PRESS RELEASE
25.7.24
Headline: A meeting of minds.
Festina Lente Equine Outreach team pay a visit to the pupils of Marino Community Special School in Bray during their Summer Programme 2024.
Image description: Rodion Kudryk from Ukraine, meets with miniature Shetland pony Sean and Lera Chut also from Ukraine and a student of the Festina Lente Equestrian Training Programme during a brief visit from their Mobile Equine Outreach Programme.
Rodion Kudryk originally from Ukraine, has a diagnosis of cerebral palsy, is a wheelchair user and uses eye-gaze technology to both communicate and produce his written work in school. He attends Marino Community Special School in Bray, a school that has holistic approach to education at its heart. Principal Oonagh Kenny explains that; “At Marino School, great emphasis is placed on working in partnership with parents and the local community towards creating a positive and dynamic educational environment. Festina Lente has developed a wonderful local partnership with Marino School and has created a unique engagement with students and ponies through engagement in their equine outreach programme.Festina Lente is a local charity that supports people to achieve their personal best in the natural world of horses, horticulture and community.Students respond positively to their interaction with ponies, and it is always the highlight of the week!”
During a meeting between Rodion, pony Sean and Sean’s handler Lera Chut, also from the Ukraine, a conversation was struck up, common ground established and a vital connection made – all through a combination of the Ukrainian language, shared past experiences and observation of equine body language and communication from pony Sean.
This is just one example of how Wicklow based charity Festina Lente bridges gaps in services and society and helps individuals to overcome a range of physical, cognitive and psychosocial challenges. An advocate of the Social Model of Disability, Festina Lente supports diversity and social inclusion across all of its services.
Festina Lente is in the process of moving premises with a herd of 36 horses, x staff and x students from their current location in Bray to a new home at Belfield House in Kilpedder. Festina Lente comprises of a renowned Equestrian Learning Centre, Day Service, walled Garden with a range of activities in Social & Therapeutic Horticulture and an ever growing centre of education for key QQI accredited courses. They have currently secured the lands for this move but are busy raising funds to complete the move.
More information on Equine Assisted Activities, the Equine Outreach Programme and all of the many services available can be found at www.festinalente.ie. Further details on a complete holistic and community approach to education can be found at www.marinoschool.ie.