Alton Rotary Club has provided a grant of £3,000 to enable more young people to enjoy carriage driving and riding at Broadlands Riding for the Disabled Centre in Medstead.

The grant is to launch a hardship fund that Broadlands has set up to enable families who cannot afford the charges for weekly sessions access to the riding facilities.

An anonymous donor has matched the Rotary grant, and the two donations will enable six disabled youngsters to have weekly lessons for a year.

The chair of Broadlands’ trustees, Nigel Hoppitt, said with disabled riding there were restrictions on who could be supported, because of the limitations on the safe working height of volunteers and the weight ponies can carry.

He added: “The introduction of carriage driving, with an investment in two carriages and three ponies, opens up opportunities for us to improve a greater number of disabled people’s lives.”

Broadlands is a charity, and charges £25 for a half-day session, mainly to cover feed and veterinary bills.

A team of 58 volunteers does most of the work with the clients and the horses.