well as being fun.

Although the group fundraises all year to ensure they have enough money for their daily running costs caring for the ponies, unfortunately they just don‘t make enough for incidences like the unforeseen circumstances they currently find themselves in. The recent “Beast from the East” got into the riding school and the snow damaged the electrical hoist system, used to lift physically disabled riders onto the horses. It is one of only two hoists in Gloucestershire, and because it is out of action, many disabled riders in the area are now unable to have their weekly therapy sessions until it is fixed. Many have already missed out. £4,500 is needed to get the hoist system working again - money that Kitty Barron RDA just don’t have.

The group are working frantically to raise the money, such as their Easter Sunday Egg Hunt on horseback which raised just over £200, but any support you can offer would be gratefully received, and will go towards helping our local disabled community to get back on their horses.

The group is a registered charity however I have set this up as crowdfunding as I am not a part of the group - just a supporter who was devastated to hear of the situation they have found themselves in. My cousin is the lead instructor, so it is a cause close to my family’s hearts.

Thank you.