Martin Sets About Cleaning Marmite's Harness After Morning Session

The season is progressing extremely well with some very welcome new volunteers. The weather has been fantastic for us and as the days fly by we have to turn our thoughts to our AGM which will be held on 16th June at the stables, and to preparing for Holton Lee's Summer Fair on Saturday 18th June when we have a chance to boost our funds. The Margaret Newell Memorial Day on 7th August is another major event in our calendar to be planned for.

I feel that I must address the issue of the wearing of hard hats. A comment "Hats?" was made on last month's posting with a picture of Martin and Wally seen hatless! We, as a group, offer all our adults the choice to wear or not to wear a helmet and they can sign a form of exemption which they do at their own risk. A risk assessment is made for every drive that we do and we do have a very good safety record.

If we were to travel on a public highway it would be compulsory to wear safety helmets, but since we have the good fortune to operate off-road on a 350 acre estate that rule does not apply. We do carry a range of helmet sizes to offer our disabled drivers. An ill-fitting helmet could be more dangerous than without. Some of our disabled drivers have exemption forms signed by a doctor, otherwise all our adults have a choice and are made aware that signing the form does not affect their statutory rights. Each drive is a leisure drive and is conducted to the standards of safety recommended by the Riding for the Disabled Association incorporating Carriage Driving, and in as safe an environment as possible.

The question of protective hats is under review by the RDA and details will be released at a carriage driving conference in mid October this year.