Freemasons put disabled horse riders in the saddle with £10,000 grant
A charity which encourages disabled and disadvantaged people to take up horse riding has received a big leg-up thanks to a £10,000 grant from the Freemasons.
The money will allow the Shropshire-based Cavalier Centre, which uses 14 horses and ponies to provide support to disabled people from across the West Midlands, to expand its operations.
The charity, which is run by five staff members and 200 volunteers, runs an equestrian and riding centre in Much Wenlock.
It offers a range of schemes to improve physical, mental and emotional health through horse-based activity.
The centre, at Bradley Farm in Farley, serves 140 regular riders and carriage drivers from across Shropshire, Staffordshire, the Black Country, Worcestershire and Birmingham through the Riders for the Disabled scheme. It also helps a further 100 people through its ad hoc activities.
These include quiet sessions with ponies, aimed at helping those with depression or anxiety.
