Essex group providing horse riding for people with disabilities receives over £180,000 of National Lottery funding

Essex-based community group Barrow Farm Riding for the Disabled is celebrating after being awarded over £180,000 in National Lottery funding, to provide horse riding for people with disabilities.

Barrow Farm offers horse riding for 120 people and carriage driving for 16 every week. The new funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest community funder in the UK, will see 40 children continue their riding for the next two years in a safe environment, improving their physical and mental wellbeing.

Based near Chelmsford, Barrow Farm has been running since 1976 and has seven members of staff supported by over 100 volunteers each week. The community group was founded by Anne Mitchell and her parents when they discovered a gap in provision for sports activities for local children with disabilities.

Anne Mitchell, Founder of Barrow Farm Riding for the Disabled, said: “We’re delighted that The National Lottery Community Fund has recognised our work in this way. Thanks to National Lottery players, we will be able to continue the riding and carriage driving opportunities we provide for people of all ages with disabilities and additional needs.

“Spending time with horses and ponies is proven to help improve both mental and physical wellbeing. For many of our participants, the time spent at Barrow Farm may be the only exercise and time spent in a countryside environment that they get. For them, learning a new skill builds confidence and is a chance to make new friends. I see the benefits every day from the smiles on their faces and from the pride of their parents watching their riders achieve.”

Barrow Farm Riding for the Disabled teaches children and adults of all ages the skills they need to reach their full potential. Recently, a young boy began a course of theory sessions to improve his confidence before starting to ride and then competing in the horse riding Regional Championships.

His mother said: “My son had a very traumatic start to his life, but over the last two years we have worked at building his self-esteem and self-worth.

“Riding at Barrow Farm has increased his core strength, balance and coordination. It has also helped his social and emotional wellbeing. It has been a real game changer, not only for him, but for our whole family. The impact it has had on his life has been amazing. In the first few weeks of taking lessons he was transformed, becoming more assured in himself and openly talking with his peers about horses.

“I can’t put into words just how positive this experience has been, and how much it has given my son, and by extension our family.”

The funding award fits with The National Lottery Community Fund’s four key missions, which are to support communities to come together, be environmentally sustainable, help children and young people thrive and enable people to live healthier lives.

Helen Bushell, Head of Regional Funding for London, the South East and East of England at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “Thanks to National Lottery players, and the hard work and dedication of Barrow Farm, this funding will make a big difference to people living with disabilities across Essex. We’re delighted that our funding is being used to expand Barrow Farm’s riding sessions in a safe and supportive environment, providing vital tools and support to help improve the physical and mental wellbeing of its riders.”

The National Lottery Community Fund recently launched its new strategy, ‘It starts with community’, which will underpin its efforts to distribute at least £4 billion of National Lottery funding by 2030.

National Lottery players raise over £30 million a week for good causes across the UK. Thanks to them, last year The National Lottery Community Fund was able to distribute over half a billion pounds (£588.2 million) of life-changing funding to communities.

To find out more visit www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk

Date published: 28 June, 2023
Region: England (South East)

Notes to Editors

About The National Lottery Community Fund

We are the largest non-statutory community funder in the UK – community is at the heart of our purpose, vision and name.

We support activities that create resilient communities that are more inclusive and environmentally sustainable and that will strengthen society and improve lives across the UK.

We’re proud to award money raised by National Lottery players to communities across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and to work closely with government to distribute vital grants and funding from key Government programmes and initiatives.

As well as responding to what communities tell us is important to them, our funding is focused on four key missions, supporting communities to:

1. Come together

2. Be environmentally sustainable

3. Help children and young people thrive

4. Enable people to live healthier lives.

Thanks to the support of National Lottery players, we distribute around £500 million a year through 10,000+ grants and plan to invest over £4 billion of funding into communities by 2030. We’re privileged to be able to work with the smallest of local groups right up to UK-wide charities, enabling people and communities to bring their ambitions to life.

National Lottery players raise over £30 million each week for good causes throughout the UK. Since The National Lottery began in 1994, £47 billion has been raised and more than 670,000 individual grants have been made across the UK - the equivalent of around 240 National Lottery grants in every UK postcode district.

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