2016–2017 annual report - pegasus rda · 2019-11-05 · 1 pegasus annual report 2016-17...

Annual Report2 0 1 6– 2 0 1 7

COMMITMENT – RESPECT – QUALITY – CONNECTION

Riding for the Disabled ACT (Pegasus) exists to provide horse facilitated programs and activities aimed at developing abilities for people with a disability. An iconic charitable organisation founded in 1973, Pegasus operates on 100 acres at Holt, on Canberra’s fringe, and proudly serves the ACT and local NSW region.

Pegasus empowers people to develop their abilities.

Our visionA progressive community striving for excellence in the delivery of horse-facilitated therapy for people with a disability.

Our mission To enrich lives of people with a disability through the delivery of horse-facilitated therapy.

Our core values • Commitment• Respect• Quality• Connection

Our distinctive contributionWe offer specialised horse and rural activities to people with disabilities in the ACT and local NSW region.

Pegasus has a strong and highly competent cohort of dedicated volunteers and staff who promote inclusion and social opportunities.

Pegasus is an iconic institution in Canberra with a mature history and a highly regarded reputation in the region.

Our goals – setting the scene for 2018

About Pegasus...

By 2018 Pegasus plans to have broadened our programs and services to people with a disability. To do this Pegasus aims to be:

Relevant• Responsive to the needs of our participants

• Demonstrate and communicate programs and activities.

Accessible• Increasing capacity to deliver services to meet

demand.

Recognised• A model disability program and activity provider. • Provider under the relevant funding frameworks. • Highly visible within its regional community.

SecureA sustainable charity through a strong: • business framework • volunteer base • financial position.

Strategies to Achieve1. Grow and strengthen our funding base

2. Involve, grow and foster relationships with key stakeholders

3. Enhance, develop or implement organisational infrastructure, capacity or capability to deliver an expanded service offering

4. Provide good governance of operations, and compliance with relevant funding frameworks

5. Broaden, develop and implement a range of tailored and community-based programs and activities which are integrated, inclusive and relevant.

iiiPegasus Annual Report 2016-17

Contents

President’s Message 1

Message from the CEO – Adapting to change…it’s the only constant in life! 3

Message from the RDA 6

Pegasus by the numbers 7

Program Report 8

Thanks to you – Volunteer Report 10

Herd about our horses? Horse and farm Report 11

Shaye’s story 13

A sponsor story – Beyond Bank 14

Staff Story – From Europe to Australia, with love from Yolanda 15

Major Donors and Sponsors over $500 16

Special Thanks 17

Honorary Life Members 17

Financials 18

Our Board 19

Pegasus Annual Report 2016-171

President’s MessageI am pleased to present on behalf of the Board of Riding for the Disabled ACT (Pegasus) the Presidents report for the 2016-2017 Annual Report. Our objective at Pegasus is to work together to meet Pegasus’ mission to enrich the lives of people with a disability through the delivery of horse-facilitated therapy.

Throughout the past year the Board has remained committed to the goal outlined in the new Strategic Plan going forward - by 2020 Pegasus plans to have broadened and diversified its range of programs and services to ensure sustainability to strengthen our strategic intent of developing abilities for people with a disability.

We have recorded a successful year at Pegasus and I am pleased to be able to outline, that even with a reduction in Government revenue from $251,000 in 2015 /16 to $123,000 – the last of the block funding - in 2016/17 we have been able to achieve an operational profit of $226,448 with investments and cash reserves set at $1.504 million.

The hard work of staff and volunteers across the many Pegasus events, and the ongoing support of donors and sponsors has helped us to reach this stable footing.

Given the change in the funding landscape and the abolition of Government funding with the transition to the NDIS, the Board has recognised that the organisation needs to continue to look internally to see how we can evolve to meet the needs of the community and deliver quality services whilst ensuring the financial sustainability of the organisation.

Sound Governance is the foundation of any organisation and I am pleased to report that Pegasus has a stable and productive Board that has worked hard to develop strategies and policies to ensure a strong and successful future for Pegasus.

Some of the initiatives supported by the Board over the recent year have included:• Commissioning an Organisational Review from

Grosvenor Management Consulting• Active Engagement of senior staff in the development of

business activity plans• Comparative research around RDAA management

processes and centre program outputs• Analysis of Program statistics• A Board Planning day• Active involvement by the President and CEO in the

by 2020 Pegasus plans to have broadened and diversified its range of

programs and services to ensure sustainability to strengthen our strategic

intent of developing abilities for people with

a disability.

2Pegasus Annual Report 2016-17

Riding for the Disabled Australia Association (RDAA).

Pegasus is going through a process of change and program reform with the clear objective of ensuring the longer term viability and sustainability of the organisation.

Our commitment is to ensure that there will be no reduction in programs offered to clients of Pegasus, along with the intention to offer more programs to accommodate the expanding waiting list. We are committed to engaging the best available people in the Country to assist in this process and to examine our current program and undertake a risk assessment process. In considering program expansion we are looking at innovative approaches and seek the support and ideas of the Members.

