HIGHWORTH Running Club have raised £1,000 for Riding for the Disabled during their annual Wickstead Wander X-Country Race.

The five-mile race takes place every November on a route that runs past the Wickstead Equestrian Centre, which has been appealing for support for Riding for the Disabled.

Many of the runners wore fancy dress for the event.

Last week the running club visited the equestrian centre to see how their money has been put to work, and saw how the support they gave helped children from the Chalet Group and Lainesmead School ride the ponies.

Peter O’Brien, secretary and treasurer of the running club, said: “During the summer we run the five-mile course past the Wickstead Equestrian Centre and we see all the jumps and everything. One day we found out they were asking for help for Riding for the Disabled.

“So we contacted Vicky Mace, who runs the centre, and asked if we could run across their land and raise some money for them.

“It is lovely to see how the money has helped the children.

“Some of them need volunteers to even help them stay on the horse, and they need different coloured reins to help them tell left from right.

“The ponies have to be very, very docile and it was lovely to see one child looking at the pony’s eyes and the pony’s ears and rubbing his nose.”

For more about the running club, visit www.highworthrunningclub.co.uk

To find out more about the equestrian centre, visit www.wicksteadfarm.com