Carriage Driving For Disabled Adults In Dorset

Sunday, November 29, 2009

EHDC Mission Statement

Mission Statement as per the charity commission web site;

TO PROMOTE THE OBJECTS OF THE RIDING FOR THE DISABLED ASSOCIATION INCORPORATING CARRIAGE DRIVING A CHARITY REGISTERED UNDER CHARITY NUMBER 244108 ("THE ASSOCIATION") BY PROVIDING DISABLED PEOPLE WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO RIDE AND/OR CARRIAGE DRIVE TO BENEFIT THEIR HEALTH AND WELL BEING IN THE DORSET AREA.

The East Holton Driving Centre is staffed entirely by volunteers, both disabled and non disabled people.

Our ethos is to accept people as they are;

* To enable and empower people with or without disability.
* We give people a larger say in their own destiny.
* We promote and are trained in Disability Equality and Diversity.
* All staff is CRB checked and are familiar with the EHDC child and Vulnerable Adult Protection policy.
* We have up to eight first aid trained staff, who attend our sessions. All our qualified RDA whips are first aid trained.

Health and Safety and Insurance

* We have full insurance provided by the RDA membership. This also covers employers' insurance, because we take year 10 and 11 school students on work experience, also students from Kingston Mauward, the local agricultural college.
* Risk assessments at EHDC are done prior to every session.
* People with disability attend, along with their carer, and initially work in unison with a mentor a fully trained member of the EHDC staff.
* Stables are run to a routine that is beneficial to horses and staff alike. Disabled people particularly respond well to routine.
* All our fire regulations are met and kept up to date and are regularly check by The Bourne Fire Prevention Company and the check certificates are displayed. We also have a no smoking policy at the stables.
* Using these methods we have satisfied all the requirements on Health and Safety checks thus far.

Training

· During training, we progress at what ever pace is necessary for the individual trainee’s needs.
· Our new volunteers usually begin work with cleaning tasks,e.g. yard, stables, and tack. Unless they have previous equine experience. Even then they are mentored by trained staff until their competence is assured.
· Training is progressive and is taken forward a pace that is comfortable for the trainee.
· We don’t have expectations at EHDC. Many disabled people, particularly the people suffering mental illness have had too many expectations put on them which has inflamed their condition. Expectations only lead to apparent failure and disappointment, which stands in the way of success and confidence when people want to achieve their goals.
· At EHDC we have a disabled person who is qualified to instruct carriage driving, and a disabled person who after the same period of time, can sweep out and manage stable work unsupervised, can, with a mentor, groom a horse, head hold and ride a bicycle to escort a drive.
· People’s ability is that diverse. With patience and persistence, people’s individual goals and ambitions can be and are met.

It is our aim to promote the EHDC at Ashtree Stables a safe haven for disabled people, with no stigma, discrimination or prejudice. We make a concerted effort to take the "dis" out of disability. Raise personal confidence and promote self esteem.

Funding

In 2008 we lost the financial support of the Household Cavalry Association Dorset when they changed their chosen charity to the Household Cavalry Combat Soldiers Injuries Fund, a charity we couldn’t oppose. Our income for the year was £9800 and our expenditure totalled £9600 but still a small profit.

Income

* Income from drives.
* Generous donations.
* Fund raising.

Expenditure

* Forage
* Farrier
* Vet (wormer and medication when needed)
* Maintenance of Harness, Carriages, Fencing, Buildings and yard.
* Membership and Insurance

Definition

We are a Horse and Carriage driving group for disabled people and we do not do any riding.

Saturday, October 31, 2009

End of season Group Organisers Report 2009

We have arrived at the end of another driving season at the East Holton Driving Centre.

2009 has been very successful. We have had some terrific support from all our service users and helpers alike;

* We have done more drives
* We have had good weather conditions so missed less driving time.
* We have much more grazing 120 acres more in fact.
* We have extended our tenancy from 12 monthly to unlimited. Thanks to Sir Tom Lees.
* We have broken down the final barriers between Holton Lee and the EHDC.
* We have given more opportunities to people with disability through mentoring to be more hands on with the horses.
* We have work on going with reducing discrimination and prejudice for disabled people.
* We have eliminated expectations and that has reduced our failure rate.
* We are reasonably happy with things overall financially. We remain solvent anyway.

We strive to let disabled people be more independent and have a much larger say in there own destiny, our friends are disabled not unable.

I wish to thank all involved for their help to make 2009 so successful and will hope to see you at the closed season events over Christmas especially. Please stay in touch and we look forward to your continued support next season. If you are reading this and not a helper already, please feel free to make contact with us and join us, disabled or non disabled we have a place for you. Contact :-Wally on 07790912770.

Wally Pitt

Sunday, October 25, 2009

End Of Carriage Driving Season





It was time to consider replacing the shoes for another 4 to 6 weeks at considerable cost just when the weather is becoming rather fickle and it was decided that it wasn't worthwhile.
Keith, our farrier, removed all the shoes and trimmed the feet and the horses were turned back out in the field for their winter holiday.

The new season will start with the shoes going back on in January or February 2010, depending on the weather.

We now turn our attention to planning our Christmas Carol and Lantern walk scheduled for Thurs 10th December at 6.30 pm.