Recommendations for program expansion have been based on research and considerations of the unique placement of Pegasus in the community, the reforms to the Government funding landscape, the demand for Pegasus services and the important role that staff and volunteers play in going forward. We cannot consider Pegasus unique to the RDAA national environment and not accept some of the best practices adopted by large successful RDA centres throughout the country. We are mindful of the needs and capabilities of the herd to deliver expanded programs and in the coming year we will be undertaking quarterly audits of the herd by qualified veterinarians to continue to determine their health, well-being and fitness.

Change affords an opportunity to grow and strengthen, however this will only occur if everyone within the organisation is committed to a sustainable future for Pegasus. To achieve this the Pegasus community needs to be united and come together and embrace new approaches and strategies for Pegasus.

We cannot fail, the changing landscape for those with a disability demands that we don’t• Commissioning of an Operational Audit by RSM Bird

with the aid of a grant from the NDIS. The audit provided information on use of resources and assets. The Board will reconsider this report once a clearer picture of NDIS funding emerges.

Thank youI would like to acknowledge and thank the following people who contribute to Pegasus in many and varying ways to the success of Pegasus:• Marcus Quinlivan OAM, for his continued financial

support towards the Marcus Quinlivan Developing Abilities Endowment Fund which continues to assist in funding programs and operations in the immediate years ahead

• The many donors, sponsors and business supporters of Pegasus for their generosity.

• Pegasus Members, riders and their families.• The many dedicated volunteers who put in countless

hours to support Pegasus.• Full and part time staff who have an obvious affinity with

Pegasus. • Members of the ACT community who support the many

fundraising activities promoted by Pegasus.• The current Board comprising of Gerry Christian

(Vice President), Tony Curtis (Treasurer), Sally Bishop (Secretary), David Kallir Preece (Public Officer), Scott Marriott and Michelle Scully.

• The Finance and Audit Advisory Committee Margo Wade (Chair), Nick Langley (Chair) and Scott Marriott. Margot Wade was also a Member and Chair of this Committee and resigned from the Committee in November 2016, thank you. Margo remains a volunteer of Pegasus.

• CEO Jane Thompson for her dedication and unwavering commitment to Pegasus. Jane has the unenviable role of ensuring funding is obtained through various sources, administering the organisation and managing staff and a wide group of volunteers from diverse backgrounds.

Peter StubbsPresident


Message from the CEO – Adapting to change…it’s the only constant in life!Pegasus, the Winged Horse in Greek Mythology, given to a goddess, strikes the side a mountain with his hooves causing springs to turn into flowing fountains of inspiration.This year Pegasus has caused lots of springs to flow, and my role, as Chief Executive Officer is to help forge the direction that they flow. Mostly the changes that are surrounding Pegasus are due to the changes in our funding environment, with the introduction to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS); presenting the need to expand and diversify our programs to keep us financially viable. For me, I simply aspire to do more for more people in our community. If we can, we should!

Our horses and the Pegasus farm has for more than 40 years provided a uniquely motivating experience – inspiring people with a disability – enabling them to develop abilities.

After nearly four years in the saddle here at Pegasus, I’ve heard and read many stories. I’ve conveyed these stories about our participants and told you, our supporters of their successes. These stories tell of the physical benefits derived from their activities;

“I can tell and see that Kaitlyn going weekly has done wonders for her foot and for her overall wellbeing”, said mum, Amanda.

“Felix’s core strength and balance have markedly improved over the four years, and his developing skill as a rider has been wonderful to witness”, said mum, Fiona.

“Max’s speech has developed from basic signing to commanding Thomas, to verbal directions and most recently he has started naming objects and animals he sees on his ride”, said mum, Melissa.

Strength, coordination, balance, communication; these are our tangibles. Yet, the real benefits our horses bring lie in an individual’s soul;

“You can’t take the smile off her face”, wrote mum, about Kaitlyn.

“Felix does not articulate his pride but I can see his confidence growing by the way he carries himself”, said mum, Fiona.

“…since then we have seen a big improvement in Max’s confidence when riding Thomas”, said mum, Melissa.

You soon realise that what the horse gives the soul!

Empowered by their horse, it becomes the catalyst for change; elevated on a big beast, learning how to trust and be trusted, participants are motivated to do more, to do better, to develop their abilities – fountains of inspiration.

Similarly, Pegasus the organisation, as one with our herd, is the catalyst for change. Empowered by the impact Pegasus has had on many thousands of people, and with many waiting to have a similar opportunity to experience the benefits that our programs bring; they need Pegasus to be the inspiration in their lives.

