A ROMSEY church has fundraised more than £2,000 for a riding centre.

Young People of Abbey United Reformed Church put their minds together and raised £2,061 for Fortune Centre for Riding Therapy by carrying out events, raffles, entertainment and more.

Almost £600 of the total came from a girl's Victorian Christmas concert.

There were also donations for refreshments in church and the coins which people collect during the year.

The aim of the fundraising for the year was to sponsor a horse, Jackson, to help provide sessions benefitting young people.

This amount should cover Jackson’s expenses for a whole year.

Collecting the cheque was Paola King, Fundraising Co-ordinator of Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy.

She was pleasantly surprised by the amount raised and thanked the children and church for their support for the FCRT work.

She said: “It was an honour for me to receive two cheques that totalled £2,061 - which is a phenomenal amount of money raised by the Abbey United Reformed Church Pioneers.

"The wonderful donation will look after Jackson for a whole year.

"Any excess will be a great help towards the provision of the Weekly Riding Therapy service (WRT), which FCRT runs on a subsidised basis.

"This important service could not continue without donations and fundraising support. WRT is provided for local children with physical, emotional or sensory needs."

Paola added: "We receive referrals from a local hospice, healthcare professionals and schools.

"The Physiotherapist uses games and collecting toys for functional tasks to improve awareness and motor function.

"The pony’s movements help the child to sit centrally and use his core effectively when reaching and using his muscles."