g

Registered Charity No SC002041

Winter Newsletter 2015

Fun Day 2015This year’s Fun Day took place on Saturday 3rd October and once again we were fortunate to have dry weather and blue skies. It was fantastic to welcome so many visitors to our centre

on the day to enjoy the pony rides, rodeo bull, face-painting, treasure hunt, raffle, bouncy castle, stalls and of course the ever popular soup and home-baking!

We are delighted to announce that we raised £2,502.39

We would like to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who helps us, both on the Fun Day and throughout the

rest of the year. Volunteers are the essential

backbone of our centre and we simply could not provide our much-needed therapy classes without the amazing effort made by so many people.

We really do appreciate your help.

TERM DATES:This term ends on Saturday 12th December 2015. Classes resume on Monday 11th January 2016.

RDA Scottish Dressage Championships

We were very pleased to host this event here at Sandyflat in September. Our riders did themselves proud! Very well done to Glasgow Group riders Lauren Dempsey, Erin Lee and Rachel McColgan.

RDA Scottish Dressage ChampionshipsWe hope everyone enjoyed their day in Glasgow!

Lauren Dempsey riding Laddie

Champion!

Rachel McColgan

Erin Lee (far left)

Congratulations!The 2015 Cups were awarded at the Fun Day by Mrs Sheila McCalman

Well done to all of our riders who make progress in lots of different

ways every time they come to ride or carriage-drive.

Super Groom visits Glasgow Group!Alan Davies is the man with the enviable job of travelling the globe with the world’s most

famous horses. It is his job to make sure that they arrive safe, calm and well at each

destination. He then ensures that they are perfectly turned out and ready to perform at their

best.

Mary-Jane McNally received the McClements Rose Bowl (rider under 18 years)

was presented with the St Mungo Cup (rider 18 – 25 years)

Linda Ellis was awarded the Anderson Millhouse Trophy (rider over 25 years)

One of his most famous charges

is Valegro, currently one of the

most successful dressage horses

in the world. Alan has been a

groom since he left school and

has always been fascinated by

horses.

Alan and Valegro

He has been quoted as saying his alternative career would have been hairdressing! “I can do

amazing things with a mane and tail so I would love to have a go with a head of hair!”

Alan recently attended an event at the Glasgow Group and is pictured here with one of our

horses, Zach.

Corporate help

Earlier in the year we welcomed a team from Hymans Robertson who worked hard outside

on the trail, which was a great help in preparing the ground for our riders and ponies to enjoy.

With Christmas just around the corner, what could be more convenient than settling down with a cuppa (or a glass of something festive) to do a spot of online shopping? Even better, you can raise funds for RDA Glasgow Group.....and IT WON’T COST YOU A PENNY!

Sweet TreatsPictured right are pupils from John Paul Academy who designed and prepared goodies to be sold at our Fun Day. We would like to thank them for getting involved and for coming along on the day to sell their wares. Hope to see you all again soon.

Here is Bailey making friends with Jill Arnott from local company, R-Biopharm Rhône Ltd. The company has sponsored Bailey and is meeting the costs of his upkeep for a year. Thank you and come and visit us (and Bailey) any time!

Please consider signing up to easyfundraising – you can help to raise funds for the RDA Glasgow Group every time you shop. Here’s how it works:

It’s easy and it’s free!

1. Sign up to easyfundraising:Go to www.easyfundraising.org.uk.rftdgg to set up an account.

2. Go shopping:When you shop online, visit easyfundraising.org.uk first, click through to the retailer of your choice and shop as usual. Your purchase will cost exactly the same as if you had gone to the retailer’s website directly. That’s all you have to do!

3. Earn donations!With every purchase you make, the retailer will make a donation which will be transferred to Riding For The Disabled Glasgow Group.

Over 2,700 retailers have joined this scheme to support charities like ours.

Thank you

Catch upOne of our long-standing volunteers, Donna Rennie, also gives her time to help at the Park Centre in Kirkintilloch. Donna recently returned to the RDA after a spell away due to ill-health. Thursdays have not been the same without her happy and smiling presence around the centre. The staff, volunteers, ponies and dogs are very pleased to have her back looking so well and happy!

Donna says: “On Wednesday, 7th October, we (The Park Centre) paid a visit to the RDA. I showed

Message from Margaret MunroMargaret Munro coaches on a Friday morning and would like to acknowledge all the volunteers who help every week in her class. “I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who comes along on a Friday. Some of these volunteers travel a long way and I really do appreciate the effort they all make. I’d also like to thank the yard staff for their hard work and support….and, of course, for their banter”!

One of our long-standing volunteers, Donna Rennie, also gives her time to help at the Park Centre in Kirkintilloch. Donna recently returned to the RDA after a spell away due to ill-health. Thursdays have not been the same without her happy and smiling presence around the centre. The staff, volunteers, ponies and dogs are very pleased to have her back looking so well and happy!

Donna says: “On Wednesday, 7th October, we (The Park Centre) paid a visit to the RDA. I showed

Our ponies do love a tasty carrot as a breakfast treat! Using their muscles to carry these 2 big bags of carrots across the yard are some of our Saturday ridersL - R: Rory, Lauren and Fiona  

Mrs Jean Millhouse

It was with great sadness that we heard of the recent passing of Mrs Jean Millhouse.

