Riders have held a Macmillan coffee morning “with a difference” raising more than £2,000 for charity – while showing the public the joy of horses.
On 28 September coach and saddle fitter Steph Bradley welcomed around 75 guests to her yard in Wrexham, where she hosted a quadrille display in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.
“Two years ago I decided to hold a Macmillan coffee morning, but this year I thought I needed to make it a coffee morning with a difference,” Steph told H&H.
“With all the social licence discussions going on, I thought it would be lovely to get people from the local village and surrounding areas to come and see everyday riders and their horses having a good time, riding to music, and for them to see the horses enjoying it.”
A group of local riders took part; Steph and her daughter Fran, Sioned Roberts, Jess Thomas, Helen Connolly, Maggie Maloney, Max Cookson-Johnson, Ezmae Lockwood, Harriet Brimage, and Nikita Sullivan.
Steph designed a floorplan to music performed by the group, and Steph and her daughter rode a pas de deux with their horses Beau and Sydney. There was also hobby horse showjumping for the children – plus coffee and cake.
Steph said “this year’s coffee morning had even more meaning” – with Steph, Sioned, and Max all being affected by cancer.
“Earlier this year my vet noticed that I had a darker freckle on my head and he said I should get it checked. I was diagnosed with melanoma and in May I had a great big chunk of my temple taken away and a skin graft. I have a lovely scar on my head now, but I am free of the melanoma,” she said.
“We also had two amazing inspirational cancer warriors riding, 12-year-old Max and our lovely friend Sioned.”
There were two guests of honour on the day – para dressage star Georgia Wilson, who brought her silver and bronze Paris Paralympics medals along – and Steph’s Macmillan nurse Jeni Jones.
“I was really emotional after riding the pas de deux with Francesca, then Jeni walked up to me and said ‘Hello’, and I was in tears,” said Steph.
“I was one of Jeni’s last patients before she went on maternity leave so I had no idea whether she’d get the message and make it along, so for her to come with her newborn baby and her husband was so special.”
The day raised £2,074 for Macmillan Cancer Support.
“We’ve broken our record which is great. It’s just nice to raise some money. There can be this perception about equestrians being a bit elitist, so it was lovely to show ‘Bob the cobs’ trotting round having a lovely time, and doing a really super job,” said Steph.
“I’m not sure how we’ll top it next year.”
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