Milton Keynes Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service

“The adolescents that I have referred to Ride High have by and large been some of the most vulnerable and ‘difficult to engage’ children that CAMHS has worked with.  However, your service has been successful in engaging them.  In doing so, you have taken children who had ceased to trust, often not willing to engage with any other services, feeling very isolated, disenfranchised, feeling a strong sense of failure and little optimism.  Their contact with your service has resulted in their willing to once again begin to trust some individuals, socialise with peers, increased esteem and confidence and have a sense of purpose where they often felt none. 

I just wanted to take the time to thank you and all your team for your hard work, and I look forward to continue to work with your service.”

Dr Irene Granda-Gage, Clinical Psychologist

Milton Keynes Personalised Education Centre (Special School):

“We are really happy with the project and would like to continue using Ride High as a crucial component of our education programme for the foreseeable future. We are seeing positive change in our students and your support is having a significant impact”      Kirsty Brice, Director.

 “Excellent staff always willing to assist, encourage and support.  The learning plans and targets are absolutely appropriate and useful.  We love the course”   Clare Gott, Teacher.

 Milton Keynes Community Foundation:

“ The Milton Keynes Community Foundation has been most pleased to support the early stages of Ride High, an innovative and extremely well organised project that seeks to benefit some of the most vulnerable and marginalised members of our local community. From the very beginning, Ride High has aggressively set out to create a robust and sustainable organisation, spread the word in order to best reach those most in need and enlist the aid and support of appropriately skilled individuals to ensure an efficient and effective provision of service. While it is still early days, our monitoring of the project has demonstrated to us that Ride High is undoubtedly making a real difference in our community.”       Bart Gamber, Grants Director

Woughton Parish

“Ride High has exceeded my best expectations”

“Interesting and educational activities delivered in an informal, friendly atmosphere.  Staff supervise in a way that helps young people feel comfortable and not afraid to ask questions”                                   Linda Henderson, Community Development Worker

MK Council Social Worker  

 The long term commitment makes a significant and important difference to  socially deprived families. Transport provision is a major plus and the  fact that it is reliable. The staff and volunteers really care about the young people. Ride High  is one of the good things in this child’s life and  the memories and experience are something which he will draw upon in future years.

 He is more sociable, verbal skills have improved, confidence increased, knowledge of and experience of the wider world increased  i.e. through  visits and catering.  He has gained trust in the wider world and also knows   that the adult world can be benign and caring.  

MK Family Solutions

“Thank you once again for making such a positive difference in the lives of these young people.  We are hugely grateful for all you have offered them.”                                         Natalie De Vernon, Practice Manager

Children’s comments:

“ when i see Mars I feel I can tell him anything”

“Ride High has been a life changing experience for me”

“Ride High has helped with my tinnitus”

“ I like Ride High because everyone is so friendly –  people listen to me here”

“My behaviour has improved since coming to Ride High”

“It’s great and I am loving it”

“In the clubroom I have learnt to work as a team”

“The most important thing I have learnt is listening to what people say”

Parents and carers comments:

“No one has ever said she’s good at anything before”  Mother

“She is much calmer altogether since going to Ride High” Mother

“ Ride High is the only thing that gets him out of bed at a reasonable time in the holidays”

“At Ride High he has not been judged on his past but has been encouraged to continue with positive improvements”  Foster carer

“ He’s more caring since going to Ride High”  Parent

“She has changed in behaviour – she isn’t getting so angry with me so often”   Mother

“This is a positive experience for her.  She looks forward to going every week and comes back on a high.  She has made some good friends and the staff are very approachable and supportive”  Foster Carer

Volunteers’ comments:

“I had a rewarding time at Ride High and saw many milestones in the development of the children in the 12 week programme.  The children are a credit to Ride High and themselves.  The change in the children has been something special to watch and be involved with”

“It has given me a new focus in life”

“ I think Ride High does a fantastic job with these children”

“I feel privileged to have been able to form a bond with the group I support”

 “I can’t wait to get started with my group”