Chair’s report for Calon RDA AGM- September 24th 2021
Effects of Covid 19 on the charity
This year we have continued to grow as a charity despite the covid19 situation. We suspended activities during the ‘Wales firebreak’ in October 2020 and the December lockdown, but were able to re-open sessions in March 2021 under the Welsh Governments rules, allowing people with disabilities and specific health conditions to be able to exercise during Covid19 restrictions.
All of our participants came back to sessions with the exception of the school group from Branas Isaf. The school group are aiming to re-start on Tuesdays later in September, with up to 17 pupils coming on a rota system.
However, Covid19 restrictions had a negative impact on the charity’s ability to fundraise through events such as the car boots and stalls at shows, and also in the variety of venues we had intended to use for sessions. We increased our fundraising on-line, applications for grants and schemes such as the adopt a pony. The trustees would like to thank all the grant giving bodies, volunteers, participants and their families who have supported us and allowed us to raise the necessary funds to keep the horses fed and cared for during the lockdowns, and to buy necessary equipment and items needed to allow us to expand.
We have seen an increase in the number of members who have suffered with mental health conditions because of the lockdowns, and we aim to offer more opportunities in the coming year to come and volunteer with us, socialise in a supportive environment and provide more time to ‘learn though horses’ and be out in the open air and countryside.
Participant numbers and horses
This year the number of participants who ride and vault with us regularly has increased to 21, and 4 independent participants continue to ride at other venues but access RDA grades, training and competition opportunities through Calon.
Of our participants, 17 are children and young people, and 8 are adults. Once the school group return the total number of participants will rise to 42. Our participants come from a wide range of areas- Denbighshire, Gwynedd , Conwy, Flintshire, Wrexham and Cheshire.
Recently, injuries and lameness have resulted in 2 horses being on lighter work and 1 out of work until assessment by a specialist vet. One of our volunteers has kindly offered us the use of Paddy, her 18year old cob, and we look forward to him becoming a member of the horse team on Sundays at Nic Tustain’s arena in Bryneglwys. Many thanks go to Nic and her family for accommodating our sessions.
In the last couple of weeks we have received more enquiries from individuals and a care home asking for horse-related activities, and the trustees are keen to facilitate as much as we can, even though we are reaching full capacity for riding sessions with the horses we have. Thursday riding sessions are currently held at Pen Y Coed Riding Stables near Oswestry, hiring their horses in order to allow the riders to continue riding whilst some of our horse work force is recuperating. Group vaulting sessions restarted on August 22nd and 2 new vaulters have recently joined.
Long term site and plans
Last winter gave us many weeks of snow and ice, meaning we had to cancel sessions and created difficulties getting the horses out for exercise safely. In May 2021, five of our horses were moved to a site nearby in Llanarmon yn ial, which has additional grazing and outbuildings, and it is hoped an arena will be built onsite available to the group to use.
We hope this site will allow us to more easily exercise and care for the horses this winter and expand opportunities for ‘learning through horses’ outside of riding and vaulting sessions during the week and all day Friday.
On Fridays we aim to offer activities such as ASDAN qualifications, RDA proficiency tests and awards as well as facilitating new volunteers helping directly with the horses, many of whom are participants with us also. This has been made possible by a joint grant from the Anne Duchess of Westminster’s Charity and the Peter o Sullevan Charitable Trust to pay for a staff member 24hours per week to ensure the Group can expand and sustain itself long term. The trustees have refurbished a classroom in the outbuildings, and now rent a portaloo on site that can facilitate wheelchairs.
The 2021 RDA North Wales Qualifier competition was held in June (‘virtually’ by filmed entries due to Covid19), and 12 Calon riders submitted entries in Dressage, Show jumping and Countryside challenge. 9 riders qualified for the RDA National Championships, which will also be held ‘virtually,’ at the end of September.
22 participants have also gained RDA proficiency grade tests in horse care and riding during sessions or over ‘zoom’ horse care sessions during lockdowns.
