Anthony Head

To mark Volunteers Week 2005, Buffy the Vampire Slayer star Anthony Head gave up a day to volunteer for the charity ’Riding for the Disabled’. Anthony’s love of horses inspired him to lend a hand at the Bristol based Avon Disabled Riding Centre.

He spent the day preparing horses for rides, helping to lift riders on and off the horses, walking by the sides of the riders and to top it all off, a bit of down and dirty stable work!

Anthony was amazed at the freedom the disabled people had while riding a horse. "One man’s disability only became noticeable to me when he got off the horse and began walking". He added: "I think that its amazing that Riding for the Disabled gives such a range of disabled people a chance to learn to ride".

Riding for the Disabled (RDA) is a national charity which enables people of all ages and with a wide range of disabilities to learn to ride and to compete in a fair and supportive environment. RDA survives through the dedicated help of volunteers. Organisations Ability Sports Association A registered charity which provides professionally coached sporting activities for disabled and disadvantaged children and adults in the West of England. ASA provides opportunities to develop clubs, festivals, tournaments, summer schools, leagues and cup competitions, catering for a variety of adapted disability sports. Currently ASA has six affiliated multi-sports clubs based in Almondsbury, Bath, South Bristol, St Paul’s Bristol, Stroud and Weston. Penniwells Riding for the Disabled Penniwells RDA Centre was established in 1980 and provides facilities for disabled people to ride and care for horses in Hertfordshire. Most of the disabled riders are children and many have stayed with Penniwells right through to adulthood. Riding for the Disabled Their aim is to provide disabled people with the opportunity to ride and/or to carriage-drive to benefit their health and well-being. Each week well over 25,000 children and adults enjoy the experience of riding or carriage driving - with opportunities to join in social activities, competitions or to take a holiday.