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Fundraising & Donations
Fund Raising and donations every year are crucial to the continuation of the provision of our service and we must raise our annual operating budget of approximately £45,00 from these, a small amount also coming from rider contributions.
As well as the costs of keeping our horses (eg for feed, shoeing, dentistry, vaccinations & veterinary care, physiotherapy, saddlery and rugs) we have many costs associated with the upkeep of our sizeable site and insurance costs to cover volunteers, staff and our facilities.
Although we rely heavily on volunteers to provide our service so that staff costs are kept to a minimum, we do have a paid Stable Manager and a relief who are key to the smooth running of our operation and to the quality care of our horses.
Annual Sponsored Ride
Our major annual fund raising event is the Sponsored Ride, which generally takes place on Good Friday, although in 2012 the date was moved to May Bank Holiday (more details...).
The ride takes place over an 11 mile marked route through Surrey woodland, heath and hills. In 2013 a new 3-mile route for lead or accompanied–on-foot youngsters is to be introduced. Riders from all over the south east of England take part to raise money for our group.
It is a wonderful example of the able-bodied riding community facilitating riding for their disabled counterparts, all sharing a love of horses. Our volunteers all work hard to make the day possible – we couldn’t do it without them.
Funds raised from the event are crucial to the group’s finances and all donations and forms of sponsorship are welcome.
Fund Raising Treks
We are very fortunate to have some fit and adventurous volunteers who from time to time are willing to undertake challenging and demanding treks, sometimes in hostile terrain, to attract sponsorship for our group. These have included in September 2007 the ascent of Mount Toubkal in Morocco and in September 2010 a 100 mile trek from the Dead Sea to Petra.
Find out about the latest adventure undertaken!
Others will run for us in marathons or other running or cycling events. The money raised all goes towards the upkeep of our horses and stables so that we can keep operating : keeping horses is an expensive business!
Schools, Golf Clubs, and local organisations
Over the past years we have been lucky to be chosen as the beneficiary charity of various local organisations.
Find out more about our local supporters.
Company Sponsorship and support
We are always grateful when local companies support our work. In the past some have donated time or particular items of equipment or tack and others have made donations to our funds.
These are always tremendously welcome and can enable us to buy things that it would be otherwise difficult for us to fund. Often though we just need help meeting the relentless bills associated with keeping the horses.
Recent Company Donations
In December 2012 Valiant Petroleum plc, Woking donated £5,000 to our funds in memory of one of their Directors.
Amongst other things, their wonderful gift has enabled us to buy some new equipment to develop Show Jumping, a new RDA core discipline, within our group as we work towards accreditation as a Jumping centre.
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