Get Involved
There are many ways you can support us
To provide disabled people with the opportunity to ride or have equine based therapy, we need your help. You can help us by
- Volunteering
- Fundraising
- Sponsorship
- Corporate volunteering and team building
Please read more below.
‘It is an amazing community of helpers, workers and volunteers who often give up their own precious time to give to these individuals, who often have nowhere to go. These people (volunteers) are kind, compassionate and some of most calmest humans, I have ever encountered – they are truly priceless!’
Volunteer
All RDA groups rely on volunteers – a single riding session for five disabled people could need ten or more volunteers. Tack, field shelters, fences, stables, water troughs, riding arenas and horse-boxes all need maintaining, and there is always administration to be done. We welcome volunteers with a variety of skills and volunteering at SBRDA can form part of the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme.
What do volunteers do? At SBRDA our volunteers are involved in everything needed before, during and after class: grooming, tacking/untacking, leading, side-helping. Our volunteers are key to the success of our riders, supporting them during their lessons, helping them to develop skills and independence.
To volunteer with us, you need to:
Be over 14 years – our volunteers are a range of ages.
Have a good sense of humour.
Be empathetic and understanding.
Be keen learn and pass on your knowledge.
Like people and animals.
How to volunteer:
Enquire – Contact jane.carmichael@southbucksrda.org or call on 01753 662796 for a volunteer application form. You are welcome to come and visit us to get more of a feel for our volunteer roles.
Apply – Complete the application form and return it to the office. Please alert your 2 referees that they need to return references quickly, complete a DBS check online, and bring in your identification documents for checking.
Training – Attend a ‘green card introductory training session’, annual volunteer training, and National RDA training, including safeguarding when offered.
Volunteering – Sign up for the classes you are available to support, become part of a team and community, and remember to notify the Centre if you are unable to attend a session. You will be fully supported by our friendly team!
Fundraising
We receive no government or Lottery funding, and we rely on fundraising, and the commitment of volunteers to continue to offer life-changing opportunities.
You can make a one-off donation or set up regular giving.
Please click here for our JustGiving fundraising page.
If you are kind enough to send us a cheque, please make it payable to South Bucks Riding for the Disabled Association.
We attend several local events where we fundraise and host events at the centre too – find out more on Facebook and Instagram and check our news page too.
Sponsorship
We are very grateful to those who offer us sponsorship such as show attendance for our riders, horse transport, printing our leaflets, and sponsoring a pony.
We are always grateful for assistance from local businesses and individuals. If you would like to sponsor one of our horses or ponies, have goods or services that you could donate to us or would like to make a monetary donation, please get in touch.
Please read on for information on our current sponsors – we are so grateful to each and every one of them.
Stoke Park have become firm friends of South Bucks, supporting us with donations and in kind support and partnering with us at fundraising events, we are delighted to have recently signed their Stoke Park Partnership Framework.
The Rotary Club of Burnham Beeches have been amazing supporters of South Bucks RDA over the years, and currently sponsor Duke, donating £1000 to contribute towards his welfare covering his shoes, saddle check, feed and dentistry for that all important smile.
We are very lucky that Freddie is sponsored from funds raised by the Gaskell Family in memory of their amazing daughter and sister Grace and her love of horses, in particular her special friend Puzzle.
A huge thank you to Jo Dickie who gifted her time in helping to build this new website.
We would like to thank Omega Equine for their kind sponsorship supporting the health and wellbeing of our horses and ponies.
‘It is our pleasure to support the great work the RDA are doing, and to help keep your horses in the best health possible. Sophie is a fantastic ambassador for you, and we are delighted to work alongside her to aid the causes she is passionate about.’
Our Group is able to compete at the RDA Regional Show and National Championships through the generosity of Miss Anne Stratton who supports the costs of our riders competing away from home.
Our horse box was donated to the group as a legacy from a volunteer, Susan Kirk.
Corporate Volunteering & Team Building
If you are looking for a way to develop your team and help others at the same time, we can give you that opportunity.
We are always in need of support to keep the Centre maintained and the grounds cleared and looking tidy.
Thanks to Biffa who helped clear an area of the yard and donated a skip recently and Biogen who sent a team to undertake repairs around the yard.
Please contact Jane Carmichael if you would like to bring a group to us for some active team building. jane.carmichael@southbucksrda.org