HSO adopts Follifoot Park Disabled Riders Group as its charity for the year

November 12, 2023

After a number of years supporting the brilliant Harrogate Hospital and Community Charity, Harrogate Symphony Orchestra is pleased to announce that it has adopted a new and equally deserving good cause as its official charity for the coming year – the Follifoot Park Disabled Riders Group.

This is a local charity, providing horse riding and carriage riding for people with a wide range of disabilities. Set up in 1986 by Rosie Towers, the

logo for FPDRG

charity became independent in 1994 and is based at Follifoot Park Riding Centre in Harrogate.

“We’re really pleased to be fundraising for the Disabled Riders Group this year,” said Flick McKee from HSO. “A few of our members have connections with the group, and we were totally inspired on a recent visit, by the amazing work that’s done by the charity and its legion of volunteers. We hope to be able to raise a good sum of money through our charity raffles and potentially, other initiatives.”

A spokesperson for the Disabled Riders Group commented, “Thank you to everyone at Harrogate Symphony Orchestra for your support this year, we’re funded by donations like yours and it will be greatly appreciated by us all at FPDRG!”.

Read on for more information about the Disabled Riders Group, or visit their website at https://www.follifootparkdrg.org.uk

About Follifoot Park Disabled Riders Group

We’re run by a group of 140 fantastic volunteers who turn up each week in term time, in all weathers to get the horses ready, walk along side the riders and have a chat with them. Others help in the office with the administration and keep everything running smoothly.

We currently have 130 riders, the majority ride horses and ponies, others use the carriage if they prefer and this is specially adapted so we can take the wheelchair onboard. We have two hoists for those who need some extra help getting on the horse and we also have use a mechanical horse called Storm. He simulates the movement of a real horse and has an interactive screen, so the rider can ride on the beach or around the zoo for instance. This is proving useful for assessing new riders and for people who are recovering from stroke, muscular illness or lacking confidence on a real horse.

Riders can start from 2 years old and we’ve even had a few riding into their 80’s, so if there’s a will there’s a way! It gives riders great exercise, improving their core strength, balance and confidence, and above all it’s good fun in the fresh air. The riding school ponies we use are so patient and it’s always amazing to see the bond between the rider and pony. The annual gymkhana is also a big hit with everyone!

If you would like more information about riding or volunteering please contact us at :-

admin@follifootparkdrg.org.uk
Call us on: 07522 844928 or 01423 546161

Storm, the mechanical horse