The Sussex Wanderers MG Car Club have been generous supporters for many years. They hold 10 outings a year, driving around the Sussex countryside in their MGs, ending up at a pub for lunch. At each event they pass the pint beer mug to collect cash for us and in 2024 they excelled themselves, raising £2,100 in cash and a direct donation of £50. When Gift Aid is added this makes a total donation of £2,687.50 which is a fantastic amount and will help us to continue our work with disabled children.
Ursula Griffiths, who organises the events, and two of the MG owners came on 27th February to watch the children from St Stephen’s School in action, and to present our Chairman, James Baxter, with the cheque.
We thank all the members of the Car Club for their continued generous support.
We are delighted to announce that we have received a grant from the Dora Fedoruk Memorial Fund, facilitated by the Community Foundation for Surrey, to pay for one of our sessions for St Stephen’s School, South Godstone for the whole of 2025. This generous grant of £2,800 will ensure that one of the school’s group of six children will be able to continue riding for the coming year. The children are some of our best riders, and compete each year at the Regional and National Championships, with great success.
Huge thanks to the trustees of the Dora Fedoruk Memorial Fund and to the Community Foundation for Surrey from all at East Park RDA and the riders, parents and staff from St Stephen’s School.
Thursday 23rd January saw Sally (accompanied by Liquorice & Sparky ) presented with a cheque for £1,500 on behalf of Greenstede Lodge of Sussex Masons, part of The Provincial Grand Lodge of Sussex In the United Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of England. Sussex Freemasonry work endlessly to encourage opportunity, promote independence and improve the well being for disadvantaged and vulnerable people throughout the whole UK. As well as individuals, they support hundreds of charities across England & Wales. Their grants fund a range of projects for later life & early years, as well as hospices & medical research. We are very grateful for their generous donation.
In December the St Silvans Area Charity were made aware that a local school they have helped in the past bring 12 children riding each week with East Park. Some of these children have high sensory needs and it was felt they could benefit from riding bareback but it needed to be as safe an experience as possible. Following some research by Lysa, who coaches the group, a solution was found – The Total Contact Saddle. The saddle was designed to give the closest possible contact with the horse whilst keeping the security of stirrups. The minimalist design strips away unnecessary padding, tree, cantle and pommel to deliver direct communication between horse and rider. The rider can now really feel the horse which is exactly the point for our pupils. The charity sprang into action and despite Christmas and the New Year getting in the way, ordered the saddle which arrived in time for the new term. The pupils were very excited to welcome Judy Whittaker and Alan Fyfe from the charity to their weekly lesson where the saddle was presented to Annie China-O’Neill.
Organiser of the MG Car Club, Sussex Wanderers, David Griffiths, today presented Sally O’Neill with a cheque for £1,600, collected from their members at their events during 2019. The Car Club was started by David and his wife Ursula, with 15 members, and how holds monthly events attended by up to 70 people and 35 cars each time. The format is to meet somewhere for coffee, drive a route of 25 to 30 miles, and end up at a pub or restaurant for lunch, following which a collection is made for charity. East Park RDA has been lucky enough to be the recipient of funds raised for several years, but in 2019 the members obviously dug really deep into their pockets to raise this fantastic amount for us. We are truly grateful to David and Ursula, and to all the members of the Club, for this very generous donation.
