since 1972
Volunteering with the RDA
Interested in getting involved? Please get in touch via our Contact Us form.
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We need helpers to lead and sidewalk and more people to train as coaches. We also need people to step up to be trustees and take a more executive role in the Andover Group.
People who volunteer come from every walk of life. Some people have a little time, others have more. Not everyone knows about horses and ponies! We need a range of skills and knowledge and we appreciate everyone.
Apart from becoming ride helpers who side walk or lead ponies, others help by giving their expertise as a trustee. Some exercise ponies in between RDA sessions, deliver ponies to sessions, or organise a ride or coach. And of course, many people raise funds for us. HRH The Princess Royal is our president and she takes her role very seriously, she knows all about what we do and she is always there at major conferences and events.
Our children's rides meet between April and October in the summer and the first half of the autumn school term, once a week. We have an Adult's ride which meets right around the year. The children's rides do not meet in the school holidays and the adult riders have a break as well.
All volunteers do what they can and everyone has time out for family commitments and holidays. We try to have more helpers than we need so that people can fit volunteering into their lives. Sessions last, including preparation and clearing up, for between 1.5 and 3 hours, depending on the ride.
Volunteers receive training and are invited to training events, which are fun and very social. Volunteers need to fill out an application form, provide references and fulfil safeguarding requirements (this is standard practice wherever people volunteer with vulnerable adults and children).
