The Microgaming Health & Care Trust is supporting Manx Carriage Driving 4 Disabled with a donation towards a mobile trailer, to enable the charity to offer its services island-wide.

Manx-registered charity, Manx Carriage Driving 4 Disabled (MCD4D), provides disabled people the opportunity to experience the fun and enjoyment of equestrian activities in a safe and supervised environment. All driving sessions are conducted under the supervision of an experienced RDA Carriage Driving Coach. The charity currently has 50 members and 25 volunteers.

The new mobile trailer unit, purchased by MCD4D and supported by the Microgaming Health & Care Trust, will mean that the charity can move its services around the island, for projects such as the Flexible Learning Academies, a scheme for secondary schools to support students with learning difficulties. The unit can also be used at shows and local events, as a mobile classroom for training volunteers, and as a storage facility for equipment, providing the charity with the flexibility it requires.

Martin Sewell, Volunteer Fundraiser for Manx Carriage Driving 4 Disabled, comments: “Manx Carriage Driving 4 Disabled is growing but there are occasions where people are missing out on the service because they can’t get to Ballavartyn Equestrian Centre. By purchasing a mobile trailer we can widen our reach and ensure many more people can benefit from carriage driving. A big thank you to the Microgaming Health & Care Trust for contributing to the unit, it’s very much appreciated.”

The Microgaming Health & Care Trust, an initiative under the Microgaming Play It Forward programme, has contributed ?5,000 to the mobile trailer.

Dr Roy Clague, Chairman of the Microgaming Health & Care Trust, adds: “We have seen first-hand the amazing service that Manx Carriage Driving 4 Disabled offers on the island. To be able to grow this service island-wide is a no-brainer, so we were more than happy to subsidise the mobile unit.”

The Microgaming Health & Care Trust assisted the local charity back in 2015 when it funded the purchase of a carriage specifically designed for wheelchair users.

Photo - Dr Roy Clague and Paul Novellie, Trustees, with Manx Carriage Driving 4 Disabled representatives alongside the new mobile trailer.