Pegasus has been the first RDA State and Centre ‘breaking the skin’ of the NDIS. This financial year yielded only $19,000 from the new NDIS compared to previous block funding of $246,000, and after some school relationships stretching back for more than 40 years, the Education Department raised some limitations for students to access our programs

In collaboration with our national body, Riding for the Disabled Association Australia, President Jeanne Stratford and I made various representations to government, and peak bodies associated with the NDIS. This included discussions with long-time supporters of Pegasus, Assistant Minister for Social Services Senator Zed Seselja, Minister for Disability Rachel Stephen-Smith, and other


meetings where held with, NDIS Board Member Glenn Keys, the Education Directorate ACT Jacinta Evans, and more recently, a team of people from Productivity Commission study into NDIS costs.

While these discussions haven’t yielded immediate satisfaction for Pegasus and other RDA Centres, there has been some compromises that has bade us some time, helped us identify the need to consolidate our activities, provided some dollars to diversify, and provided the ability to reach out to various other supporters to help us ride these challenges through.

A challenge isn’t a challenge if it comes to naught. Raising our heads to look at Pegasus’ fountains of inspiration has bought some new and exciting opportunities.

We have and are working towards initiating new and successful programs. We have had discussions with organisations like Soldier On, Head Space, and Alzheimer’s Australia ACT, who are keen for us to develop a model of support similar to Equine Facilitated Learning (EFL) to help people with disabilities and those with psycho-social disorders.

EFL aims to develop natural leadership skills, confidence, problem solving abilities, horsemanship and bring awareness to thoughts, beliefs and behaviours to ultimately heal the heart and mind. Once developed, Pegasus will have the opportunity to work with the Centre for Applied Psychology at the University of Canberra to enhance the program and articulate its benefits.

The Cottage Program for people with a disability aged 18 – 25 has been piloted. This is a five hour program where young people have the opportunity to interact with the horse, and use the farm to develop daily living skills; gardening, cooking, arts and craft.

A round robin Early Intervention Playgroup is also being developed and will be available in 2018. This will allow young children with a disability aged three to six to experience many sensory stimuli that a horse can bring; movement, feel, touch, smell, spatial awareness, and hearing. It will also provide an avenue for the families of those children recently diagnosed with a disability to share their experiences, their stories and insights.

Keen to ‘get with it’, developing a cloud based interactive IT system, and have been forging our social media profile – having increased our social media presence on Facebook by 69% this 2016-2017 year.

Pegasus staff – passionate people; they start their days early with their passion in their minds, a smile on their face, and excitement in their step; consumed in conversation about Pegasus and RDA, they go the extra mile to achieve what needs to be achieved. Jo Skimin was one such example, dedicated to her skill, working with people with a disability and her love of horses. She will be long remembered for her efforts. I thank her for her hard work and dedication, and for me personally, I thank her for being a first class person.

Pegasus represented a goodhearted, gentle creature, always eager to help. Our volunteers have the same attributes. They are the fabric of Pegasus. And moving ahead, we will be trialling opportunities for volunteers to seek additional training and extend their hours at Pegasus to be more engaging and have greater ownership over their roles. This in turn will provide a greater level of consistency and continuity for members of our herd.

Our program volunteers are vital to Pegasus’ success, and behind the programs, those volunteers and others undertake many activities; support for committees such as the Horse Sourcing Committee, the Grants Committee, or the Finance and Audit, the Investment Committee, and even the governing Board all dedicate their time. The breadth of volunteering at Pegasus is huge, and everyone pitches in and does their bit; in the garden, around the farm, facility maintenance, data entry, graphic design, IT, supporting new programs, and a whole lot more.

Our volunteers contribute approximately 8,726 hours to Pegasus each year. In real terms this equates to $210,646. Imagine trying to meet the aims of our mission without this support.

Wonderful dedicated donors, and again, like Pegasus; goodhearted, gentle, and always eager to help. Their support comes in many forms; from sponsorship, in-kind products, regular monthly giving, donations, community events, and major gifts. This relates to 56% of our income, and without any recurrent government funding for Pegasus, it is crucial. It is humbling to have people with such faith and willingness to invest in our mission.

She wants to ride in the Paralympics

He is bursting to share this with us


Pegasus is fortunate to have some individuals who not only give to us generously, but are significant advocates who understand the importance of our charitable dollar. Year after year they have helped drive fundraising events within their networks, converting their contribution to tens of thousands of dollars. To date, these people have helped us raise;• Roz Edmunds – Ride for Pegasus; $36,430, and• Bernie Clarke and Paul Powderly – The Walking Clinic’s

Yowani Pegasus Golf Day; $98,480.

Their efforts has not simply raised funds, but has helped raise the profile of Pegasus in the Canberra community.

I value the support of Bid Williams, our co-founder, who in 1975 created our trading name; Pegasus. Her sensitivity and understanding for people with a disability was forward thinking. And today, the name Pegasus is iconic in the Canberra community. Marcus Quinlivan OAM, our benefactor; who, without his support, the challenges with the transition to the NDIS would have been paralyzing. We owe a debt of gratitude to both these individuals. Their wisdom, insights, and encouragement for the job ahead is heartening.

