Fletcher Accredited by the RDA

Fletcher RDA Approved

On Saturday 9th of May 2015 Mrs Jenny Pennell, RDA Carrige Driving Representative of S W England, came to assess Fletcher's suitability as a driving horse for the RDA. He turned 5 years old on 1st May which is the youngest age allowed for RDA use.

Fletcher performed his duties for Jenny like a seasoned professional, and she had no hesitation in passing him.

We are extremely grateful to his owner, Susan Oke, for the excellent preparation in bringing him on to this high standard, just as she did with William.

We are so very lucky to have four such wonderful horses to care for and to use for the benefit of so many disabled people in Dorset.

Fun Day with local BDS Members

On Sunday  invited members of the local branch of the British Driving Society joined us at Holton Lee for a friendly fun day driving round some of the estate and having a bit of fun with a cones course and a small obstacle course.
Some 8 or 9 turnouts arrived and I joined them with Sandy Milne, one of our disabled drivers, taking the reins with William. William was very excited to see all these strange horses trotting around on his turf!

Sandy tries his hand round the cones course in admirable style which was all the more a triumph as William has had very little practice at this little discipline.

The weather was kind and everyone enjoyed the informality of the day.  We were asked when we would do it again so I think we can regardit as a great success in fact. It was heart-warming to receive that sort of support and positive feedback and encouragement to repeat the invitation later in the year.

Go to our Facebook page to see more photos.

Fund Raising

 On 7th May the East Holton Driving Centre received a second visit from some members of the Poole Bobbin and Lace Circle so that they might see first hand what we do as a small local charity run entirely by dedicated volunteers.

Last year one of their members just happened to visit Dylans Restaurant within the Craft Centre at Lytchett Minster on a day when we were having a coffee morning with some of our volunteers and some of our disabled friends that use our service. she was struck by the jollity of our group and enquired about who we were and one of our group explained what we do.

 So it was that she put our charity forward as one that the Poole Bobbin and Lace Circle might raise money for as they do so for a different local charity each year.

We were delighted to learn that we had been their chosen charity so, when I gave a talk at one of their meetings, I invited any who would like to come down to the yard to see what we do and to take any who wished for a short drive round our wonderful surroundings.
Fortune smiled on us and on each of the two days of their visits we were blessed with lovely weather.