## **LOWLANDS FARM RIDING FOR THE DISABLED ASSOCIATION** Registered under Charity Number 1169453 (A Member Group of Riding for Disabled Association Incorporating Carriage Driving, Registered under Charity number 244108) ## **Trustee Annual Report Financial Year ended 31[st] March 2023** Lowlands Farm Riding for the Disabled Association became a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) on 3[rd] October 2016. The Constitution is the standard CIO Constitution of the Riding for the Disabled Association adopted at a meeting on 8[th] July 2016. The aim of the Charity is to provide disabled children and adults in Shrewley and the surrounding areas with the opportunity to ride and experience equestrian activities, to benefit their health and wellbeing. The Charity’s correspondence address is Lowlands Farm RDA Group, Lowlands Equestrian Centre, Old Warwick Road, Shrewley, Warwickshire, CV35 7AX. The activities of the Group take place at this address. The Charity’s bankers throughout the year were NatWest Bank, Royal Priors, 59 The Parade, Leamington Spa CV32 4ZX, as in previous years. The Trustees during the year to 31[st] March 2023 were as follows: - Miss Marisa Bretherton-Mackay – Chair (re-elected Chair 14[th] January 2023) - Mrs. Louise Clarke – Treasurer (re-elected Treasurer 14[th] January 2023) - Mr. David Ivens – Secretary (re-elected Secretary 14[th] January 2023) - Mrs. Alex Claughton – Participant Representative (re-elected as Trustee 14[th] January 2023) - Mrs. Sue Mack – Coaching & Volunteers (re-elected as Trustee 14[th] January 2023) The focus during the period under review has been to continue to build on the sessions on offer to our participants and to enhance our overall services, streamlining our practices and making the best use of the facilities, equines and resources available. Over the past year, careful management of rider groups by the coaches and volunteers has meant that the group has managed to increase its opportunity for activity over the previous 12 months. This has been thanks to the dedication of our volunteers and coaches in attending Spring refresher training in mid-April 2022 and in working to assist new riders and to start to consolidate each week’s sessions into more goalbased rider groups. This has meant a steady improvement in overall experience for existing riders but has also been invaluable in identifying possible vacancies in each session that might accommodate new participants to benefit from our services. As a result, a further 4 new participants – all under the age of 11 – were welcomed to LFRDA. ## **Lowlands Farm RDA Group** Lowlands Equestrian Centre, Old Warwick Road, Shrewley, Warwick CV35 7AX ✉ info@lowlandsfarmrda.org.uk ☎ 07943 239003 **Registered Charity Number: 1169453** ## **Activities** During the period 1[st] April 2022 to 31[st] March 2023, LFRDA delivered a total of 632 individual activities – a huge increase on the previous year - consisting of: - 632 shared riding sessions, held on Saturdays, with up to four registered riders in each. ## **Participants** - There were 32 registered participants in all - 19 of our participants were 17 and under - 13 were over 18 years of age - There were 4 new participants, all under 11 years of age) ## **Competition:** In addition to scheduled ridden sessions on Saturdays, we were delighted to be able to enter a number of LFRDA participants to the RDA UK National Virtual Championships for Countryside Challenge and Dressage in late 2022 which proved to be a real morale boost to all involved. LFRDA funds covered the entry fees for each rider’s entry. ## **Fundraising** Several loyal supporters/private donors once again provided donations during the year, but due to the lingering effects of lockdown during COVID, their fundraising activities had also been limited and impaired. More proactive fundraising activities will be planned for the next financial year, to provide essential tack, equipment and upgrades. The Trustees will seek to appoint a dedicated volunteer-led working group for this purpose. Servicing and maintenance of Charley (the ‘mechanical horse’) and the hoist - which are assets of Lowlands Farm RDA Group - is currently paid for, by agreement, with the RDA National Training Centre (LEC) in return for access for use by the Centre’s own clients, at times when not in use by LFRDA Group. ## **Employees** The Charity has no employees but pays one self-employed coach per session on a service agreement basis (beginning September 2019) and is otherwise entirely reliant on voluntary helpers who are trained on a regular basis, according to RDA UK standards and policy. ## **Volunteers** During the year, 28 volunteers, who are now also Members of the Group, provided riding and fundraising support to enable the group to carry out its prime objectives. ## **New Activity Leader** In January 2023 we were delighted to congratulate one longstanding volunteer on their attainment of RDA Activity Leader status, to support non-ridden activities, following successful training and approval. The Trustees have approved this report. ## **Marisa Bretherton-Mackay (Group Chair)** For and on behalf of the Board of Trustees _27[th] January 2024_ ## **Lowlands Farm RDA Group** > ✉ info@lowlandsfarmrda.org.uk Lowlands Equestrian Centre, Old Warwick Road, Shrewley, Warwick CV35 7AX ☎ 07943 239003 **Registered Charity Number: 1169453** CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to Ihe trusteesl member5 of ff0￿ rty DISJr8L£b *s5oci*fioAJ On accounts for the year ended Charity no (If any) sr £oZS Il6q+sS Sel oul on pages I report to the Iruslees on my examination of the accounts of the above Charity I'the Trust") for the year ended Si 20£3 Responsibllltles and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordan￿ with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 1.the Acr). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under seclion 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 14515){bl of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confimi that no material matters have come to my attention { l in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respecl.. accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do nol accord with the accounting records Independent examiner's statement I have no concerns and have come across no other rnalters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enabla proper understanding of the accounls lo be reached. Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply. Slgned: Date: zoZ3 Name: Relevanl professional qualificationlsl or body {if any): ¢.c.A. C ICAEVJ Address: o cJ