The Pegasus Board is what our members would want of any Board; collegial, constructive and respectful. They clearly understand their responsibilities. Our President, Peter Stubbs has demonstrated true leadership. I thank them for their direction and support.

Sincerely,

Jane ThompsonChief Executive OfficerRiding for the Disabled ACT (Pegasus)

has an open mind about trying new

things


Message from the RDAThis year at Riding for the Disabled (RDA) Australia we focussed on “Planning for the Future”. Do you believe our next Strategic Plan takes us through to 2021!Our Strategic Planning weekend in April was hosted in Canberra and included a visit and tour of the Pegasus Centre where we were all made to feel very welcome. Thanks to Jane and her staff team, all the coaches and volunteers who put together an enjoyable program for our interstate visitors.

It was a collaborative weekend with attendance by all the State Members and Executive Officers, a great demonstration of the members of RDA Australia working together with a commitment to the future.

This year’s highlights for the national organisation included building a new foundation for progress in our updated Constitution and modelling for financial sustainability as the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) starts to roll out across the country. Again, we see ACT leading the way in this new government initiative and the insights the Pegasus Centre and RDA ACT have been able to share with the national RDA members has been invaluable. SA, Tasmania and WA will follow shortly in rolling out the full NDIS programs with Qld joining in 2018.

Moving onwards towards the future we will start to see better use of new technologies in RDA across Australia. This year saw the first trial of our new data measurement research tool, the “RDA Outcome Tracker”, a customised online software program for holistic reporting that measures the benefits of horse riding. The Pegasus Centre has been a great contributor to the new measurement tool, collecting data and providing feedback on improvements.

RDA ACT members have contributed to the national objectives throughout the year with coaches attending the National Coaching Workshop, representatives attending national forums on the RDA Coach Education System and coaching working parties, attending RDA Australia AGM and National Volunteer Awards Dinner.

Most importantly, members at RDA ACT and the Pegasus Centre have consistently delivered a high quality therapeutic riding service to people with disability in the Canberra community. With new and innovative programs for people with disabilities under development, RDA ACT is positioning themselves as leaders in therapeutic equestrian services into the future.

Karen AsperyExecutive OfficerRDA Australia

7 Pegasus Annual Report 2016-17

Pegasus by the numbersOver

270 volunteers

79 donations over $500

Operational profit of$226,488

1,904 sessions delivered this year

to 102 people with a disability

12 full year scholarship were awarded as part of the Riding

Scholarship Program

Volunteer retention rate is very high – over 40% have donated their service for more than four years.

15 commendable horses and ponies

Increased our Donor numbers from 1,726 to 1,857 – an increase of 7%

Increased our constituent-base from 3,458 to 3,751 – an increase of 8%

2016–17


Program ReportThis year has been a busy one for coaches, with our ever popular school holiday programs, our regular programs as well as new additions to the timetable.In addition to our regular programs, in 2016-2017 we started a new program called “The Cottage Program”. Run every Monday during term time, the Cottage Program is a day program where a group of young adults with disabilities are involved in activities such as cooking, craft and gardening as well as some horse and farm work. The commencement of the Cottage Program sees us delivering programs six days a week during term time and five days a week during school holidays.

We continue to run both mounted and unmounted programs, in both groups and as private sessions.

Five schools participated in our programs this year. We enjoyed working with participants from Weetangera, Farrer, Malkara, Black Mountain and Turner schools.

The majority of our sessions are still mounted sessions, but our unmounted Horsing Around sessions (where participants learn about horses and work with them from the ground) continue to gain in popularity. During the year, we also started a new group unmounted session on a Saturday afternoon to cater for teenagers still at school.

The majority of our sessions are group sessions but we also have a number of clients in both our mounted and unmounted sessions that our coaches work with one-on-one to give them the extra support that they need.

During 2016-2017 we continued our Hippotherapy sessions, where our Hippotherapist (a physiotherapist with relevant horse training) conducts two private sessions on a Thursday afternoon. In these sessions, the Hippotherapist


is able to use the three dimensional movement of the horse to work with clients to reach their physiological outcomes such as normalisation of tone, muscle relaxation and improved strength and posture.

Over the past year Pegasus has delivered 1,904 sessions to our participants. Of these 1,230 were mounted, 307 were unmounted, as well as 61 Hippotherapy sessions. Our participants have gained a multitude of benefits from our programs, which encompass their physical, emotional and intellectual wellbeing.

The bond that develops between our participants and their horses has opened many new opportunities for them, such as experiencing independence and responsibility. This in turn, provides individuals with the motivation to set and achieve goals. Many of the benefits we have seen are increases in core strength through gross motor development, improvement in balance and coordination, normalisation of muscle tone, increased confidence through improved self-image, improved learning, concentration and spatial awareness. We love to see how these learning outcomes from the equine environment can be transferred to an individual’s daily living skills.

