Dear RDA Supporter,
Has one of your Group qualified for the National Championships this year? If so, I would like to personally
congratulate them and look forward to welcoming you all to Hartpury College.
Even if you haven’t got a participant competing, why don’t you come along and see what it is all about with members
of your Group?
The Championships is free for visitors, takes place over 3 days and is the largest event of its kind in the world.
The Friday features dressage for visually impaired riders, a carriage driving competition - including dressage, cones
and obstacles - and RDA Graded Showjumping. The rest of the weekend covers dressage, Countryside Challenge,
RDA Showjumping, Vaulting and Horsecare & Knowledge (which you can enter on the day). The stunning display of
the Arts &Crafts competition will be available to view throughout the weekend.
There is also an attractions area with stalls, refreshments, candy floss, icecream and competitions.
Everyone is welcome, so come and join us in the lovely setting of Hartpury College, near Gloucester. Why not stay
over for the Saturday and join the disco (this year's theme is 'Hats').
There are minibuses to transport you from the car park to the show ground. You can even bring your dog, on a lead
please!
.
I very much look forward to seeing you there,
Anne Coney
National Championships Chairman
Bank Farm RDA
Summer 2014 Newsletter
Registered Charity no. 1140260
Important Info:
Term Dates
Monday : 15th Sep 2014
Saturdays: Start 13 Sep 2014
No RDA 25 Oct & 1st Nov
Last Saturday: 13 Dec 2014
Tel No
Anne 01494 758550
Mhairi 01494 782870
Kay: info@bankfarmrda.com
Anne:kconey@waitrose.com
Website:
www.bankfarmrda.com
Bank Farm RDA
The Summer Term seems to rush by but we have had so much fun.
Ros has retired from organising us and I can’t thank her enough for all the
time and trouble she has taken over so many years not just as our
Saturday organiser but as our carriage driving one as well. I know she will
pop in and see us from time to time and we can all give her a cheer then!
Chloe has had her twins, a girl and a boy. She will have her hands full for
sometime but we look forward to having her back when they are settled.
With our very busy Saturday if anyone would like to do some training as a
coach please let me know, it is great fun and the riders are a delight to
teach!
Have a great Summer break and look forward to seeing you back in
September. Thanks again to Kay for organising our newsletter and to all
the trustees for their work in the background to keep us going and of
course the riders and volunteers without whom my Saturdays would be
very boring.
Anne
Dare I say this, especially as we have 3 sessions to go before the end
of term but we haven't cancelled a Mondays riding this year which
must be a first. This has been very beneficial for the children as the
continuity for riding on Monday has helped the children progress
enormously. The Heritage pupils have made great progress under
Marys teaching and are very confident riders, we had a few slow
starters but now they are all very enthusiastic to be mounted on their
ponies and have impressed both teachers and us all with their
achievements. We have had 6 children from Elmtree school as
second ride and they have all done extremely well and have passed
their Grade 1 horsecare and Grade 2 riding with ease. 5 can ride
without lead helpers, steering and stopping without help, they are
amazed that they are able control a large pony and do it with a large
smile on their faces. Our 6th rider from Elmtree rejoined us this
term so not as experienced as the others but he is a real trier. We will
be sad to see them leave us at the end of term but look forward to
meeting our new riders in September. Unfortunately they won't be
accompanied by their teacher, Janet Spicer, who has brought the
children up to Bank Farm since the school started riding with us.
Janet is retiring at the end of this term and we all wish her well,
rumour has it that she may have a change of roles on Monday and
become one of our helpers, let’s hope so as she will be a great asset to
our team.
Our Monday helpers are as brilliant as ever and I would like to thank
them very much indeed for continuing to support us, many have been
with us for a long time. Thankyou too to our gentleman helper, he
deserves a medal for putting up with our chatting, lot of baby
conversation this term as I became a Granny again!! We also love
having Chloe with us who is a breath of fresh air being a few decades
younger than the majority of us and rather selfishly hope she doesn't
leave us too soon to pursue her proper career.
Thankyou everyone and have a really enjoyable summer. Mhairi
Congratulations to John
Brewer, who ran the London
Marathon April 2014 for the
16th time .His time was 4hrs 35
mins and he raised £400 for us,
Thank you very much John for
this
amazing fete and for all those
who sponsored him.
I have recently transferred to Bank Farm RDA having been involved at another RDA on and off since
2008 through-out school and University- I immediately felt like part of the family !
Living in Berkhamsted, it is the highlight of my week making the short but beautiful drive over and helping
for two hours on a Monday morning. I utterly adore the children who visit us and have a deep respect for
all the horses who never fail to amaze me with their gentle character and unwavering reliability.
