The Cure Parkinson’s Trust was originally set up in 2005 under the leadership of Tom Isaacs, a dynamic man diagnosed in his mid-twenties who refused to accept the then received wisdom that Parkinson’s was an incurable condition. Working with three other successful men they set about the quest for a cure. That has still not been achieved and sadly all four original founders have now died but progress is such that few would now question it is a question of “when” not “if” Cure Parkinson’s plays a leading part in that research on an international front.
Everything they do is to move closer to their goal of finding new treatments to slow, stop or reverse the progression of Parkinson’s. Any donations and involvement in research will lead to the breakthrough they all want to see. Their leadership and funding – some £75million – enables the world’s leading neuroscientists and neurologists to prioritise together for the next generation of drugs for clinical trials.
The Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland Committee was set up by Meriel and James Buxton and Toots Cowen, after Meriel’s brother, Toots’ husband Gavin Cowen died with Parkinson’s in 2012, and Toots was also diagnosed with Parkinson’s. The aims were fund raising, and raising the profile of the Cure Parkinson’s charity, and the condition itself.
They circulate their fundraising events programme each spring for the coming year, which may include lunches, dinners, top class guest speakers, visits to gardens and other places of interest, concerts and competitions. Since they started in 2013 they have raised over half a million pounds.
Anyone interested in attending is welcome to contact Meriel at Meriel@ccqltd.com
The Mount Group RDA was formed in 1986 by parents to provide the opportunity for riding for the pupils from the Mount Special Needs School in Melton Mowbray. They started with twelve volunteers and six borrowed ponies with the children riding every Thursday afternoon.
It is now one of the most active groups in Leicestershire. Since the summer of 2022 they have been based at Waterloo Lodge Farm, Hungarton. They have fifty riders each week from schools and day centres in Melton Mowbray, Oakham and surrounding areas. They have over forty volunteers who give time every week to assist riders to enjoy the freedom of therapeutic effects that riding brings. They hire horses and ponies from Almond Equestrian Ltd at Waterloo Lodge Farm. And they also have a mechanical horse – Jet.
Their future plans are to continue with this invaluable work with disabled children and adults, to help them achieve their potential, be it an enjoyable experience for them once a week, a therapeutic session, or training for Special Olympic or Para competitions.
The key to their success is a combination of people and ponies working together to fulfil dreams.
The Group relies totally on donations. It costs about £22,000 a year to run the Group. This mainly goes towards the hiring of horses and ponies, and specialist tack and equipment. Riders are asked for donations for their sessions but riders are never excluded if they can not afford to pay. Everyone who helps at the Mount Group is a volunteer.
The Next Chapter is a newly formed charity, founded by Shelly Page, and it is based in Countesthorpe, South Leicestershire. A number of organisations such as the police, RSPCA and others, go to Shelly for advice about care for abandoned and often sick horses of all ages.
Over recent years she has had a number of successful outcomes including rehabilitation and eventually rehoming of horses. Shelly was offered temporary use of land where horses could be nursed back to health with the input of a vet and care from a range of volunteers mostly local to the village and surrounding area. They all help to support and manage both physical and emotional health needs.
In the spring of 2023, Charity status was applied for and established as the number of cases and workload had been increasing. The Charity needs to raise money not only to cover the cost of feed and buildings, but vet bills which can be very high, especially when horses have suffered major injuries.
An example of the help that has been given was in early May last year, Shelly had a call from the police as a two week old foal was found abandoned overnight by a landowner and they didn’t know what to do. The RSPCA were on the scene and it was agreed that Shelly would take the foal into her care. The Blue Cross were able to transport the foal (named Mickey) to The Next Chapter yard where it was assessed by a vet and Shelly, and a make-shift stable was quickly assembled for him, in an area that would be used to provide a quarantine facility in the short term. A call then went out to the volunteers and local villagers for help because the foal had to be fed every two hours, including during the night. A rota was set-up comprising volunteers and local villagers who fed Mickey day and night, until he was able to eat on his own.
The success of our 65th Blaston Show has been reflected in the increased donations to our worthy charities for 2024. At the Annual General Meeting on 18th November, the sum of £6,000 was presented to GEMS Charity, and £5,000 to Rainbows Hospice as part of donations totalling £16,000 which were spread across other local charities. These included Medbourne Cricket Club £600; Rotaract £600; Market Harborough 2012 Lions £600; 41 Club £600; Welland Valley Scouts £600; Wigston Air Cadets £600; Norton & Gaulby Young Farmers £300; Medbourne & Parish Magazine £100; Riding for the Disabled £100; Next Chapter £150; Slawston Church £50; Slawston Village Hall £50.
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Market Harborough
LE16 7FA
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