This fund is administered by the Nottinghamshire Community Foundation for the Provincial Grand Masonic Lodge of Nottinghamshire. Selected charities are invited to submit a funding bid and follow a process of interviews and presentations.

The Provincial Grand Master has the final decision on which two of those charities are to receive an award from the John F. Mortimer Fund. We are delighted to report that Woodside has been successful in securing a grant of £19,000 towards core costs to be used over the next 3 years starting in April,2012.

The cheque was presented during a ceremony at the Masonic Hall in Nottingham on 19th November.

A HUGE THANK YOU to Winifred Pritchett and Sue Taylor for their hard work in successfully securing this grant.

This does not mean we can take a rest from fundraising, because we will still need to raise at least £4,000 each year from riding donations and other funding initiatives, but the money is a massive boost towards our future, at least until 2015.

Thank you to everyone for their support and commitment to date – keep up the good work.

At the Rainworth Miners Welfare, Kirklington Road,
Rainworth, Nottinghamshire, NG21 0JY

Due to the huge success last year, Woodside Farm Stables will again be holding a fun evening of ferret racing to raise money for our charity.

Tickets are available on the night, and in advance from the stables on a Wednesday and Saturday morning.

Doors will open at 6.30pm, racing starts at 7pm until 9pm.

There will also be a tombola, games, refreshments and a bar. Come and have a fun night out and raise money for Woodside in the process!

Tickets are £7.50 per adult (age 14+) and
£4.50 per child (5 – 13 years)
which includes a pie and pea supper

A huge thank you to everyone involved -
we raised a whopping £943.54!

In order to help riders using wheelchairs the group, with the support of the Nottinghamshire Community Foundation, commissioned an hydraulic lift which can take a rider, a wheelchair and two helpers up to varying heights depending on the size of the horse.

The lift has the added advantage of being road-towable, so riders are no longer restricted to mounting at the stables – the lift can come too.

Designed and built by Mick and Bill from local firm Altitude Access www.altitudeaccess.co.uk the lift has been used regularly now for more than 7 years and has proved hugely successful, despite reservations in some quarters that it would frighten the horses.

Woodside has been extremely grateful to Mick and Bill for their ingenuity in meeting our need and to the Nottinghamshire Community Foundation for their leap of faith in funding equipment which did not exist until the money was there to build it.

Pictured here with Chair of Trustees Sue Taylor, recent new recruit to the equine team is Locksbit Whispering Valentine a Welsh Section B pony aka Tizzy. Born on 14th February, 2002 (hence her name).

Tizzy’s claim to fame was 2nd place in the Section B Yearling Class at Derby County Show.

A huge thank you to our supporters below who have kindly made a donation towards buying a new pony for Woodside -

Bleak Hill Way, Hermitage Lane Industrial Estate,
Mansfield, Notts, NG18 5EZ
Tel : 01623 646871  Fax : 01623 646878
Email : sales@midlandbuildingsupplies.com
Website : www.midlandbuildingsupplies.co.uk

GRAFTON MERCHANT GB LTD

Member of the Grafton Group PLC
Based in Oxford

Yes that’s right, Woodside is going to the dogs! Come and join us with a fun evening of greyhound racing on Friday 26th November 2010 at Nottingham race track.

Tickets are available from the stables and cost £6 each for adults and children under 18 free! All the proceeds go to Woodside Farm Stables, so come along for a great night out and raise money for charity in the process!

Also, if we get 40 adults to attend, Nottingham racecourse has very kindly offered to donate extra money to Woodside! So ask everyone you know – friends, family, colleagues and lets sell some extra tickets!

At the Rainworth Miners Welfare, Kirklington Road,
Rainworth, Nottinghamshire, NG21 0JY

Woodside Farm Stables will be holding a fun evening of ferret racing to raise money for our charity.

Tickets are available on the night, and in advance from the stables on a Wednesday and Saturday morning.

Doors will open at 6.30pm, racing starts at 7pm until 9pm.

There will also be a tombola, games, refreshments and a bar.

Come and have a fun night out and raise money for Woodside in the process!

Tickets are £6 per adult and £4 per child (2 – 16 years)
which includes a pie and pea supper

A huge thank you to all our sponsors below -

Team Ginger

Well done to everyone for your hard work and support, we managed to raise a grand total of £704.72

30th September 2009

Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) launched its 40th anniversary celebrations with the World’s Biggest Riding Lesson on 30th September 2009 in riding centres across the UK and internationally.

It is anticipated that more than 5,000 people will be riding in support of RDA on that day setting the world record for the number of riders undertaking a lesson within a set period of time.

Not only for people with disabilities, the World’s Biggest Riding Lesson has been a chance for everyone to get involved and have a great time.   It aims to raise awareness for associations of disabled riders and for RDA in the UK.

The World’s Biggest Riding Lesson was the first in a series of celebrations and special events to mark RDA’s 40th year, which is being supported by Countrywide, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of products and advice to the rural community.

HRH The Princess Royal, President of RDA officially launched the event by attending the first ride of the day at the Chigwell Riding Trust for Special Needs, the first purpose-built riding centre for people with disabilities in the world.

See our photos from the world’s biggest riding lesson below:

Based at Rainworth in Nottinghamshire NG21 0DG, we are currently offering sessions on Wednesday mornings and Saturday afternoons – small groups or individual one-to-one.

Woodside Farm Stables group started in 1971 at the home of Mr. & Mrs. Jack and Anita Parker, who had long been involved in promoting riding for disabled children.  The stables has an indoor school, a paddock for lessons out of doors in good weather, and access to Forestry Commission woodland.

The stables also has a unique hydraulic mounting lift, essential for mounting the more physically disabled riders without compromising their independence, but used by ambulant disabled as well.

Focussing on the therapeutic benefits of horse riding, the group has 5 qualified RDA Group Instructors with 2 trainees, assisted by a core team of more than 70 volunteers which includes the parents/carers of the riders.   Woodside owns 3 horses/ponies and has 4 more on permanent loan.

Contact:  Mrs. Winifred Pritchett  01623 627974.
Email: info@woodsidefarmstables.org.uk