Ed Bracher Visit



A few weeks ago we were pleased to receive a visit by the Chief Executive of the RDA, Mr. Ed Bracher.
Wally seized on the opportunity to show Ed around the site with Marmite and give Ed a good impression of a normal working day for us. He also had the chance to talk face-to-face about some grievances and pointers to improvements within the RDA over lunch in the Barn where he also met the Director of Holton Lee, Theresa Veith, and Ed Bracher went away with some good idea of the potential that Holton Lee might be able to offer other groups within the RDA.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Nearing The End of Our Driving Season


I'll let you put your own captions to Felix's actions!!


How time flies!! Autumn already, shortening days and dropping temperatures signal the approach to winter - perish the thought! Now our thoughts turn to planning Christmas lunches and Christmas Carols not so very far away.

The end of the driving season will be on the 19th October 2009. This is when the farrier attends the horses, because of the cost of the new shoes, with the approach of winter, shorter daylight hours, and the possibility of poor weather.

The committee has decided to have the horses shoes removed and give the horses their winter break. The new season will start as soon as the weather allows in the New Year.

During the break we would invite you to keep up with the news, meet your friends from the EHDC, on Wednesday mornings at 11am at Dylans Restaurant, The Court Yard Craft Centre, Lychett Minster, for a Coffee Morning. Denise and Wally would also like the chance to visit you at your home, if this is what you would like us to do.

On Thursday 10th December at 6.30 pm, in conjunction Holton Lee we are having the usual Carols and Lantern walk, Mulled Wine plus Mince Pies and Holton Lee’s Charity draw, for further information ring Wally on 07790912770.

Without of the financial support of the Household Cavalry Association Dorset (£2,000) during 2009, we have continued to give the service you are used to. Our budget is tight but with your support we have got through the season. I would like to thank the people who donated the money for the drive when they had to cancel at short notice. My thanks go to the people who attended the Margaret Newell Memorial Day in August for raising a total of £607.00 on the day. God bless you all.

Wally Pitt Group Organiser EHDC

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Margaret Newell Day 2009


Laura displaying one of the calendars that were created by Bonny Cother, using photographs that she took when she visited us earlier in the year. Bonny was over from Florida, visiting her brother John, who is one of our regular helpers. The calendars are selling for £5.00 and are considered a brilliant idea for contributing to our fund raising efforts - thank you Bonny!




Dear All my friends all over the world, 09/08/2009

We held the Margaret Newell Memorial day Sausage Sizzle to day besides which we had;

  • A raffle.
  • Tombola,
  • Cake stall.
  • Books and calendar stall.
  • Bric-a-brac puzzles and toy stall.

This event is held to raise funds for the EAST HOLTON DRIVING CENTRE @ Holton Lee. The total raised so far is £607.00.

Denise and I have to attend The Conservative Club in Swanage this evening to receive a cheque for cash they have collected for us totalling £300.00 this is the best earning day for a long while £907 pounds in total.

To see so many of our friends and supporters was wonderful, Sir Tom Lees, came and spent an hour or two with us and was delighted to see the success we have with the group the fact we have disabled people and nondisabled people working with us and it is so difficult to spot one from the other. There is total integration, just how it should be. Critics will say that if this is the case these people should be working and be off benefits. If only they could be they would be so happy. I can only praise the nondisabled who support them as they tire, or have to go and rest. Remember that we have no expectations, therefore everything that is done, no matter how much or how little is a success. They are able to do as much or as little as they are comfortable with, unlike a normal job.

Some of our helpers with disability may not be seen as much of next week after today, but it doesn’t matter. We try to take the dis out of disability, we try to empower and enable disabled people. We try to give them self worth, build self esteem and create self confidence. I spend so much time trying to educate people about disability equality. Get rid of the dreaded stigma that brings discrimination and prejudice. There is no such thing as poor disabled people, rather people with disability. For those who couldn’t attend today but gave books, cakes, preserves prizes for the Tombola and raffle a huge thank you. For the others who helped from early morning to the close an even larger thank you.

A special mention must go to Angela Bolton who arrived back from holiday last night but managed the best Cream Teas ever for us today; Chris Shaw who cycled from Corfe Mullen to help John Newell with the BBQ, Geoff Lonsdale with his arm in a sling but still manned a stall with toys and bric-a-brac and last but not least the Juniors Jenny, Becky, and Bradee. Who did too many tasks to mention?

Thank you all and those I failed to mention.

Wally Pitt Group Organiser, EHDC

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

MARGARET NEWELL MEMORIAL DAY.

10.30am Sunday 9th August 2009.
EAST HOLTON DRIVING CENTRE
@ Holton Lee
This event is a fund raising event, please can you help on the day, or by providing anything listed below !
We urgently require the following,
  • Cakes small and large, for the cake stall.
  • Preserves.
  • Squash and Fizzy drinks.
  • Books, for the book stall.....Gill Symes.
  • Prizes suitable for the raffle and tombola.......Alex, Ju and Julie.
  • Wally, Denise, and Jonnie will provide the Meat and Rolls for the BBQ...Chris Shaw, John Newell.
  • Angela will do Cream teas and hot drinks.
  • Face painting.... Helen (James Burns House).
Thank you all for your help in anticipation,
The committee EHDC.