Directors in the Lidl administration team meeting some of the therapy horses after painting a stable block as part of a team volunteer day for Better Together Riding Therapy Centre, Lilliput, (from left) Avril O’Hehir (Lidl), Natalie Carey (therapeutic riding coach and founder of Better Together), Eoin Comerford (Lidl), Emma Favier (volunteer, seated, left) Elaine Grace (Lidl), Sorcha Turbitt (therapeutic riding coach), Sorcha Finnegan(Lidl), David Scriney (Lidl), Shane Kennedy (Lidl), and Liam Butler (Lidl).

Local therapy riding centre benefits from Lidl volunteer support

Published: Sun 8 Oct 2023, 3:15 PM

Last updated: Thu 12 Oct 2023, 2:49 PM

Eight dedicated workers from Lidl’s administrative directors team recently spent a day painting and transforming a stable block at Better Together Riding Therapy Centre at Liliput, Castletown Geoghegan.

The owner, founder and lead therapeutic riding coach at the centre, Natalie Carey, said the support of volunteers forms the backbone of what is a special place where many, young and old, find solace from their day to day challenges.

Everyone has the opportunity to experience the joy of connecting with the horses, while also building strength and confidence through the riding exercises, she told the Westmeath Examiner.

Natalie has established and grown the service over the last two years and is now supported by a second therapeutic riding coach and a team of volunteers who help support the clients and take care of the heart of the operation – the horses.

Therapeutic horse riding is a multi-area intervention therapy for children and adults with a variety of physical, cognitive, emotional and developmental disabilities. It has been recognised for decades as a means of improving the physical, emotional, social, cognitive and behavioural aspects of people’s lives and it is fun!, Natalie declared.

The Better Together team supports clients from schools, including special schools and schools with ASD classrooms, as well as adults from organisations including the Muíriosa Foundation, Praxis and Galro. Most recently, Better Together has teamed up with CAMHS to help adults and teenagers improve mental health, in addition to working with individual clients.

The kindness of a regular volunteer team, as well as specific volunteer events, such as the painting day proposed and implemented by the Lidl administrative directors, help the Better Together team provide the in-demand service to as many people as possible and keeps the waiting list for clients to a minimum, Natalie said.

If you would like to learn more about the services provided by Better Together please check out the website at https://www.bettertogethertr.ie/ or contact better.together.tr@gmail.com.