A group of miniature therapy ponies is strapping on pedometers ready to help raise funds and awareness of prostate cancer.
Every day during March, Keysoe Cuddle Therapy Centre’s 10 ponies will walk 11,000 steps, accompanied by the centre’s staff, as part of Prostate Cancer UK’s March the Month campaign. The 11,000 steps represent the 11,000 “dads, brothers, grandads, partners and mates, who die from prostate cancer every year”.
Jayde Cook, head of operations at Keysoe International, told H&H the Cuddle Therapy Centre – which is working with local councils to help vulnerable adults and children, and those with disabilities – is taking on the March the Month challenge as a way to “give back” to the community.
“This year we are planning to do more charity work with the ponies and this is our first step towards that,” she said.
“A member of our staff lost a parent very recently to prostate cancer and when we discovered March the Month we thought this was perfect.”
Jayde said the ponies will each walk 11,000 steps per day as part of their exercise and will have pedometers strapped to their legs.
“It gets the whole team involved and all our staff will be walking the ponies. We’re also inviting the public to walk the ponies and we’re holding weekly meet and greets,” she said.
“For us it’s about helping a charity and being able to share that journey of what the ponies are doing and why.”
Norman Frederick Buxton, father of Keysoe team member Lucy Matear, died from prostate cancer in December 2022.
“I saw that Prostate Cancer UK was doing a sponsored walk throughout March and thought this was the perfect way to raise some money for a cause which has been very close to home for the past few years,” said Lucy.
“My dad lived an extraordinary life – as a soldier, sailor, lion-tamer – and he spent a large part of his life as The Queen’s stud groom at Hampton Court. As a horse lover, I know my dad would have been really proud to see the Keysoe Cuddle Therapy Centre ponies join me in March the Month.”
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