Registered
Public benefits
The direct benefits include improving mental health and well-being of people who suffer from a wide range of issues in the local community, we are promoting inclusion through our equine therapy approach. Reducing isolation, allowing people to engage in learning activities suitable to their needs, reducing levels of stress and anxiety. We are
helping people cope with their illnesses and bringing some joy to their lives. We run a variety of recreational activities which develop skill, we are helping older and vulnerable people in residential homes and the local Hospice experience equine therapy directly. All of our services are free. Not only are we providing direct benefits to local people but also the wider family. We promote our activities through social media, word of mouth, local newspapers and local people have access to what we do and are offering through this. We also work in partnership with other organisations who signpost people to our service. Our small team is dynamic, professional and team members have a range of skills to offer a high quality service. The benefits can be demonstrated by our delivery of services and activities and participation of local people. We are fully booked until December which demonstrates need and demand. We are providing a safe, neutral space for people to take part in equine therapy and recreational activities to improve health and wellbeing. We have strong partnerships with local homes and the hospice. We are providing opportunities for our volunteers to be involved in the local community and build their skills. We are an inclusive group, welcoming and helping people who have wide ranging issues and health conditions. We are seeing first hand the difference that Happy Hooves makes to the lives of others and their families. We receive and collect feedback from our users. We have lots of feedback with evidence of the positive impact our service has had on its users including one lady with dementia who started to talk again after being mute for over 4 years. There is no harm arising from any of the purposes The beneficiaries are local people from the Derry/Londonderry area and surrounding environs. Our volunteers have the opportunity to learn and develop their own capacity which will improve their own personal development – this is an incidental benefit.
... [more] [less]What your organisation does
Happy Hooves is a community organisation that aims to provide local residents in the Derry/Londonderry area with activities to improve mental health and well being by providing equine therapy to improve their quality of life. The services we offer are art (where the ponies actually paint the paintings), recreational activities, spending time with
the ponies, allowing local people to groom them, feed them, care for them etc. We cater for people with wide ranging issues such as people with mental health needs, dementia sufferers, stroke victims, older people, children, young people, people with autism, people with physical disabilities, people with learning difficulties and people with cancer. We also have outreach work, visiting residential homes, care based establishments and the local Hospice, taking our ponies to the centres for the residents and patients so they can benefit from the therapeutic nature of miniature horses. We also promote volunteering through our work and help develop people’s skills and knowledge. Through our group we improve the conditions of life for people and help not only them but their wider family circle. This is evident from our users feedback and demand for our service.
... [more] [less]The charity’s classifications
- The advancement of health or the saving of lives
- The advancement of citizenship or community development
Who the charity helps
- Children (5-13 year olds)
- General public
- General public
- General public
- Older people
- Physical disabilities
- Voluntary and community sector
How the charity works
- Community development