RUDDINGTON RDA GROUP CIO Charity No. 1194228
ANNUAL REPORT 2023-2024
RUDDINGTON RDA GROUP now in its thirty-fifth year continued to liaise with Nethergate Academy who appreciated the support we had given their pupils during the 2023-2024 year and which they acknowledged had been a wonderful experience for all the participants. This had been made possible by the hard work and dedication of all the volunteers.
VOLUNTEERS:
We started the Summer Term on 20 April 2023 with twelve volunteers but unfortunately Chloe Whysall who was a Coach in Training was unable to continue through ill health but had expressed an interest in returning when things improved. However, we had a busy first day putting on the Easter Egg Hunt which had been postponed from the Spring Term because the School had to cancel the session. The Chairman presented the children with Easter Eggs. Two of our volunteers, Jane Harris and Linda Taylor, were presented with flowers to celebrate a Special Birthday (60 years)! And Anne Raisbeck was presented with the Green Card Certificate.
Anne Raisbeck attended First Aid training with Medi-K arranged by Kesteven RDA on 3 July 2023 and Sara Hickman completed the First Aid training at the Aly Greenway Workplace Training, Skydive Centre, Langar on 11 July 2023.
Anne Raisbeck very cleverly constructed a Ruddington RDA Group Banner which hangs in the Indoor School alongside the Wenlo banner as a reminder that we are the RDA groups that are based at Meadow School of Riding. Anne Risbeck, Tracy Madgwick and Di Kidger completed Safeguard training on 7 September 2023; the certificates were sent directly to the volunteers by RDA UK.
Sara Hickman was presented with the 5-year Long Service Certificate and the Certificate of Appreciation on 6 July 2023 by Dawn Whitmore-Kirby during the End-0fTerm presentation Ceremony arranged for the participants trophy presentation.
The session on 9 November, without the riders, was devoted to discussing ways of recruiting for more volunteers and the importance of encouraging volunteers to become coaches. We also celebrated Dawn Whitmore-Kirby’s with a little presentation made by the Chair.
On the last day of the Winter Term, 7 December 2023 Lorraine Levell, the Group Coach from the S.Notts Group, visited Ruddington and helped with coaching at the session. While still in the festive mood the volunteers enjoyed a Christmas lunch at The Packe Arms, Hoton.
On 21 September 2023 we welcomed Denise Ward to our team of volunteers who settled into the routine very quickly and has become a valued member of the Group. Unfortunately, Di Kidger who had been associated with the Group for a number of years was unable to continue helping with the riding sessions so retired at the end of November. However, she very generously continues to support the Group’s fundraising activities in particular collecting ink cartridges and golf balls to raise cash.
Away Day: On 11 January 2024 several volunteers, namely, Anne R., Anne W., Elaine (accompanied by her sister) Jane D., Linda, Sara, Tracy and Pat visited Belvoir Vale RDA to observe the Belvoir Vale Group’s ridden sessions and to look round the new exciting facilities.
Through staff shortages Nethergate found it difficult to come to the stables on a couple of occasions so on Thursday 29 February and Thursday 21 March 2024 several of the volunteers took equipment to the Nethergate Academy and held Horse Care sessions in the School Hall.
To wind up a busy, interesting year on the last day of the Spring Term the volunteers went out to lunch at The Star, West Leake
PARTICIPANTS:
We started the Summer Term 2023 with six riders from Nethergate Academy - Alyssa, Bart, Darcey, Isa, Wojdan and Zahra. The Term started with the Easter egg Hunt which has been postponed from the Spring Term. The participants rode their ponies to collect mini eggs hidden around the indoor school and at the end of the session Jane Harris, the Chair, presented all the children with an individual East Egg.
On Thursday 4 May 2024 to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III the children had a short ridden session of pick up and drop games – collect a fish and rehang it on the hook, and pick up an ice cream cone and drop in the bucket. The riding was followed by a Coronation Tea kindly provided by the volunteers and everyone was presented with a Coronation rosette to commemorate the occasion.
Presentations were made by Dawn Whitmore-Kirby, Regional Coach, on 6 July as follows:
The Diana Haddon Award was presented to Alyssa Dutton Endeavour Certificates to Bart, Darcey, Wojdan, Zhara and Alyssa.
The Teddy Bears’ Picnic was held on the last day of the Academic Year Thursday 13 July 2023, and The Gold Award was presented to Isa Khan.
The school made changes to the children riding with us and so we started the Winter Term on 21 September 2023 with Darcey returning and Rwa Aziz and Macey Grace Whittaker joining her. By November three more riders had registered to ride with Ruddington, namely, Fletcher Thorsby, Willow Sneath and Max Kennedy. These six riders remained with us until the end of the 2023-2024 year.
