Training
Welcome Pack
RDA Handbook
Green Card
(Insurance/Certificate)
CRB Checks & Child
Protection Policy
First Aid Training
Group Training
Sessions
Regional Training Days
Instructor Training
Achievements
Certificate for Green Card
Young Equestrian Leader Award
(YELA)
Duke of Edinburgh Awards
Volunteer of the Year
Pony Club RDA Badges
Keeping Fit!
Social
Making Friends
AGM
Helpers Party
Holidays
Special Events
Non-Riding Events
Committee & Trustees
All
our
volunteers
are
trained,
so
don’t
worry
if
you
don’t
know
one
end
of
the
horse
from the other, we’ll show you what to do.
RDA Handbook
RDA
National
publish
a
handbook
each
year
containing
all
sorts
of
useful
information.
Each
Group
has
a
copy
and
ours
is
kept
by
the
group
secretary,
but
is
available
to
everyone on request.
Green Card
Before
you
start
to
help,
some
basic
training
must
be
completed
to
ensure
your
safety
and
that
of
everyone
else
in
the
group.
A
training
card
(green
card)
must
be
filled
out
to
comply with our insurance. This will be completed at your first session.
CRB Checks and Child Protection Policy
All volunteers must have a CRB check, which is organised by the group via RDA
National shortly after you start to help
Our
Group
has
a
Child
and
Vulnerable
Adult
Protection
Policy,
which
is
freely
available
to all members, and should be read by all volunteers.
First Aid Training
Riding
is
a
risk
sport
and
clearly
it
is
sensible
to
have
first
aiders
available
at
all
lessons
and
events.
Many
of
our
volunteers
have
taken
first
aid
training
which
is
arranged
through
the
County
on
a
regular
basis.
If
you
already
have
first
aid
training
please
let
the secretary have a copy of your certificate for our records.
Group Training Sessions
We
try
to
organise
training
sessions
within
the
group
for
all
volunteers
on
an
annual
basis,
to
ensure
that
everyone
is
up
to
speed
and
to
pass
on
any
new
thoughts
/
ideas
from RDA National Office.
Regional Training Days
Both the County and the Region hold training days every year which are available to all
volunteers and cover a wide range of topics. It’s a great way to refresh your training and
to meet like-minded people from other groups across the county / region and swop
ideas and stories.
Making Friends
We
are
a
friendly
group
at
Buckenham
House
RDA
and
the
social
aspect
of
the
group
is
just
as
important
as
the
riding,
particularly
for
those
members
whose
disabilities make it difficult for them to make friends.
AGM / Helpers Party
Our
annual
AGM
is
followed
by
a
party
to
thank
our
helpers
and
to
give
us
time
to
chat
and
catch
up
when
we’re
not
having
to
rush
about
at
lessons
or
fundraisers.
Holidays
Our
annual
holiday
at
Clwyd
Special
Riding
Centre
is
a
full
6
days
when
the
lucky
riders,
helpers
and
carers
get
to
know
each
other
a
bit
better,
share
outings to local tourist centres, share meals and play games.
Special Events
When
a
special
event
needs
to
be
celebrated
the
Buckenham
House
Group
know
how
to
do
it
in
style.
Recent
events
include
our
30
th
Anniversary
Party
and
our President’s 70
th
birthday.
Non-Riding Events
Sometimes
we
organise
events
to
take
riders
out
to
non-riding
events
such
as
a
visit
to
Redwings
Horse
Sanctuary,
or
to
take
part
in
a
Christmas
Tree
decorating competition at a local church.
Committee and Trustees
The group is run by it’s committee and overseen by it’s trustees. Volunteers to
join these groups are always welcome and new ideas are always looked for.
To
become
a
helper,
please
complete
the
volunteer
application
form
by
clicking on this
link
And send the completed form to…
Mrs L Kelly
Group Secretary
Buckenham House Group RDA
18 Scrumpy Way
Banham
Norwich, Norfolk
NR16 2SU
Or
bring
it
with
you
to
one
of
our
lessons/fundraising events.
Fundraising is a huge part of the group, we need to raise a considerable
amount of funds each year to be able to continue to provide all the
opportunities we offer. Many of the lesson helpers also get involved in the
fundraising, but it is an ideal opportunity to help if you are not interested or
not able to help at the lessons.
