On Friday a group of 11 young people from Belarus,who have been brought to the UK for a three week holiday by the Chernobyl Childrens Life Line charity, visited New Yatt RDA with their host families and interpreter. In total 16 riders had a 30 minute riding session and all were presented with rosettes and photographs of the pony they had ridden. Thanks to all the NYRDA helpers for making this visit so special.

Our application to Sport Relief/Oxfordshire Community Foundation for a grant to buy a new horse or pony has been successful. They have very generously awarded us £5000. We hope to purchase a new weightcarrying horse or pony this summer. Our new pony or horse will be:14.1hh – 15.2hh, age: 8 yrs +: gelding or mare, up to 13 stones. In In addition, our new pony or horse must be sound with no allergies or skin conditions. It must live out all year round in a mixed group and be good to handle in every way. It should be capable of working on the lead rein with disabled riders who require a leader but also offer a safe, steady ride to independent disabled riders in walk and trot. All our horses must be people friendly and enjoy regular, if light, flat work in an indoor arena.  

Lynn gave a presentation about New Yatt RDA to the Long Hanborough Womens Institute on Thursday May 8th and received a generous donation for the Group

Topsy was presented with her 15 years service award on Wednesday April 23rd. Former riders Graham and Eric did the honours and many Friends of NYRDA who attended the ceremony stayed for coffee and cake. A lovely article with  photo has been printed in the Oxford Mail

We have received a surprise follow up donation from the Rotary Club of Witney who purchased a field shelter for us in 2007. The £7000 fund raised by their 2007 Three Peaks Challenge has been now distributed to local good causes including NYRDA and we thank them for their continuing support.

At the end of January, Pat Toms received a cheque for £307 from Gill Armstong, Waitrose Manager Witney branch from their "Helping Hands" scheme. Each month the Partnership is giving a share of its profits to 3 local causes and customers are given a token at the checkout to place in the box  for the good cause they most want Waitrose to support. The more tokens a cause gets, the bigger donation they receive. Thanks to everyone who voted for New Yatt RDA

Post script. At the presentation ceremony Gill offered the guests some free chairs which were about to be replaced in the Partners restaurant so we collected a dozen for the Activity Room.

The Business Banking team from Lloyds TSB, Witney has transformed the track leading to our carpark.

Under their "Bank an Hour" community scheme they pledged to mend the track and clear the verges. They turned to  bank customer Alan Townsend of Townsend & Rideout for some free advice, materials and labour. Alan in turn encouraged local companies AK Timms & Sons; Electrical Hire & Sales; Smiths of Bletchington and B&E Transport to offer free materials, plant hire and transport.

In the first phase the potholes were filled; surface levelled and drainage gulleys cut. The project was completed on Friday October 12th when 10 bank staff led by Andrew Kirk spent the day spreading shingle, cutting back the overgrown verges and shifting barrows of weeds.

On August 7th, the mobile field shelter was delivered and erected. The original delivery date in July had to be cancelled as the shelter is needed in the top arena field. Now thanks to a dry spell and 4 wheel drive mode, Simon Sherwood of Premier Shelters successfully negotiated the hill to reach the designated site.

The Rotary Club of Witney presented a cheque for £3000 to the Group in June to buy this equipment. They raised the money in various ways, including a Christmas Carol Concert, a Witney street collection and the recent 3 Peaks Challenge. A full report with photos can be found on the Rotary Club of Witney website (under Projects)