Nithsdale Pony Club is a registered charity and a small branch run in Dumfries & Galloway by a group of volunteers. The objectives of the Pony Club are to encourage young people to ride and learn to enjoy of kinds of sport connected to horses and riding, to give instruction in riding and horsemanship and to educate members to look after and take proper care of their animal.

The Club also aims to promote the highest ideals of sportsmanship, citizenship, loyalty to create strength of character and self-discipline. The membership is open to any young person in Dumfries & Galloway up to the age of 25 years.

The funding provided by Cunninghame Housing Association will support the annual residential Pony Club Camp that is due to be held over four days from 3rd to 8th July 2022 which provides all young people riding twice a day as well as a variety of other activities. The residential Camp just like the Pony Club is open to all young people form Dumfries & Galloway.

Given that the Pony Club have been unable to do any fund raising over the past 2 years due to Covid, the funding from the Association has enabled the Club to organise their Camp this year and allows them to provide the event for as little cost to the parents and make it inclusive for all.

The funding for Nithsdale Pony Club came from the Association’s ‘Making Our Communities a Better Place Fund’ which operates throughout the year (1st April 2021 to 31st March 2022) until the allocated funding is exhausted.

Jackie Collins, committee member Nithsdale Pony Club, said: “This is a substantial amount of money for a small club to receive, we do our best to ensure our members have a fun and enjoyable time at camp and throughout the year; this will make a huge difference to their experiences.”

Frank Sweeney, Group CEO of Cunninghame Housing Association, commented: “We are pleased to support the Nithsdale Pony Club Camp based in Dumfries & Galloway which benefits so many young people in the area and which I am sure will be an enjoyable experience for all involved.”

Local groups or individuals interested in finding out more about the Association’s ‘Making Our Communities Better Places’ Fund can do so by following the link.