Sports Driving Unlimited

Newsletter

Issue 16

April 2015

www.sportsdrivingunlimited.org.uk rosemary@sportsdrivingunlimited.org.uk Tel: 01576 610544

Double success at the annual Horsescotland Annual Awards! There was a double celebration after the annual horsescotland awards in March. Sports

Driving Unlimited was named Scottish Club of the Year and our lead trainer Amanda Saville

was named Coach of the Year! Amanda’s skill and commitment to helping people who find

themselves neglected by mainstream sport was particularly recognised by the judges,

alongside SDU’s continuous fund-raising to enable opportunities in carriage driving for those

with additional needs. The judges recognised that SDU makes an outstanding contribution to

the development of equestrianism at a local, regional and national level.

Dumfries & Galloway Life

Charity of the Year 2012

Chariots Challenge 2015 Are you an SDU supporter that’s never had a chance to

get onto a carriage? Many of our supporters are

parents, family members, support workers, carers and

teachers who stand in the cold every week helping to

harness ponies and watching all the fun!

The Chariots Challenge 2015 is the PERFECT

opportunity to finally take the reins! No previous driving experience is necessary to take part

in our SPONSORED mini-obstacle course.

So take the plunge, grab yourself a sponsor form and

get collecting! Make it a family or group challenge, to

make it more fun! Even better, challenges completed

within booked lessons have no minimum sponsorship fee!

So if you are a regular at Chariots of Fire,

it’s easy-peasy!

Contact info@sportsdrivingunlimited.org.uk for sponsor

form OR donate at:

www.localgiving.com/chariotschallengepowell

# chariotschallenge2015

New Patron

Tommy Fawcett

Tommy has

kindly agreed to

be a Patron

He is very well known and respected

on the carriage driving circuit and is

a great supporter of driving for

people with disability.

Blind drivers Mike Newman (world's fastest blind

man and founder of Speed of Sight) and our own

Lewis Shaw challenged each other at the final indoor

event. With both driving Loggi, the results show Mike

won this 1st meeting...as Lewis said "watch this space"!!

Successful 2014 – 2015 Indoor Competition

Season Drivers supported by SDU have been competing

throughout the autumn/winter indoor season at the

Greenlands Equestrian Centre near Carlisle with

great success! Samuel Parker and Jessica Hyslop

were Scottish Junior Champions. Our lead trainer,

Amanda Saville, was also Scottish Champion. Many

of the successful drivers qualified, or were invited

to attend, the National Indoor Driving

Championships in April at Keysoe in Bedfordshire.

The culmination of the winter indoor driving season,

drivers from all over the UK come together for a

weekend of serious competition! Charlotte,

Graham, Lewis, Samuel and Matthew had a great

weekend, supported by other drivers and volunteers

from the Chariots of Fire and SDU teams. Our

trainers also continued their amazing form –

Amanda won the accolade of UK National

Reserve Indoor Champion 2015

Samuel Parker

&

Jessica Hyslop

Junior Scottish

Champions!

Congratulations! Isobel Wesbroom-Warr Winner - Sports Driving Unlimited Shield - National Indoor Championships

Best Young Junior Driver (2nd year in a row!) receiving SDU shield from

Rosemary Flexney - SDU chairperson. Thanks to Iain McKendrick for photo

WELL DONE!!

Amanda Saville

Reserve Supreme

Champion

National Indoor

finals

Lead SDU Coach

Below is a selection of photos of drivers with a disability competing at the Championships

2015 Outdoor Competitions- Open to All This year the team at Chariots of Fire will be hosting two Sports Driving

competitions and three Arena Challenges. The Arena Challenge consists

of a short course of cones and two obstacles, to be driven at whatever

speed you are comfortable with! It’s terrific fun and open to all.

The competitions are inclusive to drivers of all abilities, disabilities and

needs; with no restriction on age - all drivers are welcome.

For more details contact Amanda on 01576 610248 or

amanda@chariots.org.uk

Dates are: Sports Driving competitions: July 4/5 & Sept 26/27.

Arena Challenges: May 17, July 26, Aug 23.

Chariots of Fire 20th Anniversary

Open Day 7 June 2015 The Chariots of Fire Display Team is 20

years this year! To celebrate this

milestone we are holding an Open Day with

loads of activities and a display. All

proceeds to SDU.