Horse Shows
Is
a
task
that
requires
many
volunteers,
jobs
include
stewarding
in
the
show
rings,
taking
entries
in
the
secretary’s
tent,
providing
lunch
for
the
judges
and
all
the
volunteers,
making
and
selling
cakes
and
cups
of
tea
in
the
refreshment
tent,
manning
the
barbeque
for
the
RDA
Café,
running
the
tombola,
tack
stall
and
raffle,
setting
up
and
taking
down
all
the
rings
and
equipment, manning the loudspeaker….the list is endless.
Jumble Sales
We hold jumble sales twice a year and volunteers are needed to collect the
jumble throughout the year, and to set up, sell and tidy away on the day.
Small Events
One-off
small
events
are
run
as
and
when
the
opportunity
arises,
examples
are
Body
Shop
evenings,
special
shopping
events
at
local
outfitters,
running
cake
and
second
hand
tack
stalls
at
local
events
and
fairs.
These
events
tend
to
be
fairly
quick
and
easy
to
organise
and
run
with
minimum
of
volunteers, but still important to the coffers.
Big Events
One-off
big
events
are
run
when
funds
are
needed
such
as
a
Barn
Dance,
a
Fashion
Show,
a
Bingo
Evening
and
a
40’s
Night
Spectacular.
These
are
major undertakings and many volunteers are needed.
Donations/Grants
Donations are always appreciated and grants are sometimes applied for if we
have a specific project in mind. Anyone kind enough to offer a donation
please contact
Helping
with
RDA
affords
many
opportunities
to
achieve
personal progression if you are interested:
Certificate for Green Card
Once
you
have
completed
all
the
relevant
sections
on
your
training
card
(green
card),
the
group
secretary
can
send
it
off
to
National Office and you will receive a certificate in return.
Young Equestrian Leader Award (YELA)
RDA
takes
part
in
this
scheme
run
by
the
British
Equestrian
Federation
(BEF)
and
Sport
England
for
volunteers
between
the ages of 13 and 25.
Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards
Some
of
our
younger
volunteers
come
to
us
to
fulfil
part
of
the
DoE
scheme,
and
we’re
always
glad
to
help
them
to
achieve
their goals.
Volunteer Of The Year
Within the group we have an annual award for Volunteer of the
Year, which goes to the most helpful volunteer, or the one who
has made an effort above and beyond the call of duty. It’s a
difficult decision as all our volunteers are brilliant.
Pony Club Badges
The
Pony
Club
also
run
a
scheme
to
award
achievement
badges
to
their
members
and
one
of
the
badges
is
for
volunteering
to
help
out
at
RDA
lessons
or
events.
We
welcome
any interested Pony Club members.
Keeping Fit
For those of you not award minded, there are still some
achievements available – the most obvious being that helping
at RDA lessons is a superb way to help keep fit!
Some
volunteers
join
the
group
and
bring
with
them
some
very
useful
skills,
and
others
learn
new
skills
in
order
to
help
out.
Some
of
the
skills
are
not
the
most obvious…
First Aid
Riding
is
a
risk
sport
and
clearly
it
is
sensible
to
have
first
aiders
available
at
all
lessons
and
events.
Many
of
our
volunteers
have
taken
first
aid
training
which
is
arranged
through
the
County
on
a
regular
basis.
If
you
already
have
first
aid
training
please
let
the
secretary
have
a
copy
of
your
certificate
for
our
records.
Horse Care (Proficiency Tests/ASDAN)
If
you
have
years
of
horse
care
experience,
but
do
not
feel
up
to
running
about
with
the
ponies
each
week,
your
skills
can
be
of
great
benefit
to
the
riders.
Communication
Some
of
our
riders
have
difficulties
with
communication
and
anyone
with
some knowledge of sign language, for example, is worth their weight in gold.
Physiotherapy
RDA works closely with physiotherapists to ensure the best teaching methods
to siut the riders needs. In fact there is a special qualification for physios
working with RDA, ACPTR (Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in
Therapeutic Riding). So any interested physios out there will be welcomed
with open arms!
Cake Making
What do home made cakes have to do with riding horses? Well, they are
always good sellers at fundraising events, popular at parties and welcomed to
revive exhausted riders and helpers after the lessons. Cake makers are the
backbone of RDA fundraising!