Riding for the Disabled grant fund

Nine charities in Northern Ireland have received grants totalling £8,681 in the latest round of funding awards from Leeds Building Society Foundation - including Coleraine’s Riding for the Disabled Association.

Belfast-based charities Impact Training, MS Society Northern Ireland and Mindwise New Vision have all secured grants for projects to further enhance the services they provide.

First Steps Women’s centre in Dungannon, the Omagh and District Talking Newspaper Association, Coleraine-based Riding for the Disabled Association, Ardaluin Regeneration Trust in Newcastle, Via Wings in Dromore and Home Start Down District in Downpatrick have also received donations.

The grants will support a variety of projects including:

Purchasing technology to improve services offered at four of the charities

Adding new equipment to a purpose-built sensory room at Via Wings to enhance learning through play

Buying boccia and kurling equipment to offer new activities to users of MS Society Northern Ireland

Purchasing safety equipment to enable people with disabilities to safely take part in therapeutic horse riding services

Replacing mattresses at the Ardaluin Regeneration Trust, which provides social and personal development opportunities for children with physical or mental disabilities

New garden equipment at Mindwise New Vision to allow residents to grow their own fruit and vegetables.

A total of 46 charities shared £37,975 in the most recent round of funding to help improve the lives of disadvantaged or vulnerable people across the UK.

Leeds Building Society Foundation Trustee Gary Brook said: “We work hard to support the causes in the communities where our members and colleagues live and work. We know supporting initiatives in local communities is important to our members.”