Despite Covid19 it has been exciting year for the group, welcoming so many new participants and volunteers and the trustees and myself would like to thank all our wonderful volunteers, supporters and participants for their hard work over the last year to make Calon such a happy an inclusive group.
Lastly I would like to thank Ros Lane and Eve Tilston who we retiring as trustees at this AGM. They have done a fantastic job for the last two years helping Calon to get up and running and become what it is today. Ros and Bob have also created the shelter up at the outdoor arena and numerous other DIY projects over the past year and we hope all three will continue to be a part of the team and feel welcome to help when they can.
Without volunteers we could not function as a group and continue to strive to fulfil our aims of helping as many people as we can to enjoy riding, vaulting, volunteering or taking part in education opportunities with us. Thank you all!
Alys Lewis-Jones Chair for Calon RDA
CALON RDA Accounts 2020
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Source/Activity JAN FEB MAR APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC YEAR
Income
B/F £13,203.20 ###
FEES £170.00 £60.00 £270.00 £330.00 £730.00 £102.50 £167.50 £495.00 ###
E BAY/SALES £15.50 £94.80 £15.00 £40.00 £126.50 £193.00 £451.00 £286.00 £361.00 £20.00 £77.00 ###
DONATION £30.00 £15.00 £200.00 £50.00 £40.00 £25.00 £250.00 £178.30 £788.30
REFRESHMENTS £1.00 £1.00
CLOTHING £17.00 £13.00 £30.00
DON BOX £13.00 £41.25 £74.39 £128.64
GIFT AID £159.38 £159.38
NEW GOODS £93.65 £93.65
EVE PLANTS £353.51 £412.83 £521.16 £265.04 £132.50 £125.73 £60.34 £41.45 £295.00 ###
ADOPT A PONY £110.00 £50.00 £25.00 £25.00 £150.00 £25.00 £50.00 £1,100.00 ###
VMG £44.32 £367.75 £122.00 £31.25 £123.65 £31.25 £720.22
AMAZON SMILE £5.46 £8.08 £13.54
GRANT £5,000.00 £3,990.00 £2,000.00 £500.00 ###
Total ### ### £301.00 £707.83 £926.04 £834.66 ### ### ### £830.09 £287.03 ### ###
Expenditure
WERN VETS £32.78 £119.51 £46.54 £277.71 £476.54
ARENA HIRE £30.00 £30.00 £182.34 £195.00 £435.00 £145.00 £90.00 £270.00 £1,377.34
W M HIRE £55.00 £55.00
PONY PEDICURES £50.00 £50.00
VOL EXPENSES £214.20 £158.40 £28.80 £9.00 £0.60 £411.00
HORSE LIVERY £80.00 £160.00 £200.00 £160.00 £160.00 £120.00 £880.00
PLANS TY ARCHITECTURE £750.00 £720.00 £1,470.00
HORSE DENTIST £90.00 £120.00 £50.00 £120.00 £380.00
EQUIPMENT £99.00 £125.92 £716.19 £990.00 £200.78 £442.20 £285.34 £650.00 £3,509.43
HORSE FEED £25.00 £50.00 £50.00 £25.00 £50.00 £263.08 £463.08
NEW GOODS £149.65 £149.65
TRAINING £305.90 £305.90
SHEDS/SHELTER £550.00 £1,628.52 £2,014.00 £2,010.98 £6,203.50
TRAILER £2,600.00 £290.00 £2,890.00
AUDITOR £50.00 £50.00
SHELTER BRYNEGLWYS £430.54 £430.54
VMG £180.00 £180.00
INSURANCE £190.00 £190.00
RDA MEMBS £200.00 £200.00
TPX CLOTHING £53.50 £53.50
AVOW MSHIP £10.00 £10.00
Total £585.98 ### £983.67 ### £210.00 £303.50 ### ### ### ### £425.34 ### ###
INCOME FOR YEAR £34,375.29
EXPENSES FOR YEAR £19,735.48
BALANCE AT BANK £14,639.81
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Registered Charity No 1177265
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