HODGEMOOR RIDER
newsletter no.6 - April 2002

Hodgemoor Reaches £44,000 Fund-Raising Target

We can hardly believe it: the Hodgemoor Riding Association, after just a year of the campaign, has achieved its aim in raising funds to repair the worst trails in the Wood.
At the end of February, we heard that the Brett Environmental Trust had awarded us a substantial grant of £40 000 gross! This is wonderful news and we are so pleased that the Brett Trust Board of Directors feels that our project is worth supporting. As part of the government's Landfill Tax Credit Scheme, the Trust can support a project that helps "the provision, maintenance or improvement of a public park or another public amenity in the vicinity of a landfill site".

Then in mid-March we heard that Chiltern District Council had awarded us £2000 as part of their small grant scheme. Many thanks to Jan Longhurst, Grant Administrator, for her support.

In the last edition, we told you about Bucks County Council's £2000 and the British Horse Society's £500. The young riders at Aescwood Farm raised over £2000 and our other events have all added to the fund. All this support, along with the results of our own fund raising activities, gives us about £42,600 net to spend and means that we should be able to do a really good job. The picture shows your committee with THAT cheque. L to R Heather Black, Audrey Holbrook, Judith Broadley, Robin Richards, Marcus & Susie Bicknell, Terry Holbrook.

Expenditure Priorities

Top priority will be completing the final 250 metres of the new bridleway through the eastern side of Hodgemoor Wood up to Bottrells Lane. As Hodgemoor Wood is a Site of Special Scientific Interest the final spec-ifications and contractor have to be agreed by English Nature and by Forest Enterprise. Work should start before the end of April.

Next priorities will be repairing the trails linking the two west entrances to the Wood from Rawlings lane: the Dell and the Glade on your map.

Bridleway Clearing Parties: Volunteers please!

As the contractor will start work soon on completing the bridleway, we need to finish clearing the undergrowth. Volunteers did the bulk of the work last summer from the Association, but both ends were left uncleared to prevent riders entering. It won't take long to finish it off, but the more of you there are the quicker it will be. Please go to where Spring Link meets Bottrells Lane near sharp bend with strong gloves and secateurs. Call Susie 01494 872447 for more details. Dates are:
Monday 15 April 3 p.m. (Judith Broadley 0780 8576152 and Heather Black 01494 680652)
Wednesday 17 April 4.30 p.m. (Audrey Holbrook 01494 875048)
Friday 19 April 6 p.m. (Susie Bicknell mobile 0787 658 1144).
Every other Wednesday starting May 1st to tackle other sites.

Joni Bentley Demonstration on 28 February

On the same day that the Brett Trust Board was deciding to give us a grant, Joni Bentley gave a fund-raising introduction to the Bentley Technique and Saddling System at Waylands Equestrian Centre in Seer Green. In spite of the bitter cold, over 40 people attended, and judging from emails received afterwards, the demonstration was well appreciated by both Joni fans and complete newcomers to her technique.
Joni is planning local workshops. Those interested can call her on 01494 794219, and visit her website: www.bentleyequestrian.co.uk.
Many thanks to Joni for giving this demo. We raised over £200 (and many litres of hot wine were drunk to fight off the cold).

Subscription Renewal

It's time to renew subscriptions from 1 April 2002 to April 2003. It's more important than ever to have a strong membership for the Association. We have achieved a lot in just one year: we have raised the funds to carry out the main aims of our project, we have opened a new bridleway, we have altered routes through the Wood, we've had sponsored rides, we've organised the Joni Bentley demo (and have plans for a Sue Edwards demo), we've held a Road Safety Evening and we've published 6 newsletters.
The fact that we now have substantial funds does not mean that we can sit back and twiddle our fingers. We need to continue to show our funders and supporters that we are active riders that want to conserve the Wood and help walkers and cyclists as well as ourselves. In fact subs will be raised to £10 p.a. and there will now be a £5 sub for juniors under 16 by 1 April and a family membership of £20.
SO PLEASE RETURN THE ENCLOSED FORM WITH YOUR SUB AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AND PERSUADE ANY FRIENDS AND NEW RIDERS IN THE AREA TO JOIN TOO!

South Bucks Riding Club

As most of you know, this is our local riding club based at Grove Farm in Welders Lane. For years Jeff Jarvis has organised wonderful Open Shows and other events that are always well-attended. This year they are only holding a few schooling days through lack of volunteers to help. What they desperately need is help to set up and take down. So - any of you out there - you can still take part on the day, your help is needed on days just before or after the show. Do please call and offer help now for next year. Many of us are certainly going to miss the shows this year, so as another riding organisation in the area which has supported us, let's help them get going again for next year. Events this year - all on Saturday - are:

20 April: Cross-Country and Showing Schooling
27 April Show Jumping Schooling
11 May and 10 August: Dressage Schooling
24 August: Show Jumping Schooling
5 October: Cross-Country Schooling

Please call 01494 673200 to attend these events, offer help and for membership details.

www.hodgemoor.org.uk

Your representative
Susie Bicknell
Telephone: 01494 872447
E-mail: sBicknell@ndirect.co.uk
Homefarm Orchard
Threehouseholds
Chalfont St. Giles
Bucks HP8 4LP