Dawn awarded prize of £500 for going extra mile for others
A Loughborough resident has won first place in a care home’s “Local Heroes” competition.
Dawn Whitmore-Kirby, who volunteers at the Wenlo Riding for the Disabled Association Group, was awarded the top prize by the team at Care UK’s Lonsdale Mews, on Farley Way, and received £500.
Judges were impressed with her tireless efforts throughout the pandemic to maintain community engagement while restrictions meant riders were unable to attend.
The Wenlo Riding for the Disabled Association Group (RDA) is a charity that offers adults and children with physical and/or learning disabilities an opportunity to ride and look after horses.
This in turn helps their health, confidence and self-esteem.
Dawn has consistently gone the extra mile for the charity, even creating and distributing horse-related work packs and contacting participants regularly to keep everyone engaged and feeling supported over the last year.
As restrictions began to ease, Dawn worked tirelessly for children’s rights and ensured Wenlo RDA was the first RDA school to be able to organise riding sessions due to the care, attention and safety measures that were put in place.
Dawn said: “I’m incredibly proud to volunteer for such an amazing charity and it’s fantastic to have won this award and be called a ‘local hero.’
“I would like to thank all my friends at Wenlo RDA team and all our participants who have made the work I do so enjoyable and fulfilling.”
Toby Sturgess, home manager at Lonsdale Mews, said: “We are thrilled to award first place to Dawn - she is a worthy winner.
“The work she does supporting an incredible charity is invaluable to the local people in the community who benefit from Wenlo Riding - particularly at a time when some people have felt isolated and lacking opportunities to socialise.
“Supporting people to take up new hobbies or continue lifelong passions, no matter their ability, is an ethos we share with the riding club, so we are pleased to be able to reward Dawn’s efforts, going above and beyond for the community, and having a positive impact on the local area - so well done to our winner.”
To find out more about Lonsdale Mews, call customer relations manager, Jenny Cartwright, on 01509 801 587, or email jenny.cartwright@ careuk.com For more general information, please visit careuk.com/ lonsdale-mews