This year some of our participants were able to join the fun at the annual ACT Endurance Association’s Ride for Pegasus. Now in its fourth year, this wonderful event is where riders complete a 10km trail around Equestrian Park in Curtin and raise funds for Pegasus. We had eight of our participants attend and ride the 2km trail supported by their volunteers. This year we also had a number of our older participants attend the event as strappers, where they assisted in caring for and getting Pegasus horses ready on the day.

Our coach trainees have continued to put significant work into their professional development. All our trainees are at Orientation to Training (OTC) level which means they have completed the first level of RDAA coaching assessments and are now a great asset for Pegasus coaches to have working alongside them in a session. To have a second pair of hands and eyes assisting our riders reach their goals is fantastic.

In September 2016, our coaches and trainees were privileged to attend the biannual RDAA Coaching Conference in Geelong. This fantastic opportunity is three days of intense coaching and disability education which allows coaches to hone their skills. This training, combined with the opportunity to network and share ideas with other RDA coaches from around the country, was highly motivating and we returned eager to put everything we learnt into action.

During the year we have seen Mary, one of our experienced coaches, move on to new opportunities. Mary was with Pegasus for nine years, in a number of different roles. Mary’s new role still involves working with students with a disability, but now in a school setting. While we miss having Mary around, our other casual coaches have stepped up and increased their coaching hours, for which we are very grateful.

It has been fantastic to be involved with our horse facilitated programs for another year. It is a rewarding experience to enrich the lives of our participants and help them reach their potential.

Pegasus relies on a large contingent of volunteers from all walks of life. Their input into helping us care for our horses and participants is so incredibly valuable. We could not operate without them, so I send a very big thank you to all our wonderful volunteers.

Jo SkiminHead Coach


Thanks to you – Volunteer ReportPegasus would not be able to operate without our amazing volunteers, who have gone above and beyond time and again to help us manage our programs and go out to the community to represent Pegasus. They wear many hats, whether as a side walker, encouraging rider and pony to do their best, as a farm hand, ensuring the stables are clean and the garden is kept, or as a community fundraiser, telling the Pegasus story across the ACT on our behalf. And everything in between. All to ensure our vision of seeing ability in people with disability is met, with a smile!

Our SuccessesThis year we have been privileged to work with 270 volunteers across a range of activities. Every week we have used 120 volunteers during term time to support our programs, assist in the stables, groom our horses, and help around the property. We also have dedicated volunteers who help in the office and with fundraising activities.

Pegasus also has a busy schedule of community and fundraising events every year and we could not possibly attend all these events or achieve the level of exposure we do without an army of supportive volunteers. Thank you to everyone for being out and about in 2016, selling raffle tickets, seeking donations, telling others about Pegasus, taking photos and baking goods.

Volunteers helped us this year with The Walking Clinic’s Yowani Golf Day, regular Bunnings BBQs, the Corkhill Bros. Pegasus Race Day, ACT Endurance Riders Association

“Ride for Pegasus”, our fabulous Open Day, and the list goes on. Every year Pegasus continues to nurture its relationships with the community. There are so many ways to be involved at Pegasus – there really is something for everyone!

We are lucky to have secondary and tertiary students interested in finding out more about our programs or who are undertaking school projects on how horses help people with disabilities at Pegasus. This year we hosted 25 students from various local and interstate universities and schools for community work and work experience.

We also welcomed a variety of organisations supporting those living with a disability to the farm; find rewarding tasks for these volunteers to undertake. All tasks completed, no matter how small, provide satisfaction for those who participate. These seemingly simple tasks, like cleaning horse tack or gardening, are essential and help us keep the Pegasus farm immaculate.

Volunteers of the Year awardsRecognising the amazing job our volunteers do is very important to us, and at the Pegasus 2017 Volunteer Recognition Awards held in May, kindly sponsored by Eastlake Football Club, the following were announced: • Volunteer of the Year Award – Paul Sloane• Junior Volunteer – Taylah Attwood• Stable Hand Volunteer – Lauren Exton• Spirit of Pegasus Award – Julie Zachara• Outstanding Leadership – John Riley

We warmly congratulate all our winners and thank them again for their contribution and continued support.

Special shout outs to special volunteersWe really do have some dedicated volunteers, and in particular this year we recognised Mike Crow for an amazing 30 years of service.

Volunteers really are our lifeblood, and once again thank you to each and every person who has given their time to Pegasus.

Volunteer Coordinator


Herd about our horses? Horse and farm ReportAnother year has passed and we have been flat out on the Pegasus Farm with all sorts of exciting developments.We have welcomed several new horses to the Pegasus fold during the last year including Mighty Max, a lovely big Clydesdale cross thoroughbred; Oscar, a spritely Shetland cross; Johnny, a sweet little bay roan riding pony and finally Darby, a fantastic little grey Connemara. All of which commenced their individualised Riding for the Disabled (RDA) training and will continue with ongoing training and schooling to improve their education and help establish them as valuable RDA horses. Each of these horses have started taking riders or unmounted participants in classes and we look forward to watching their progress. The newbies from last year have come along nicely and we are starting to see them in full swing, which has been encouraging to watch.

