A CHARITY which teaches disabled people to ride will host a Christmas fair next week to raise cash to keep its stables running.

The Riding for the Disabled group, based in Southmoor, near Abingdon, is hoping to secure enough money from Wednesday’s event to feed and water its horses over the winter.

Founded in 1975, the group provides riding lessons to more than 130 children and adults, aged from two to 70.

Volunteer Sharon Chowns, from Wantage, said: “We are desperately trying to raise funds for the riding school. We offer riding lessons mainly to children, but we do have a few adults.

“Riding does so much for disabled people. It improves balance and it’s good exercise.

“Some of the children have speech problems and to see their faces light up and their reaction when they get on a horse is an absolute picture.”

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The group is hoping to raise £5,000.

Toys, ornaments and other gifts will be on sale at the fair, which costs £2.50 to enter and is free for under-12s.

Chairwoman Ann Barlow said the club needed £90,000 a year.

She added: “We hope we can raise a bit of money from the Christmas fair.

“Horses are very expensive to look after and we don’t really stop fundraising throughout the year.”

The charity has recently been granted planning permission to build an indoor school and is in the process of applying for other grants to fund the development.

Mrs Barlow said money raised at the fair would only be used on the running costs of the stables.

She said the school would have to find a sponsor for the indoor school project, which could cost about £200,000.

She added: “We have to apply for grants.

“It’s a project of huge importance to us as we have a lot of competent riders who need the indoor facility to progress.”

The Christmas fair takes place at Lains Barn, near Wantage, on Wednesday from 10am to 2pm.