As I am a hopeful future medical student and a keen horsewoman, RDA combines gathering experience in
paediatric disabilities with a passion for horses which I have held since I was very little. I have very
quickly learnt that the reason RDA is so successful is that for children whose lives are centred around
what is ‘wrong’ with them, RDA focuses on what is ‘right’. Children of all abilities can get so much out of
RDA - not least because they are put in the rare situation of being given responsibility; for the horse
they are working with, for their skills but most importantly for themselves. This in turn leads to a huge
sense of achievement, pride, determination and, very often, a huge smile.
I have learnt so much over the years whilst working with RDA and I am continually surprised at the
resilience, positivity and willingness to learn of both the children and volunteers. There is no comparable
feeling to one when you see a child improve, gain confidence or simply show their horse affection and
every session is a total privilege to be part of.
Im afraid RDA is stuck with me for a great many years to come !
-- Chloe Newland, 22, Student.
Bank Farm and the Tracker
National Arts and Crafts competition
This wonderful sculpture was made by Heritage House Scout
Group and named as “Photo-Finish”. It has been made for the
National Arts and Crafts Competition, it successfully won its
category at the regional show and goes forward to the
National show in July. Not only is it a wonderful horse but it
is covered in photos of the children making it.
When one of children that are on the waiting list was offered a
ride, her mother’s reply was
“Hello! ....... would rather come riding than sit on the float! So
yes please, we'll see you Saturday”
What a brilliant reply – that is why we do RDA
In the Autumn term of 2013 Heritage house
Monday morning riders took part in the RDA
Tracker scheme. This meant we closely
observed the children at each weekly session
noting any changes in communication,
confidence, enjoyment, relationships, physical
change and horsemanship. Each rider rode the
same pony each week and had at least one
familiar face as a helper. The scheme proved
popular with helpers who liked having
something definite to focus on and the rosette
image for plotting individual “before and after”
assessments was easy to understand at a
glance. All our riders showed considerable
improvement over the term in at least four
areas and we felt very proud of them all. I shall
not forget the excitement of one of our
dedicated helpers when her “charge, “who had
been non-verbal for weeks, suddenly not only
answered questions but actually asked one!
As well as being very useful at the time I
believe the Tracker scheme has had a lasting
effect on me and the helpers when teaching
subsequent groups. It has certainly meant that
when planning lessons I have the six key areas
of assessment in mind and can adjust games
and exercises accordingly. I also feel that
feedback from helpers has increased.
I want to say how much I have enjoyed the
company of the Heritage House children over
the last school year and thank you to the staff
and to all at Bank Farm for your help and
encouragement. Thank you too to our lovely
ponies for their patience and good natures; it
cannot always be easy to be so well behaved!
Only Fools, Not Horses 21st April 2014
Phillipa Hood raised £590, Phillipa is a cousin
to Emelia, who is one of our riders
Thanks to Patsy, Liz, Dan, Jo & Charlie, Emma
Brewer, Emma Borchart, Rachel, Melita,
Gerard, Jo Beale, Roisin and Adam , Anne &
myself for volunteering to be marshals. The
weather was much better than last year when
it was bitterly cold and very muddy.
Thank to Sandra at the Black Horse PH who
hosted this event and all those who took part
Welcome.
Welcome to new Saturday volunteers, Rachel
McLaughlin, Lottie Miller, Helena Mills, Olivia
Tatum, Niamh, Daryoush, Gill and Roxy who
have joined us since December
New Monday helpers: Chloe
Leavers
We have to say a sad goodbye to Anand,
Anya, Bethany Boultwood, Emily Havard,
Emily Harris. Emma Davies, who are leaving us
to go to University. We wish them all well
with their studies.
Melita’s Sponsored Slim
Thank you all for encouraging Mel in her
slim
Thanks to you all she has been sponsored
to the sum of just over £450.00 and is now
busy collecting in all her money. Mel’s loss
is Bank Farm RDA’s gain.
Thank you Mel
YELA – Young Equestrian Leaders Award
Congratulations ..Rachel, Anand and Chloe for
completing the bronze award and Reed and
Hollie for completing the Silver.
To all of you partaking in YELA, please bring
your logbooks in so I can sign them.
You have to be between 13 – 25 years and
volunteer for 20 hours for bronze, 40 hours +
bronze for silver and 60 hours + silver for
the gold award.
These hours can run alongside D of E service
with us but you can only count hours once you
have submitted your application to the YELA
office. There is a charge of £14.00 –bronze
£16.00- silver and £22.00- gold
Patrick and Katie.
A few years ago when Anne & Gaile ran RDA holidays
from Bank Farm, these two young people met and in
January this year, married in West Sussex. Instead of
gifts, they asked for donations and gave £375 to Bank
Farm RDA which we are delighted to receive.
Duke of Edinburgh Awards
While we are delighted that many of our young
volunteers choose to do the voluntary service
with us at Bank Farm RDA, please remember
that we ask you to volunteer with us for a year
before you ask us to sign your books off and
you must attend for 80% of the weeks we
operate.
We will not sign your books off if these two
conditions are not met so please do not ask us