Our outdoor arena was in dire need of attention and thanks to the ongoing support and generosity of the John James Foundation we were able to complete the resurfacing with

a fine crusher dust earlier in the year. During the resurface we were able to fix the base which had over time cracked and developed multiple holes. This has now opened up a fantastic space for training horses and is providing a great outdoor coaching space that is user friendly for volunteers as well.

April saw another successful Ride for Pegasus event held at Equestrian Park with the ACT Endurance Riders Association. We took along four horses and had a wonderful day was had by our fantastic participants, some of whom helped strap for our riders.

We were also lucky again this year to have a visit from Sally Francis, RDA coach, assessor and mentor, who gave invaluable feedback to coaches and myself in regards to exploring and refining our unmounted activities. I was also able to refine and develop some specific training techniques with Sally that were enlightening and will enhance program opportunities in the future. One of the greatest elements about working with horses is that the learning process is never-ending.


Both Chris Nicholls and I feel it is a privilege to be able to work with an amazing team of people and horses, but would like to make special mention of Brian Thompson, who has been a super support on the farm, keeping the structural fundamentals like fencing, water troughs, weeds and anything else you can name in working order. As always a big thanks to the professional assistance we receive over the year from the following individuals and industry related businesses:• Allan Mcreay – chiropractor• Barry Flynne – horse transport • Brindabella Stock Feeds • Bungendore Veterinary Surgery – veterinary support• Canberra Equine Clinic – veterinary support• Elka Fisher – body work• Fonze – lucerne hay• Katrina Reijner – meadow hay• Kippax Veterinary Hospital – for Charlie the farm cat• Michael Hedges – meadow hay• Roy Amos – saddler• Sonza Vet Clinic – veterinary products• Tom Smith – farrier • Ultimate Horse Transport.

Maya ScottHorse Manager


Shaye’s storyIt’s the little things that add up to big things.

“As the mother of any child, not only a disabled child, you are hyper aware of every change in your child’s behaviour. Is he speaking more words, is he smiling more, or crying more, is there something that is helping create that change?” “Shaye has been involved at Pegasus for three years now, and I have watched so many small changes in him, which have really added up to a happier, more engaged little boy.”

Ros McKenzie has spent an hour every week for those three years standing on the side of the arena at Pegasus, watching her son Shaye – who at 4 days old developed an acquired brain injury.

“When he first came to Pegasus he was struggling with so many different health issues. He needed help to mount the pony as his legs were too short and he didn’t have the co-ordination to do it on his own. He started with riding on a rug instead of a saddle. But today he is not only riding in a saddle but can raise his leg over to mount too. From no saddle at all to being able to mount himself is just amazing. Little gradual steps have all led to such a big thing for Shaye.

“What doesn’t sound like much – saying “Go” out loud – are huge breakthroughs for a child with very limited speech. It was with consistent practise during his riding class and with the assistance of his dedicated side walkers, that he is now able to point to cue cards for ‘go’ and ‘stop’, and especially tell his pony when to go.

“Bluey is his pony, and he really loves him. Seeing that bond between my little boy and his pony always brings a knot to my throat. Carrying the horse bridle, cleaning it and putting it away at the end of his lesson are all things most people would assume are easy enough tasks. But for Shaye, when he started at Pegasus he was not able to walk independently due to the many seizures he was having at the time. Now my favourite part of the day is watching him at the end of the lesson. He carries the bucket of treats to Bluey without assistance, waits for Bluey to finish and then cleans the bucket afterwards. This he could not do a year ago independently. He is so proud of himself!

It takes time and training for our horses to adjust to their precious cargos, and our volunteers are always on hand to ensure every class goes smoothly and is as beneficial as possible. Making sure our horses are the best they can be, and our staff and volunteers are trained and ready are two of our biggest priorities. They are the ones who really ensure Pegasus is making a difference.

“Mother’s live for their children’s smiles. When Shaye smiles at me at the end of a session at Pegasus, there aren’t enough words that can express how I feel. Every little win is really a big win. Every little word or action is a step towards him being more independent one day, his physical and mental strength growing.”

“Watching him, and the other children involved, I feel so proud and encouraged and hopeful about his future. And mostly thankful to Pegasus and the supportive environment they provide through their incredible coaches, staff and volunteers.”

Pegasus’ unique programs continue to enable children with a disability to gain confidence and develop skills which most kids take for granted. Established in 1973, support for our programs has come from many generous sources, but to expand our programs and continue to serve our disabled clients and their families, we continue to need your help.


A sponsor story – Beyond BankThe staff at Beyond Bank have thoroughly enjoyed the continued relationship with Pegasus, working alongside their staff at the Open Day and the CAP Expo and supporting them in their fundraising efforts to purchase the much needed dual cab ute.

