Just before the weather takes a nose-dive (it may already have done so with you), it seems fitting that today’s email is basically all about holidays. Specifically – tonight’s webinar and our ‘Grand Day Out’ project. More on these below. So grab your bucket and spade and head for the beach…..
Before you go, a reminder that we hold our EGM this morning to elect our new Chair. Ed Bracher will email you with the outcome of this later today.
RDA Grand Day Out & holidays
We are delighted to announce our Grand Day Out initiative, the brainchild of Judy Olby, our National Holidays Lead. With thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery, we can support about 50 Groups with a contribution of up to £100 to take their participants and volunteer on a Day Out, helping groups to reconnect even if they cannot get back to full sessions just yet. Watch the webinar with National Holiday’s Lead Judy Olby this evening to find out more (details below).
Holidays
Even though we are not running National Holidays this year due to COVID-19, your group can link up directly with holiday providers. As an example, Clwyd Special Riding Centre www.clwydspecialridingcentre.co.uk are planning to open in early July and would be delighted if any groups wanted to holiday with them. The Accessibility Mark Centre on the Isle of Wight, Island Riding, offers accessible holidays with accommodation on site www.islandriding.com.
30-minute webinar
Tonight, 17 June, 7pm, Holidays and ‘Grand Day Out’
RDA’s Queen of Holidays, Judy Olby will be inspiring you to make the most of the Summer by arranging a day out or holiday for your participants – a great way to reconnect after so long without being together, especially for groups that haven’t been able to restart yet. As we launch our ‘Grand Day Out’ project, Judy will explain more about this new initiative.
Register at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_PlT4hLDyS4msdmDAdQ93pw
Next week: 24 June, Legal Matters
RDA’s Legal Advisor Shivaji Shiva and Chief Executive Ed Bracher will cover some of the issues most commonly raised by groups.
Register at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__hBokJPQTtyhoM9SjkskPQ
Road to Restart – side walkers
The Road to Restart Working Group have listened to the challenges faced by our groups and riders, have looked at the evidence, including the increasing vaccination rate, and can now confirm that riders that need specific assistance in RDA sessions may be permitted to have 2 side walkers during sessions from next Monday, 21 June across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and in Level 0 and 1 areas in Scotland.
Hand sanitisation for the side walkers and the leader must take place prior to and after the session and both side walkers must wear a face covering at all times when side walking. The leader must look away at all times from both side walkers and the rider at all times and may also consider wearing a face covering as further mitigation. The side walkers and leader should aim to be as socially distanced as possible whilst ensuring the rider is supported safely at all times. All activities should take place outdoors or in a well-ventilated covered arena.
The Group, as well as all volunteers and participants involved, should be comfortable with what they are being asked to do at all times. Even though we cannot require our volunteers to be double vaccinated, or even ask their vaccination status, it is likely that those who will feel most comfortable in side walking will be those who have the greatest level of protection.
Hope for COVID Heroes
We are supporting a new project #HopeForCOVIDHeroes offering equine facilitated intervention to frontline workers affected by COVID-19. Currently in its pilot phase, we hope to become one of several HETI members delivering the programme later this year. More here: www.god-unlimited.org/helpforcovidheroes-support…/
Vacancies at National Office
We have left a few roles at National Office vacant during the last year, and now we plan to start recruiting again. These positions will be publicly available to view here – where you will already see the role of Communications Coordinator advertised www.rda.org.uk/join-the-rda-uk-team/
Vacancies will also be posted internally on MyRDA at myrda.org.uk/about-rda/latest-news/
Find us on Facebook
There are several RDA Facebook groups you can join if you are interested or involved in specific activities. These include: RDA Equine, RDA Endurance, RDA Carriage Driving, RDA Showjumping, RDA Vaulting and RDA National Championships & Competitions. They are useful spaces for discussion and sharing information and can be a great way to connect with people around RDA with similar interests.
