Enterprising fund-raisers in Middlesbrough have capitalised on the local popularity of Elvis to buy a new horse for the local RDA centre.
An Elvis Presley tribute show at a social club raised more than £1,500 which has been used to purchase a 15.2hh part-Dales gelding called Grenadier for the Unicorn Centre, whose facilities are used by more than 150 disabled riders each week.
Bill Holmes of Charity Challenge, the fund-raising organisation that masterminded the event, says: “I’ve wanted to buy a horse for the Unicorn Centre for several years, and when I heard the centre had a horse in mind, we set to work.
“I chose the Elvis tribute because Elvis is so popular on Teeside, and I’m delighted that we were able to raise all the funds to buy Grenadier.”
The Tansley family sold the 12-year-old, who had been competed with their son Chris before he went to veterinary college, to the centre.