It was wonderful to celebrate the Horses birthday and to hear the heartfelt stories from family members who have seen amazing outcomes for their children due to the programs that Pegasus offers. The volunteers are obviously the heart and soul of the organisation and it is wonderful to see such a committed and dedicated group of people.

Community and Volunteering are two of the fundamental values that Beyond Bank and Pegasus have in common and it is very special when organisations can work together to support the greater good just by bringing our hearts, minds and resources together. We aim to continue to support Pegasus, through the annual reward bonus payment they receive from having the general public save their money in a Community Reward Account and support their staff and volunteers through our Community Reward Package. We have greatly appreciated being part of the Pegasus family over the last 12 months.

Wendy ProwseCommunity Development Manager


Staff Story – From Europe to Australia, with love from YolandaI was eight years old when my passion for horses started, very much NOT what my parents had in mind.Every wish list would have a pony at the top, though I had to make do with the ponies, lessons and camps at the local farm/riding school until I was 16.

Growing up in the horse world in the Netherlands, I had a lot of exposure to horses. I had allergies for dust, horse hair and hay too! However my passion grew, nothing could stop me from loving and caring for these beautiful creatures. (I eventually got over the horse-allergy, or so I like to believe).

I had several “care-horses” – Bunny, Milly, Dorset, Willow and Annie throughout the years, spread out over different levels and three countries, meanwhile learning a lot, and in different languages.

My move in the summer of 2013 was a big step, not only for the fact that I moved from the UK (New Forest National Park) to Down Under, it also was a big step from Aged Care nursing, which I had been doing for many years, to the disability sector. And then I was introduced to Pegasus, four years ago!

I started as a Pegasus volunteer on a Friday afternoon and I was so happy when there was a spot in that school-class. Being tall, I had the likes of Scout and Lochie to lead straight away. After a few months I knew I wanted to take this further and when I got the opportunity to do my “Riding for the Disabled Association of Australia (RDAA) Orientation to Coach Training”, I took it with both hands and never looked back. Having Mary Lyons and Jo Skimin as my mentors, teachers and assessors has made me the coach I am today. I qualified as a Level 1 in December 2015. I was so proud of myself. So proud that I was going to do what I had always wanted: working with horses and kids!

In the summer of 2016 I was given the chance to fill in for Mary, who was going on maternity leave. As much as I missed Mary in the corner of the arena, overseeing what I was doing, it felt fantastic to be able to coach our wonderful participants and to give them the chance to be able to ride a horse. To open-up a world where abilities are possible, where abilities are developed, all thanks to the beautiful horses, staff, volunteers and management of Pegasus ACT.

Wednesdays and Thursdays have been my ‘Pegasus days’ for a long time, with a variety of classes, and since March 2017 I can say with pride: “I run the Cottage Program on Monday!”

I love new initiatives and like to find out what else we can do for people with a disability to develop their abilities. Not just the riding of the horses, but also developing relationships, friendships and caring for each other through our Pegasus horses and wonderful facilities. My lovely Arab, Sparky, has been a patient care-horse for many things at Pegasus that I had to practise for, like lunging and long reining, but also finding out what would work (or not!) for myself before teaching others! I was also lucky enough to have some work experience while on holidays in The Netherlands where I learned about new therapies and exploring to see what could work for Pegasus.

I enjoy every minute at Pegasus. I am grateful that Pegasus has taught me not to take life for granted, to take every opportunity, to develop myself to be a better person and coach, to help in the community and to make someone else’s life a bit more enjoyable through the touch, feel and awareness of horses. Something I experience myself and never want to do without!


Major Donors and Sponsors over $500Individual donors: • Constance Aronsen• Carol Aspley-Davis• Kay Beatton• Wendy Chesworth• Robyn Coghland• Helen Corliss• Philippa Curran• Francesca Day• Sally Druhan• Leonard Early• Raymond Edmondson• Everyl Ellis• Penelope Ferguson• Bronwen Gray• Kevin Heindl• Margaret Henley• Barbara Hinds• Sue Howieson• Michael Hutchinson• Mary Jovanovic• Joseph Marks• Ian & Pamela McDougall• Vanessa Millard• Jane Olesen• June Riley• David and Suzanne Robinson• Ralph and Barbara Scott• Ray Silburn• Margery Smith• Allan Spowers• Rachel Stephen Smith• Beth Stone• Greg Taylor• Elizabeth Testone• Dorothy Topfer• Freddy von Reibnitz• Ochie and Marie Wallace• Lisa Williams• Nerida Winters• Victoria Withers• Students from St Francis Xavier

College• Students and families from Radford

College

Businesses and organisations:• Belconnen Trefoil Guild• Beyond Bank• Bungendore Veterinary Surgery• Canberra Equine Hospital• Capital Chemist• Capital First National Real Estate• Department of Agriculture and

