Greatwood is an unique charity based in Marlborough which needs all the help it can get to enable it to continue its superb dual rolework, using ex-racehorses to educate disadvantaged children and young adults through Equine Assisted Therapy.
As a Wiltshire Council Accredited Alternative Provider of Special Educational Needs programmes, Greatwood offers a variety of unique resources to schools, teachers, parents, carers and local authorities to meet the needs of vulnerable and ‘at risk’ children and young people aged 5-24 in the community.
These are the very individuals who do not respond well to conventional educational settings but thrive on the tailored programmes. Via the interaction with ex-racehorses through Equine Assisted Therapy, Greatwood now educates and helps hundreds of children each year with special educational needs (SEN), whilst providing those horses that couldn’t be re-homed previously with a useful occupation.
The horses that are cared for at Greatwood may have suffered neglect several years after their retirement from racing- often because they have been passed from owner to owner and have fallen into a downward spiral of neglect. But Greatwood rehabilitates them and gives them another purpose in life, using them for teaching, with direct parallels being drawn between the experiences of these horses and the students attending the courses.
This is particularly pertinent to those children who may have come from the care system and find it difficult to trust or respect others; as well as engaging in nurturing, caring relationships.
In helping them to learn life skills, achieve an accredited qualification, and ultimately assist them in achieving independence in adulthood. The programmes are accredited by The National Open College Network and leads to a formal qualification, which boosts the young person’s confidence in their ability to achieve success.
This unique charity needs your support to enable it to continue to give both the ex-racehorses and the students another chance in life.
For more information see www.greatwoodcharity.org or contact Greatwood on
01672 514535