Conference Dates For Your Diary

Wed 4 May 2011
RDA Supra Regional Conference 2011
Venue: Newbury Race Course
- Please click here for Application form conference
- Please click here for Programme

Wed 9 November 2011
RDA South East Conference 2011
- Please click here for Programme

RDA South East Region Mini Conference Programme

Wednesday 9th November 2011

10.00a.m. Doors open – coffee

10.45am Chairman’s welcome

10.55 a.m. Rebecca Kemp – Volunteer Development Manager &
‘The Value of Volunteer Management’
Katy Downing – YELA Administrator, National Office
‘The Benefits of YELA to your Group’

11.30 a.m. Mrs. Jennifer Dixon-Clegg, SRN, FCRT Dip.(Hons.)
Director, The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy
‘H.E.T.I. and The Role of Horses in Education & Therapy’

12.15 p.m. - Presentation of Awards

Lunch

South East Region RDA Conference Report

120 delegates from throughout the South East Region attended a very interesting conference at the Haven Centre, Crawley Down on 9th November.

After the Chairman’s welcome Rebecca Kemp, RDA Volunteer Development Manager, spoke on ‘The Value of Volunteer Management’. This talk was well received by the delegates and it has subsequently been decided to set up a ‘Road Show’ with Rebecca for interested groups to take the matter further.

Katy Downing spoke on ‘The Benefits of YELA to your Group’. YELA stands for Young Equestrian Leaders Award and Katy was able to inform everyone of the benefits of this Award, not only to our groups but also to the young people taking part who will then have a nationally recognised award on their c.v.

Following this, Rebecca spoke about the Volunteer of the Year Award winner who was nominated by National Office. This Award was presented to Pauline Lane of the Cranleigh Group for her tireless work in setting up and organising the fund raising trek to Petra last October. This trek raised well over £45,000 for the groups that were represented on the trek.

Jennifer Dixon-Clegg, SRN,FCRT Dip.(Hons.), Director of The Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy then spoke of the amazing role the horse plays in education and therapy. Studies are now being undertaken throughout the world and it has been found that the benefits of horse therapy need not just be from riding, carriage driving or vaulting on them but also just being around and involved with them. H.E.T.I., the international organisation which promotes all these therapies is made up of a number of horse based organisations, including RDA, and Mrs. Dixon-Clegg encouraged all the delegates to contact her with a view to being included in any conferences that are held during the year in the UK.

At the end of her talk, Mrs. Dixon-Clegg kindly presented the 25Year Silver Jubilee Awards to a number of people who had completed at least 25 years service with RDA. She then presented the Buchan Bobby Award to the group who had achieved something extra during the past year and this Award went to East Park Group who had changed venue and name after facing closure at their previous yard.

The Volunteer of the Year for the South East Region was presented to Sarah Groom who had set up the Eastbourne Area Group during the past year, having attained her Group Instructors’ qualification, raised the necessary funds to operate, found a venue, horses and volunteers and then found six riders. A truly remarkable achievement.

A past SE Regional Chairman, Tora Bray, was then asked to present her Perpetual Trophy to the person who the Regional Committee felt fully deserved recognition for the 40+ years she had supported her group, Kingley Vale, and this Award went to Jeanette Crane.

The Runner-Up for the Tora Bray Perpetual Trophy, Paula Jones of the Leatherhead Group was presented with an ‘Above & Beyond’ Award in recognition for all she had done for her group over the past 11 years.

After the Awards were presented all the delegates were able to enjoy an excellent buffet lunch and meet up with old friends from other groups.

The concenus of the attendees was that it had been a very worthwhile and enjoyable day.