Kexby's White Unicorn Project has used funding boost to buy tipi

The White Unicorn Project Community Interest Company (CIC) gives people of all ages a unique experience by providing opportunities to learn natural horsemanship, develop a special bond with horses and connect to nature.

The project offers a wide range of services and activities for all members of the community.

These include kids club, school holiday activity days, natural horsemanship lessons and coaching and tailored sessions with horses for adults and children with special needs.

The White Unicorn Project CIC has recently received £2,000 of funding from players of the People’s Postcode Lottery through the Postcode Community Trust.

The Postcode Community Trust was established in 2014 and focuses on initatives that benefit communities through grass-roots sports, arts, recreation and wellbeing programmes which improve a community’s physical and mental health.

The funding boost has enabled the project to purchase an 18ft Native American Tipi, which is used as a fun indoor space for learning and provides a much needed area which can be used throughout the year.

Lorraine Hardy said: “The funding boost from the Postcode Community Trust has made a huge difference to us. The tipi is used by all our visitors and has proven very popular with children as well as those with special needs.”

“In the tipi we use Native American traditions to develop life skills, particularly listening and respect for others. An example would be the Talking Stick, a tool traditionally used by Native Americans when a council is called.

“It was a visual queue as to who had the right to talk during the gathering. The talking stick would be passed from person to person as their turn came to speak.

“Only one person was allowed to speak at once. This method encouraged other council members to listen to the speaker and be respectful of the person’s viewpoint during their turn with the talking stick. The idea was that the viewpoint of each member of the council would be valued.

“Teaching traditional horse management and riding skills is not the goal of the project. Instead, the project provides an experience that encourages the development of life skills and core values through learning good horsemanship, interacting with horses and nature and simply having fun.

“At The White Unicorn Project we also understand how important horses can be to both children and adults with learning disabilities. Rather than verbal communication, children and adults experience physical communication with the horses. By learning to care for and interact with the horses, they associate this interaction with feelings and an emotional bridge is created.

“This bond can lead to social and communication skill production, development of cognitive and language skills, and the stimulation of sensory perception which will continue to enrich their lives in the future.

“Children and adults with learning disabilities, and in particular autistic spectrum disorders, benefit from interacting with horses due to the motor, emotional, and sensory sensations that come from interacting with horses.”

The White Unicorn Project is licensed by West Lindsey District Council and is fully insured and complies fully with all legislation including safeguarding and all staff/volunteers have enhanced DBS checks.

For more information about the project visit www.thewhiteunicornproject.co.uk, e-mail [email protected] or call 07584 432935.

Or for more about the Postcode Community Trust visit www.postcodecommunitytrust.org.uk.