An award-winning Shropshire activity centre has issued an urgent appeal for more volunteers to help meet a growing demand for its services.
Perry Group, which offers riding programmes for the disabled, is in the process of raising funds to move into a new purpose-built centre in Much Wenlock, including an indoor arena and all-weather track.
But the group, which has been running for more than 20 years, is desperately short of volunteers to help out with its current range of programmes – particularly during weekends.
Founder and group organiser Jane Barker, who won the award for Outstanding Achievement in Sport and Physical Activity at last year’s Shropshire Energize Awards, said: “At the moment, we have a real dearth of volunteers, particularly at weekends.
“These things tend to be cyclical – sometimes we have a lot of volunteers, and then they get jobs or go off to university. Right now, we are down to hardly any.”
The main sessions in need of support include Hippotherapy, which offers physio on horseback under the supervision of a qualified physiotherapist, from 9am each Saturday.
There are also opportunities to volunteer during vaulting sessions from 1pm on most Saturdays, and more conventional riding sessions on Sunday mornings.
Jane said: “We do also have some possibilities on weekdays for volunteering, having been awarded a grant from Active People to run sessions over two mornings a week.
“This means we have a definite need for volunteers on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from April. There is also need for volunteers at carriage driving sessions on Monday and Friday mornings, at Stoneyford Equestrian Centre, Annscroft.”
In a typical week, the Perry Group is now supporting up to 80 riders, vaulters and carriage drivers of all ages – but has a large waiting list.
When the new £1.3 million Cavalier Centre at Much Wenlock is complete, it will be the first facility of its kind in the West Midlands, and will hopefully be able to host the equestrian event at the Wenlock Olympian Games.
It will also reduce the number of sessions which currently have to be cancelled, due to bad weather.
To contact the group, see www.cavaliercentre.org.
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