A Deeside charity which helps people with disabilities to roam the countryside on horseback has been handed a £13,250 boost.
Riding for the Disabled Deeside received the sum from the organisers of the Banchory Summer Marquee Ball, an annual fundraiser which took place at Raemoir House Hotel earlier this year.
The event raises funds for local causes and selected the group, along with the Friends of Bellfield Home, as its chosen charities for this year.
Chairwoman Jill Randalls said the funding will support the general day-to-day upkeep of the service, including the cost of renting horses.
The organisation recently purchased a £9,500 machine to help hoist people to the level of the animals and also had to replace 24 out-dated riding helmets.
Mrs Randalls said the charity relied on the kindness of donations.
“Aberdeenshire Council give us money towards the children’s lessons and we also ask our adult riders to pay a proportion of their lessons – everything else we have to fund through fundraising,” she said.
“We have to pay for the hiring of horses twice a week, and to use the World Horse Welfare centre we have to pay our insurance.
“We have about 55 volunteers because each person who rides needs somebody to lead the horse.
“It requires a lot of man power and everybody gives their time free of charge to do that. We do have a lot of running costs. It all mounts up.”
Mrs Randalls extended her thanks to ball organisers Logan Sangster, Dawn Law and Gill Keith.
“People are so generous, they really are,” she said.