The Winter Term ended on Thursday 7 December 2023 with a visit from Santa (aka Professor Michael Steven) who gave all the children a selection box of chocolates.
The Spring Term started on 18 January 2024 and all six children attended the sessions at Meadow School of Riding until the February break. To maintain continuity after halfterm the Volunteers visited the Nethergate Academy on Thursday 29 February and Thursday 21 March 2024 to work with the children. On the 29 February five children participated in learning about horse care using equipment and tack provided by Ruddington. On 21 March the volunteers worked with the children on feeding and stabling once again with teaching aids brought from Ruddington’s stores. Also an Easter Egg hunt was arranged based on a dressage arena and at the end of the session the children were presented with individual Easter Eggs by the Chair.
FUNDRAISING:
The Rushcliffe Mayor’s (Debbie Mason) chosen charity during her term of office from May 2023 to May 2024 was the RDA and Ruddington was privileged to be one of the recipients in the Rushcliffe Borough. The Ruddington Coach (Patricia Steven) was asked to represent the RDA for the Borough. The Mayor held several fundraising events and our Chair, Jane Harris, and Pat liaised with the Mayor and the Mayor’s office to present and promote the fundraising activities. There are six RDA Groups in the Rushcliffe Borough who will benefit from the Mayor’s fundraising, and the donations will become available at the end of her term of office in the 2024-2025 financial year. Volunteers from all six RDA Groups in Rushcliffe supported the Mayor’s events.
The Co-op Local Community Fund The Co-op Fund donated £1,542.42 which was paid into the Ruddington bank account in November 2023. The Secretary, Patricia Steven, completed and returned the End of Project Report on behalf of Ruddington.
RUDDINGTON RIDING FOR THE DISABLED GROUP Charity NO. 1194228
Accounts for the year ended 5[th] April, 2024
INCOME
| INCOME | |
|---|---|
| The Winifred Eileen Kemp Trust Donation | 2000.00 |
| Co-Op Community Fund Donation (Deposit Acct) | 1542.42 |
| Ruddington Spring Fayre (Inc. Donation F. Keogh) | 440.47 |
| Guess the Date Competition | 266.00 |
| Rushcliffe Rotary Club Donation | 250.00 |
| Hickling Scarecrow Weekend | 230.50 |
| Radcliffe on Trent Carnival | 144.45 |
| Tollerton Fayre | 118.00 |
| Sutton Bonington Country Show | 112.00 |
| Hickling Scarecrow Committee Donation | 100.00 |
| Bank Account Interest Deposit Account | 87.86 |
| Avenue Farm Garden Party | 82.00 |
| Sales of Christmas Candles | 14.00 |
| Sale of Golf Balls (D. Kidger) | 12.00 |
| 5399.70 |
| EXPENDITURE | |
|---|---|
| Meadow School of Riding – Pony Hire 3.11.22-7.12.23 | 1928.50 |
| Meadow School of Riding – Annual Storage Fee | 520.00 |
| RDA Membership Fee and Insurance | 460.00 |
| Showstoppers Ltd – Coronation Rosettes | 125.22 |
| First Aid Training Course | 63.25 |
| Ruddington Parish Council – Spring Fayre Hall Deposit | 59.30 |
| Presentation Gifts | 54.49 |
| Hickling Scarecrow Weekend Pitch Fee | 25.00 |
| Rushcliffe Borough Council – Small Lotteries Licence Renewal | 20.00 |
| Radcliffe on Trent Carnival Pitch Fee | 20.00 |
| Guess the Date Competition Prize (M&S Voucher) | 20.00 |
| Sutton Bonington Village Hall Hire (AGM) | 18.00 |
| Christmas Selection Boxes for Pupils | 13.00 |
| DBS Forms | 11.00 |
| P. Steven Coaching Course Fee | 10.00 |
| Pupils Award Engraving | 9.00 |
| First Aid Equipment | 7.39 |
| Bags of Sweets (Fundraising Consolation Prizes) | 6.90 |
| Craft Items | 3.49 |
| 3374.54 |
| 2023/2024 | 2022/2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| INCOME | 5399.70 | 6426.85 |
| EXPENDITURE | 3374.54 | 3640.52 |
| EXCESS | +2025.16 | +2786.33 |
| ACCOUNT BALANCES | ||
| 5 April 2024 | 5 April 2023 | |
| CURRENT A/C | 16714.25 | 16322.98 |
| DEPOSIT A/C | 9229.82 | 7599.54 |
| 3RD A/C | 1239.95 | 1239.95 |
| PETTY CASH | 100.35 | 96.74 |
| 27284.37 | 25259.21 |
CHANGES IN TOTAL ACCOUNT BALANCE OVER FINANCIAL YEAR
| 5 | APRIL | 2023 | 25259.21 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | APRIL | 2024 | 27284.37 |
| +2025.16 |