NATIONAL LOTTERY CORONAVIRUS COMMUNITY FUND GRANT
The Unicorn Centre is delighted to announce that it has received a grant of £9351 from the National Lottery Coronavirus Community Support Fund.
Trustee Judy Preston said, "This grant has enabled us to purchase these laptops and a mobile phone to contact and support our volunteers and vulnerable participants during the Coronavirus pandemic. The CCSF grant has also helped to buy PPE and cover the salary of our Volunteer Co-ordinator for 6 months. This generous donation from the CCSF has provided the Unicorn Centre with greater impetus to take on the challenge to continue our vital work delivering riding, therapy and training in the Tees Valley during Covid-19 and beyond.”
Photo shows Unicorn Centre staff Kim and Shuban, one of the Centre’s Supported Volunteers Nicole, and Trustee Judy with the new laptops purchased thanks to the grant.
PRESS RELEASE: DISABLED RIDING CENTRE PREPARING TO RE-OPEN
The Riding for the Disabled Association’s Unicorn Centre at Hemlington, Middlesbrough is one of the local charities in the Tees Valley that has struggled to survive during the Coronavirus epidemic.
With 18 horses and ponies delivering riding and therapy to about 200 participants each week, assisted by 16 staff and 100 volunteers, it relies entirely on income from activities and fundraising to raise £300,000 each year to cover its costs.All this came to an abrupt stop. No lessons, no competitions, no events. No income from this at all.
However, the Government’s recent change of regulations now means that indoor equestrian arenas can be used once again from 4 July in England.
As a first step the Centre will re-start hosting British Dressage MyQuest competitions from Sunday 19 July.
WANT A CAREER WITH HORSES?
Former learner Sarah Law
The Riding for the Disabled Association’s Unicorn Centre based at Hemlington, near Middlesbrough has started recruitment for vacancies on its 2020/21 City & Guilds Diploma Programmes in Horse Care.
The Centre has been partnering with Middlesbrough College for over twenty years to deliver work-based courses in Horse Care and Management. Next term it is able to offer fully-funded places on the full-time Level 1 & 2 Diplomas in Work Based Horse Care programmes for 16 -18 year olds as before.
APPEAL FROM OUR CHAIRMAN OF TRUSTEES
We have 18 horses to feed and look after, the Unicorn Centre to maintain, staff to support and students to support remotely.
How have we survived? We have survived by a combination of hard work by our senior team (Claire, Christie, Kim and Katie) to whom we owe a huge thank you.
The generosity of our supporters through our Virgin Money Feed and Feet appeal has raised over £9000 but we still need you to keep giving, as it won’t last long. www.virginmoneygiving.com/fund/feedandfeet
WOULD YOU BRAVE THE SHAVE?
: L to R: Sue Phillips and Jan Phillips have Braved the Shave - please show your appreciation of their courage!
TWO fundraising members of the Riding for the Disabled Association’s Unicorn Centre based at Hemlington, Middlesbrough are sacrificing their lifelong manes in aid of the charity.
Sue Phillips and daughter-in-law Jan Phillips from Stockton on Tees, members of the ‘Friends of the Unicorn Centre’ fundraising group are still committed to raising vital funds for the Centre during lockdown.
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