Group sessions We currently have funds to

provide group sessions to

groups from local schools &

young people on Saturday

mornings from Parents'

Inclusion Network &

Quarriers at COF, Boreland.

Our search for funding

Thompson House is ongoing.

Our team of intrepid walkers

are in training for Lockerbie & District Rotary's

sponsored walk on Sunday 10 May 2015

Join them on the walk or support them with your

sponsorship - send to Cleuchheads, Balgray, Lockerbie or

online at www.localgiving.com/sportsdriving

New Banners

Thanks to Hoggett Creative of

Annan for these designing and

producing our great new banners!

Below is a selection of photos of drivers with a disability competing in the Indoor Series

Come along and enjoy the fun.........

Bouncy Castle; Bryan the Sheep; Musical Drive, Gymkhana

Games; Crafts and Gifts; Bucking Bronco; Refreshments &

Home Baking.

THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS....As always we are enormously grateful to our small but stalwart group of

volunteers for the support they give - whether assisting at our regular sessions; raising funds in a

variety of ways; and telling everyone about what we do! If you would like to help please contact

Rosemary on 01576 610544 or email rosemary@sportsdrivingunlimited.org.uk

Equestrian

Table Top Sale Thank you to Joan Lawrence

for organising this fund-

raising event at Bolton

Abbey, North Yorkshire.

The SDU stall was staffed

by a car-load of volunteers

who went for the morning!

Grants gratefully

received from:

Persula Foundation

Bruce Wake Trust

Moffat Trust

BBC Children in Need

Holywood Trust

Talks

Amanda has been out and

about on our behalf giving

illustrated talks to:

Corrie WRI;

Dumfries Baptist Gp;

Kirkmichael XYZ Club;

Dalbeattie & Kirkgunzeon

Friendship Gp;

Dumfries Conservative

Ladies

Other Fund Raising

has included: Christmas raffle

Christmas Cards

2015 Calendars,

Wristbands,

Books in team room

Bryan's trip to MAP

And a very successful

stall & tombola at the

indoor events

Donate & "Become a Friend"

at

www.charitychoice.co.uk/sports-

driving-unlimited-12978

www.sportsdrivingunlimited.org.uk Registered Charity No: SC 038870 Private Ltd Company No: 332979

Our AGM was held on 11 March

and officers were re-elected: Rosemary Flexney - chairperson &

Rosemary James - treasurer.

Fund Raising and Activities

Red Carpet Event held on 20 March was a

star studded evening hosted

by Gilly Fraser with music

by bj the dj & Bob Hollis

This fantastic evening

raised £2,500 and there's

is demand for it to become

an annual event!

Thanks to all the companies

& individuals who kindly

donated vouchers, gifts,

experiences as prizes.

Donate or "give monthly" at

www.localgiving.com/sportsdriving

SUPPORT OUR FUNDRAISERS Joanne Gemie, Sarah's sister is

running the Edinburgh marathon on 31

May. Please donate at: www.localgiving.com/joannegemie

++++++++++++++++

Angie & Ted's Great Adventure –

Angela Hyslop & friends are doing a

sponsored ride from 26May to 3June

from Lockerbie to Newtonmore – 180

miles up the old Drove Road and Rob

Roy Way. You can donate at www.localgiving.com/2horsesandadonkey ++++++++++++++++

Common 3 Peaks Challenge - Rachel's

brother Innes & friends are doing a

sponsored Three Peaks Challenge on

20 June. To donate go to:

www.localgiving.com/common3peaks ++++++++++++++++

The Fashion Show & Sale - Petra

Grundy has arranged this fund-raiser

event in Chorley, near Wigan on 30

June for details go to: www.facebook.com/events/1594904134

054683

Online

donations

made even

easier!

Choice of

2 web pages

Red Carpet Event

Organising Committee

Donations:

Lockerbie& District Rotary

Lyndsay Paterson

BT via Craig Thorpe

David Keddie

Tim Bradford

Sonia Thomson

Donna Marshall

Claire Weeks

ComRes & Moripoll via Elaine

Murray

Kennie Little

Lockerbie Academy via Alicia

Fraser