Jean was a keen supporter of the Glasgow Group for many years. She raised funds for the Group in different ways and was a Volunteer for a long time together with Norman, her husband.

Jean’s abiding interest was in horses. Having helped to run the Cleveden Riding School in her former days, she knew how to encourage riders and how to make them raise their standards in riding.

To this end she donated the Anderson Millhouse Trophy, which she enjoyed presenting every year to an adult rider who had made good progress during the year.

This annual presentation will bring back memories of her much valued contribution to the RDA Glasgow Group.

A BIG CHEER FOR VOLUNTEER (S) OF THE YEAR!!!

We were thrilled to hear that our wonderful volunteers, Gavin Read and Gary Watson were named RDA volunteers of the year for the West & Central Scotland region.

Gavin and Gary work extremely hard to look after our centre grounds – no mean feat considering that there are nearly 23 acres to maintain! Gavin and Gary are also very creative, and have used their (many) skills to transform an old patch of land, which was prone to flooding,

into a wonderful trail for our riders (and horses) to enjoy. The “Tulliallan Trail” provides the opportunity to ride outside, which is a very different experience from riding in the indoor arena.

Gavin and Gary were typically modest about their achievement “We don’t do it to be thanked”, but we did manage to persuade them to down their tools

and coax them into the tea bar for some celebratory cake.

Greggs FoundationOne of our ponies, Flynn, is sponsored by the Greggs Foundation which is continuing its support in meeting the costs of his feed, bedding, tack, rugs, farrier costs and insurance.

It was lovely to welcome Carole Speirs (above) from Greggs, along with a very long cheque! Thank you very much indeed.

Caroline Fitzgerald from Greggs came to volunteer with us and is pictured here with Flynn following one of the therapy classes that he works in. Caroline said that she really enjoyed learning more about equine therapy and getting up close with our lovely ponies. She did a great job helping us out by side-walking in class and we hope she will come back again soon. ________________________________________________________________

HORSE NEWSMeet the new kids on the (stable) block!Hart

Hart settled in very quickly and was happy to get straight to work in classes with both children and adults. If you get chance to see him without his saddle on, have a peek at his back and see if you can see the perfect heart-shaped marking!

Ozzy “Wizard of Oz”Ozzy is a Welsh pony and if you have been coming to our centre for a while, you may be sensing déjà vu! Ozzy has been with us before and has recently returned. He hasn’t changed; he likes to keep on the move and likes to be at the front of a class. It’s like he has never been away and it’s good to have him back.

Hari “Haribo”Hari is 6 years old and joins us from a trekking centre in Perth. He is settling in well and is currently in training to become an RDA pony. We look forward to seeing him in action in classes soon.

OUR RIDERSWe love to hear from our riders and find out how they are getting on in their lessons and it’s wonderful to receive feedback from parent, teachers and carers. We recently received the following note:

“Wishing to say thanks to Ros and all the staff at the riding stables for building up our son John’s confidence with his horse-riding skills. It’s boosted his confidence no end, he totally

loves it. It makes us so proud as parents to see how far he has come on in such a short space of time when we visit the stables.

The encouragement you have given him is fantastic. Thanks to Middlefield School for enrolling John in this programme, it has been brilliant for him”

Thank you to Alwashih Abdulaziz for this lovely drawing. Alwashih rides with Kelbourne School who come to the RDA Glasgow Group on a Thursday.

We really enjoy seeing the work that our riders do when they get back to school or home.

We would love to feature more of your work so please bring it in and share it with us

Charlotte rides with us on a Saturday morning and made this fantastic model of a horse’s head, complete with real reins!

5Acknowledgements

We have been fortunate to receive support from the following funders:

Jennie S Gordon Memorial FoundationBellahouston Bequest FundWA Cargill FundThe Caram TrustThe Douglas Hay TrustSaints and Sinners Club of ScotlandBig Lottery: Communities & Families FundBank of Scotland FoundationEast Dunbartonshire CouncilGreggs FoundationAlbert Hunt TrustThe Royal Caledonian BallNationwide Community Match SchemeThe Endrick Trust

Myra Burton: Line Dancing ClubPartick Royal Chapter No. 113Mrs E. AlstonMr T. GormanMrs J. StanleyClydebank Films Ltd.Mrs A. BoydThe Order of the Temple (The Preceptory of St Mungo)Ms. Bryson and pupils of John Paul AcademyGlasgow Freemasons Hospital FundPartick Saint Mary’s Lodge No. 117Andy Scott

We would also like to thank all of our other supporters who contribute financially and in many other ways. Contact us:

RDA Glasgow Group Sandyflat Caldercuilt RoadGlasgow G23 5NAT: 0141 945 1369Website: www.rdaglasgow.org

HORSEY THINGS TO BUY! Christmas cards are available in the tea bar and we also have mugs starring Laddie, Flynn, Tara and Precious. Why don’t you let us know which pony you think we should feature next?

2016 calendars are on sale now at £3.50.Ernst Young will match-fund the proceeds of these calendars – another good reason to buy one (or more!)

Wishing everyone a very happy festive season.