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

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.