In the Spring, we had a visit to Coleraine from Rosemary McDonald, Fundraising & Awareness Manager for the RDA Australia National Organisation.

Rosemary is a girl from the NW of Ireland, and returns home from time to time on family business.

The picture shows Rosemary presenting Christine Hankin, RDA Coleraine Treasurer and Senior Riding Instructor, with a  'western' style saddle in heavily engraved leather - this is a proud addition to our collection. 
 

 

As a follow-up to Rosemary's visit, we were pleased to welcome Denis & Helen Keates (& friends) from the McIntyre Centre in Kenmore, nr Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Denis is the General Manager of the McIntyre Centre, who had represented RDAA at the Congress of the Federation of Riding for the Disabled International (FRDI) in Munster, Germany, (at which RDA Coleraine & RDA Omagh were also represented).

Whilst in Europe, Denis & Helen decided to have a holiday in Ireland, and get ideas from the RDA Centres in Coleraine & Omagh to help them develop facilities further at the McIntyre Centre.

We were a bit taken aback to discover that the new facilities would an arena - to be covered 'to keep the sun' of the riders & horses and that a typical 'average' temperature during a riding session would be 40^oC.

Despite the different emphasis, we hope Denis & Helen will be going home with some good ideas, and we look forward to developing the links between our centres.

We have since received an email telling us that Denis has made it back home, and returned to work, including incorporating some of the ideas he picked up while in Northern Ireland. We look forward to ongoing contact and to hearing how his Arena (without Walls!) develops.

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Riding for the Disabled Association (Coleraine & District Group) Ltd
Registered Company No in Northern Ireland NI068236 – trading as RDA Coleraine
N I Charity/HMRC No XN45690/1
A Member of Riding for the Disabled Association incorporating Carriage Driving.
Registered under Charity Number 244108.
President: HRH The Princess Royal KG GCVO