An urgent appeal has been launched to save a local centre which uses therapy horses and ponies to help children with special educational needs and mental health issues.
The Equivalent Project, run by Frome woman, Bekah Maxwell, has launched an emergency appeal following a series of hefty, unexpected veterinary bills.
The centre, based in Heywood near Westbury, is at risk of closing its doors unless it can raise £7,000 to cover its costs.
“In recent months we have been hammered with vet bills and with the cost of feed, bedding, hay, insurance and essential care services for the horses all rising, we are simply struggling to make ends meet,” said Bekah, one of the directors.
“We are a not-for-profit organisation (converting to a charity imminently) that provides mental health and SEN support to many young people in our community through the medium of horses (Equine Facilitated Therapy).
“We have a herd of therapy horses and ponies that help transform the lives of young people in our community on a daily basis, including grant funded programmes to support young people that are self harming, school refusers, and also adult survivors of domestic abuse.
“Please donate what you can so that we can continue to keep The Equivalent Project CIC going; the many young people attending our centre need this help, now we need yours. Or if you have any ideas or can help with fundraising, do please get in touch. Any help would be very, very welcome.”
Claire Till, whose son attends the centre, said, “The therapy ponies, most of whom are rescues, have recently incurred some hefty unexpected vet bills and if the centre is unable to raise the funds to cover the £7,000 vets bills imminently, they will have no choice but to close the Equivalent Project.
“This will leave many vulnerable people in our community without the help and support they so desperately need.
“At a time when there are so few placements like this available, it would be devastating for the community to lose this much-needed resource. We need more amazing placements like this not less and they do such amazing work with vulnerable people in the community.”
To donate, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/SAVE-The-Equivalent-Project
