SUPPORT workers have praised the Royal Forest of Dean’s Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) team for their incredible service, dedication and hard work as they prepare for their 25th year anniversary. 

The unique group, devised of volunteers, is the only of its kind in Gloucestershire and provides a valuable service for people with learning and physical disabilities, including wheelchair users with their specially adapted carriage.

At 9.30am to 12.30pm Tuesdays and Thursdays, volunteers of the group and support workers help participants onto a carriage. The carriage is drawn by one of their two horses; Lola and Lily.

The carriage(s) then leisurely ride around a mile round trip, which takes about 15 minutes. In this short time, the participants have an enjoyable experience, which support workers say plays a huge role in their lives.

Care Support Worker Micheala Parrant said: “It really is amazing, I cannot fault these people. They work so hard and the girls just love coming. I’ve got four people that come and it’s getting them out into the community doing something like this is a Godsend. All four say ‘can’t wait to go!’, ‘when can we go?’. When they’re here, the smiles on their faces are incredible.” 

Michaela added that one girl has been impacted very positively from the service, from once being timid and shy of horses to actively interacting with them. She also said the service has a positive knock-on effect, as the girl now also chooses to attend P.A.C.E. in Gloucester. 

Support Worker Paula said: “They do this weekly. On a Monday, they say to me ‘when are we going carriage riding?’. They’ve been going for years and it means so much to them. To be able to go and do a ride and interact with a horse is just magical for them.

“These volunteers are just amazing. They know each and every one of the participants, they know their likes and dislikes and we’d be lost if they didn’t do this.” 

The praise comes as the group celebrates its 25th anniversary, with plans for a day of tea, cakes and garden festivities held at Highnam Court, Sunday, September 15 at 11am. In its 25 years, the group has moved premises a few times and come through the Covid pandemic.

Since moving to the grounds of Chaxhill House, they have been able to use the purpose floor and shed, and can utilise the track for carriage rides, which they call turnouts. 

Typically, the team including the Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and coaches see around 17 participants in a day, with the majority of wheelchair users attending on a Thursday. 

The group is a separate charity from the main office, based in Warwickshire, meaning the team does its own fundraising to keep the service running.

They regularly run coffee mornings, with the next one held at St. Peter’s Church, Newnham on Severn on October 19 from 10.30am. The proceeds help towards the upkeep of the service including the feeding and shoeing of the horses. 

If you wish to help the Royal Forest of Dean’s RDA through donations or to volunteer, you can get in touch with the team on social media through Facebook and Instagram. Volunteers can choose to do a range of things and do not necessarily need any prior background of working with horses.

Additionally, you can head down and see what the team does on a Tuesday or Thursday morning at Chaxhill House, Chaxhill, Westbury on Severn.