PUB REGULARS HELP LEARNING DISABILITY RIDERS PLAN TRIP TO SHANGHAI
Having had two members of their group represent Great Britain in Austria recently, The Bedfordshire Horseshoe Group are now preparing to send one of their members to the world games in Shanghai to represent Great Britain, with renewed vigour thanks to the generosity of villagers in Houghton Conquest.
The regulars of The Royal Oak public house in the village presented the charity with a cheque for £1500 at a recent fundraising event at which a further £408 was raised. Landlady Jane Laundon explained “We were looking for a local charity to support a couple of years ago and one of the locals had worked with The Horseshoe Group before and we agreed it was such a worthwhile scheme. The villagers have been fantastic in getting behind the charity and have already raised over £1300 to buy a pony and provide other practical support. This latest donation will help a member of the group prepare for a trip to Shanghai for the Special Olympics in 2007 and we’re all thrilled that we’ve been able to enrich the lives of our friends at the group in such a practical way.” The donation of £1500 represented £750 raised by the locals and a matching £750 donated by Charles Wells Ltd, which owns The Royal Oak, under its Eagle Aid Community Chest scheme.
The Horseshoe Group is a small local charity that was created in 2002, after just 18 months of planning and preparation. The group has two primary purposes: 1) To provide opportunities for people with learning disabilities to experience the many benefits riding brings both mentally and physically, including learning new skills and increasing confidence. 2)To offer people aged 8 years and over with a learning disability the opportunity of competition at local, regional, national and international levels. The organisation provides regular training, help and support to the athletes and their families.
Receiving the donation of £1500 on behalf of the Group, Jenny Williams, Secretary Said “We’re a local organisation, run for the benefit of local people and it’s really heartening when we received donations from the local community especially when it’s over a period of time, as has been the case with the staff and regulars from The Royal Oak. They’ve become great supporters and I’m very grateful to them all for their enthusiastic fundraising, and for helping us further by eliciting a donation from Charles Wells Ltd. The team that represents Great Britain in China next year will need practical and emotional help, and this latest donation reassures them that the community is behind them and will be cheering them on all the way.”
The Special Olympics will be held in Shanghai from 2-11 October 2007 but until then, the North Bedfordshire Horseshoe Group will continue their invaluable work of teaching their riders, organizing competitions and fundraising, and caring for the group’s horses 365 days a year. For further information, please contact them at info@horseshoe-group.co.uk.
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For Immediate Release: 10th August 2006
For Further Information, please contact: Jane Laundon, The Royal Oak
Tel: 01234 740 459
Jenny Williams, The Horseshoe Group
Via Email
