Over the last 15 years Ride High, a registered charity based in the heart of Milton Keynes with the vision to transform the lives of vulnerable and disadvantaged children, has supported over 2,000 children across Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire – in 2023 alone it helped 337 children.
Ride High plays an important role in the community, with many young people facing challenges as a result of poverty, neglect and abuse, and poor mental health. Attending the charity’s programme provides children with the opportunity to learn to ride and care for horses while also partaking in classroom sessions that work to develop personal and life skills, helping them to build positive relationships and grow in self-confidence.
Over 40 agencies and professionals refer children to Ride High, 80% of the children referred suffer from mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression and self-harm. Last year, 37% of the children had experienced domestic violence and 29% had suffered abuse and/or neglect. Ride High provides a safe space for children to be themselves; attending each week provides them with stability which is often lacking in their day-to-day lives.
Ride High is free to all children but being self-funded means it relies heavily on support from those in the community. Whether it is individuals fundraising or attending events, volunteers supporting weekly sessions or companies offering their expertise, support is essential for the charity to continue to offer its service.
As 120 children attend Ride High every week, the need for volunteers who can dedicate one or two hours on a weekly basis to support the group sessions is vital. As many organisations now offer their employees one or more volunteering days throughout the year, allowing them to select a charity to ‘help out’ for the day, Ride High is asking organisations to consider releasing their employees on a weekly basis for an hour or two for a term/12-week period.
Volunteering in this way allows individuals to have a greater impact and a more valuable personal experience with the charity. Sean, has volunteered with the charity for several years. He said: “The absolute best part of volunteering every week is that I get to witness and be part of the transformation the children make in their time at Ride High. My involvement with Ride High has given me a whole new perspective on life and I always look forward to coming to the centre every week to see the children.”
Alternatively, businesses can support Ride High by partnering with it as their chosen charity, fund a child’s place on the programme by sponsoring a child or attend one of the charity’s fundraising events.
For 2024, local company Pragmatiq chose to partner with Ride High as part of its Charity of the Year initiative. Managing Director Stuart Goldwater said: “We have been familiar with Ride High for some time, and we are thrilled to be able to support the brilliant work they are doing in our local community. At Pragmatiq, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is not just a checkbox, it’s a fundamental part of our culture and our partnership with Ride High demonstrates our determination to make a positive impact.”
Ride High works in partnership with a range of organisations delivering business benefits such as staff engagement, brand exposure and the opportunity for networking, while generating vital funds and support for its work in the community.
If your company would like to give back and support Ride High contact marketing@ridehigh.org or visit their website.
