BHS Approved stables need your help to win a National Lottery Award
Monday, June 14, 2010
Stepney Bank Stables, a British Horse Society Approved riding school in Byker, Newcastle is through to the semi finals of The National Lottery Awards 2010 and needs your votes to get through to the final round!
The riding centre is one of only ten projects in the country and the sole entry in the North East to make it through to the semi finals in the Best Education Project Category.
This project is the only major inner city community horse project in the country and has proven the value of the horse as a tool to motivate, educate and pass on key social skills. Despite being an unusual concept it has proven a highly effective, long term method of engaging disaffected and hard to reach groups. Stepney Bank is also a BHS Approved equestrian centre.
Caring for horses provides purpose, structure and routine where it may not have previously existed and creates a team with a common interest. The rides provide an environment where people skills are paramount which is an ideal setting for positive social and personal development. It is also a powerful antidote to anti-social behaviour, crime and exclusion. Using the horse as the uniting and motivating factor Stepney Bank have created an environment where learning is fun and incorporates real life situations.
Riding their ponies is the massive, fundamental dream of all the young people they work with. It is the WOW factor that makes these dreams come true. It proves an instant reward that maintains motivation for even the most challenging young people. They immediately link good behaviour and trying hard with this one special event that they all desire so highly! Riding and caring for horses is not only a huge motivational force but very often it enables those with few other skills to demonstrate that there are areas in their lives that they can achieve in.
The Stables project has brought new opportunities, opened doors and broken down barriers to a section of the community where crime and apathy are high. Their project has enabled many individuals from this background to learn new interests and gain self esteem to a level whereby they are able to seek employment or further training. For others the improvement in the quality of everyday lives is amazing.
Voting for the semi final starts at 9am on 1 June and ends at midday on Friday 18 June. To register your vote for Stepney Bank Stables call 0844 686 5540 or log onto www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/awards
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