Urchinwood Manor gains Accessibility Mark accreditation
Urchinwood Manor riding school are celebrating their new Accessibility Mark accreditation that will give the centre the opportunity to provide riding opportunities to disabled people in their local community. The Bristol based centre is one of the first mainstream riding schools in England to gain the accreditation that is being delivered by Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) in partnership with Hoof.
The Accessibility Mark project has been developed by RDA in partnership with Hoof, the British Equestrian Federation’s (BEF) participation brand and funded by Sport England. Drawing on RDA’s extensive expertise, Urchinwood Manor has been given the guidance and training required to offer horse riding activities to disabled people allowing more people to experience the freedom and benefits that horse riding can bring.
Sally Hall, a county instructor for RDA and proprietor of Urchinwood Manor, has been teaching disabled riders at the centre for nearly five years:
“It is excellent that Urchinwood has been Accessibility Mark approved and shows that our staff and facilities are up to a high standard for all riders. Through the Accessibility Mark training, more staff have the knowledge required to work with disabled riders making our sport even more inclusive. I have seen major improvement from the disabled riders I already teach here and it is brilliant to see. It gives them a great chance to get outside, enjoy exercise, gain independence and also provides a sense of community spirit.”
Accessibility Mark is a Sport England Funded initiative that has been developed by Riding for the Disabled Association in partnership with Hoof to ensure more disabled people have access to horse riding. The pilot project launched in November 2013 and focuses sharing skills with commercial riding centres, schools and clubs to deliver horses riding opportunities to the disabled community with confidence thanks to the specialist training and support they have received from Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA).
Riding for the Disabled Association Incorporating Carriage Driving (RDA) is dedicated to improving the lives of disabled people through the provision of horse riding and carriage driving. Through a network of 500 volunteer groups throughout the UK, RDA provides opportunities for therapy, achievement and enjoyment, improving health, wellbeing and self-confidence, and benefiting mobility and co-ordination. Find out more about RDA on their website www.rda.org.uk
Hoof is the Equestrian Legacy brand of the British Equestrian Federation (BEF). It looks to promote the sport of equestrianism through a series of initiatives and activities aimed at increasing awareness of and participation in horse riding and equestrian sport.
