Our Volunteers
"I have volunteered for a number of years at the Mid Sussex region of RDA and have thoroughly enjoyed every minute, learning new skills and feeling a valued member of a valuable team of volunteers. I love seeing the reaction of individuals as they succeed in a new challenge or just simply connect with one or our ponies."
Sarah
Mid Sussex RDA gives disabled adults and children the opportunity to ride a horse or pony and thereby experience the joy, the feeling of independence and the therapeutic effects that this exciting, and often challenging, activity can provide. Mid Sussex RDA is an independent charity & one of 500 groups in the UK that belong to the National Riding for the Disabled Association.
Our volunteers help disabled people enjoy the benefits of horses. We have a fantastic team, some of whom have been around horses before and some who have never, and we always warmly welcome new faces to join us.
We soley rely on our volunteers help, along with charitable donations and are only able to function through their support, donations and fundraising activities. It's what you can do that counts!
Here are some comments from just a few of our volunteers.
Meet Hilary
“RDA is a great organisation and working with our local branch has been a marvellous experience for many reasons.”
My adventure with the Mid Sussex region of RDA started nearly eight years ago.
As a teenager, I had enjoyed riding regularly but in the intervening decades, apart from an occasional pony trek I had had nothing to do with horses. After retirement, I was on the lookout for volunteering roles and a friend told me about RDA. Feeling keen to connect with my horsey past, I enquired and found a local group, Mid Sussex RDA and spent a day with them at Chestnuts Riding School. I was full of enthusiasm, if not somewhat limited in my horse knowledge.
Through my volunteering and ongoing links with RDA, I have been thrilled to have the opportunity to also ride again, something I thought I was too old to do! Having the chance to canter across the Downs helps me feel like a teenager again!
