West Lancashire
Children and Young People
Lives of disabled people enhanced thanks to a grant to Pegasus RDA charity
Around 30 disabled people from across West Lancashire will benefit from Pegasus RDA’s therapeutic horse-riding programme, thanks to a £6,000 grant.
The programme provides essential horse riding and horse care sessions for individuals aged four and older with a range of physical and cognitive difficulties.
Disabled people are often excluded from mainstream sport, being twice as likely to be physically inactive than those without a disability. This challenge is particularly relevant as the charity is based next to areas in the top 10-30 percent most deprived in England, which have high levels of inactivity in their population.
Pegasus RDA addresses these challenges by offering weekly therapeutic horse-riding sessions on Sunday mornings. For many, such as wheelchair users, the experience is life changing as the horse’s movement closely mimics the natural action of walking. The charity also offers a horse care programme which follows the accessible RDA Proficiency Test framework.
The sessions are delivered by an experienced volunteer trustee team. A large-scale survey conducted by Pegasus in 2020 demonstrated the programme’s promising results: over 70 per cent of parents/carers reported that their child experienced significant physical improvements after participating. More than 85 per cent observed a boost in confidence, while over 75 per cent noted an enhanced sense of well-being.
We’re extremely grateful to West Lancashire Freemasons for this support. Our sessions are more than just riding; they’re a lifeline for individuals facing significant barriers. This grant helps ensure we can continue providing this vital service, helping people to build confidence, develop physical skills, and create a unique sense of wellbeing.
I’m very pleased we’ve been able to support Pegasus RDA and the essential work they do; their therapeutic riding programme makes a wonderful, positive impact on disabled people. We believe that our funding will help provide critical resources and support, fostering better health and development outcomes for these individuals and their families.
