Blairgowrie Riding for the Disabled has been saved from closure.
Three months ago the charity group seemed on the brink of folding as it became engulfed in a perfect storm of problems.
For more than half a century, from a field in the town’s Golf Course Road, it has helped children with physical and mental difficulties take to the saddle.
But it faced a shortage of volunteers and trustees and the loss of a highly valued coach.
There were also significant concerns over the field in which the ponies are kept and the arena where the group rides.
Knowing the loss of the service would have had a devastating impact upon the people who use it, longstanding committee member and stalwart volunteer Ellen Howat was reluctant to admit defeat without one final effort.
With the assistance of her daughter Pamela, Ellen masterminded a campaign to make sure no-one could remain unaware of the group’s plight.
The results were a triumph for Ellen and appear to have secured the future of the group, with a number of potential volunteers and committee members coming forward.
A number of those now form Blairgowrie RDA’s new, young, committee, with long-term supporters delighted by their “fabulous range of skills”.
Regional secretary Mary Dunlop said: “They have a steep learning curve to be ready to resume classes in the spring, but as they are full of ideas and enthusiasm they have every chance of success and we wish them well.”
The process of assembling the new Blairgowrie committee gave the organisation much food for thought – in particular surrounding the ways in which it seeks publicity and organises recruitment.
Mary said it had been very evident that many of those who came forward had no previous knowledge of the local RDA group, despite Blairgowrie being a long-established group.
Anyone who is interested in volunteering or is willing to loan a pony to their local RDA should contact Gillie Drapper on 01360 860243.
