Dear RDA UK volunteers and staff,

As Caroline mentioned in her previous newsletter, I will now be writing and sending out the newsletter every week. Thank you to everyone who has wished me luck and warmly welcomed me to RDA, it has been lovely to meet you and I hope to get acquainted with the everyone else soon. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with me, you can reach me either via email at bfalcini@rda.org.uk or telephone on 01926 405 964.

 

Virtual National Championships – Presented by Oliver Wight EMEA LLP

Our first ever Virtual National Championships takes place this weekend. The event will be live streamed on the main RDA website at www.rda.org.uk/rda-virtual-national-championships/ , where you will find the full event programme.  There will also be an online shopping experience - including Championships clothing from Wainwright Screenprint.

The event will also be live streamed on our Facebook page and YouTube channel (both @RDAnational).

The live stream will feature the top 6 of each class and the full results will be released later that evening. In the meantime, if you would like to know if any of your riders have come in the top 6, please email Fiona Harris at fharris@rda.org.uk (exact placings will be revealed during the live stream).

 
 
RDA Awards 2021

Congratulations to the winners of this year’s RDA Awards!

The winners are:

·        Volunteer of the Year, sponsored by Godolphin: Sharon Garner – Wenlo Group
·        Young Volunteer of the Year, supported by the players of People’s Postcode Lottery: Ava Sharp – Wenlo Group
·        RDA UK Volunteer of the Year: Dawn Whitmore- Kirby – North Midlands Regional Chair
·        Participant of the Year, sponsored by Childs Farm: Millie Smith; Equi-Power Central Scotland RDA
·        Horse/pony of the Year: Smudge – RDA Glasgow Group

Please read about the winners of the Awards here: https://www.myrda.org.uk/runningyourgroup/volunteer-management/rewarding-volunteers/rda-2021-awards/

Awards organiser Faye McKenning said; “Thank you to everyone who nominated a person – or pony – for our awards. This year it has been particularly important to highlight the extraordinary efforts of our volunteers and riders in helping groups to survive and restart after lockdown. The judges had an impossible job in singling out winners, and I hope you will join us in celebrating their deserved success.”

 

British Equine Infectious Diseases Advisory Group Handbook

British Equestrian’s Equine Infectious Disease Action Group (EIDAG) have just released a comprehensive publication aiming at mitigating the risk of equine disease transmission for general use. The document can be found here: https://online.flippingbook.com/view/224911474/2/

 

Ed’s London Marathon

Sadly, Ed has had a knee injury and is no longer able to participate in the London Marathon next weekend. Please see a short statement from Ed below:

“Thanks very much for sponsoring me to run the London Marathon.  Training had been going really well…and then incredibly frustratingly, physics has overcome determination and my knee has decided to stop working…I have torn my meniscus (not uncommon), but it means rest and no additional stress…So, I have delayed my place to next year’s Marathon.  I’m going to spend the next 3 months making sure this is a realistic option and will decide before Christmas if so.

In terms of the support, I have been blown away by the generosity of the donations received to date.  There are now two options: 1 – if you are happy to leave the donation with RDA, it will be put towards the sponsorship for next year’s marathon (or challenge) and I promise not to ask you again.  The need for support remains high, so by doing this you will be really helping. Or 2 – I completely understand if you would rather reclaim the money now and wait to see what the future holds – in which case let me know and we’ll refund.  I would hope to come back to you next year!

Once again, thank you so much for your support.  I am very disappointed to have to send this, but I hope you’ll understand.”

If you want to get in touch with Ed about sponsorship you can email him at ebracher@rda.org.uk

 

National Sporting Heritage Day – 30th September 2021

On the 30th September we will be celebrating National Sporting Heritage Day. The day will mark the launch of our heritage project to capture, record and share our story, with an initial focus on Women and disability. We will be sharing some of the stories of the women pioneers of RDA on social media – and would love you to share your stories too – either of your own RDA experience or an RDA woman who inspired you. Post your stories online on 30 September using #NSHD2021

As part of our heritage project, we would also like to produce an oral history of women and disability in RDA. If you know of someone who would be good to interview for this, please do get in touch.

 

Free Hand Sanitiser

There will be a note in tomorrow’s newsletter to Groups with details on free hand sanitiser, made possible by Farm and Stable.

 
 

Best wishes,

Brigitta Falcini

Communications Coordinator

Riding for the Disabled Association