Happy New Year!!

A Bright Start To Year 2010

Expectant.....'Where's our breakfast?'

Wait a minute! New Year Treat ....a can of Guiness for each! (horse that is!)

DE-LIC-IOUS !!! Worth waiting for!!

Dear Members and friends of the EHDC,

On behalf of the Chairman and Committee may I take this opportunity to wish you all a very HAPPY NEW YEAR and all very best during 2010. We have had a very busy and successful 2009, and we will take time right now to thank you all for your help. It is all the horses, drivers, helpers, RDA whips and friends of the group, supported by the committee members. All these people combined have determined the groups success. Your efforts how ever large or small are very much appreciated.

Thank you to the people who have helped, despite taking courses, looking after family members who are suffering ill health, but still managed to help whenever they can. We were very sorry to lose Val Barber, our secretary during the year, due to ill health. We hope she is recovering and getting better.

It is wonderful to have John Newell as a trustee in his 81st year, John still attends daily and plays a very active roll in the day to day running of the stables. John turned the derelict farm yard into the stable yard it is now. John supported Margaret when she was Helper, AB Whip, Group Organiser, and Chairman of the EHDC. He has had a major input for 16 years. We thank you John!

I discovered that at the Volunteer Centre in Poole, the information for prospective volunteers said that the volunteers had to be "Able Bodied" I have change that to suit our group policies, of disability equality. We now will except people whether they are disabled or non-disabled. Age is the most common disability there is, and our helpers are getting more disabled as the years go by. For instance I used to run the Mile and 800 yds, for the Army, and now I can't run for a bus. We all have lots to offer and share with the people we help, within the RDA. We accept people as they are, we enable and empower people with disabilities and this is a good ethos to have.

Continue to enjoy Holton Lee and I hope you will support us again during 2010.

with best wishes and kind regards

Wally Pitt Group Organiser EHDC.