Water Resources• Department of Health• DHS Social Link• Gungahlin Children’s Centre• Harrison School• Kenyon Foundation Pty Ltd• Lions Club of Canberra Woden• Rotary Club of Hall• Tabcorp• Tall Foundation• The Walking Clinic• Thoroughbred Park

In-Kind:• Doma Group• Autoco Group• Barlens Hire• Yowani Country Club Ltd• Rock Development Group Pty Ltd• Bunnings Belconnen• Bunnings Fyshwick• Robson Environmental• Horseland• Corkhill Bros Pty Ltd• Bungendore Veterinary Surgery• Capital Chemist• Tall Foundation• Bungendore Rural Services• Just Clowning Around• Knight Frank Australia• Kynetic Construction and

Management Services• Rock Development Group Pty Ltd• Capricorn Park Stud• Graham Tidy• Eastlake Football Club

Sponsorship:• Amalgamated Property Group• Anthony Curtis & Co• Capital Estate Developments• CBR Property Group• Colliers International• Corkhill Bros Pty Ltd• Doma Group• Flinders Financial Services• ISPT Super Property• John McGrath Auto Group• Kappelle Pty Ltd• King & Wood Mallesons• Knight Frank Australia• Network Electricial Group• Peter Blackshaw Gungahlin• ProMortgage• Radio Canberra Pty Ltd• St Francis Xavier College• TEMPlar Employment and Training• The Walking Clinic• United Legal• Yowani Country Club Ltd

Grants received: • Active Canberra (ACT Sport and

Recreation)• Canberra Southern Cross Club• Citizens Own Renewable Energy

Network Australia• Department of Social Services• John James Foundation• National Disability Insurance

Agency• Realestate.com.au ‘Community

Grants Program’• Snow Foundation• The Lord Mayor’s Charitable

Foundation (Eldon and Anne Foote Trust)


Special Thanks

Jo SkiminAfter more than 20 years with Pegasus, in a variety of roles, most recently as Head Coach, Jo Skimin left Pegasus in October this year. Jo had been instrumental in creating the Pegasus of today, working closely with the families, participants and volunteers, developing the programs and helping Pegasus expand into a well- respected organization providing therapeutic services to people with a range of disabilities. She knew every inch of Pegasus Farm, and loved the horses, their individual personalities and their ability to help the program participants grow and learn. Jo liked to quote famous equestrian coach Franz Mairinger, who said, “The art of riding is the art of not interfering” and she thought that RDA coaching was a lot like that too. Over her many years with Pegasus, Jo was renowned for her focus on safety, the high quality of the programs and the professional way she worked with families, and will be missed.

David Kallir PreeceDavid has this year stepped down from his position on the Pegasus Board, and we would like to thank him for his dedicated service. After 30 years working as a health professional, David brought many and varied skills to his position, including legislation and risk management abilities which proved valuable during his time at Pegasus. He held the role of Merit Protection Information Officer, and brought to bear his personal experience of more than 20 years dealing with a family member with a disability in the ACT. David also volunteered with the horses at Pegasus as a leader and side walker, and it was this hands on knowledge of what happens in the arena that really made him an excellent board member.

A special thanks to Cameron Tidy for his donation of graphic design services for this Annual Report and other promotional materials.

Thanks also to our volunteer photographers for the beautiful images they capture each year: Margo Wade, Mike Crowe, Elizabeth Borowik, Elisabeth Titulaer and Viki Withers.

Honorary Life Members• Fran Belairs• Lesley Christiansen• Barbara Donald• Barbara Hinds• Sue Leitch• Sheila King• Pamela McDougall• Jan McGuinness

• Marcus Quinlivan OAM• Peter Scardoni• Geoff Schmidt• Jo Skimin• Helen Southwell• Dave Waite • Bid Williams


Fundraising, Donations

Grant Income

Arena and Stable Hire

Other income

Interest and Dividends

Total Revenue

$707,322

$263,184

$5,979

$168,135

$42,402

$1,187,022

Cash and Cash Equivelents

Shares in Listed Companies

Debtors

Property, Plant and Equipment

Other

Total Assets

$1,233,186

$271,356

$28,852

$459,651

$21,687

$2,014,732

Staffing

Program Delivery

General Expenses

Depreciation

Horses

Maintenance

Consultancy

RDAA

Total Expenditure

$287,285

$399,922

$121,946

$41,908

$31,452

$2,578

$65,838

$9,605

$960,534

Unexpended Grants

Grants in Advance

Trade and Other Payables

Employee Provisions

Other Loans

Total Liabilities

Program Delivery

Staffing

Funding &Donations

OtherIncome

Grant Income

General Expenses

$79,266

$82,000

$33,799

$95,303

$5,960

$296,328

$1,718,404

$226,488

Depreciation

Horses

Maintenance

Consultancy RDAA

Arena &Stable Hire

Interest &Dividends

Financials


Our BoardPeter Stubbs – PresidentPresident Peter has been the CEO of the Canberra Racing Club since 2006; an Executive Director of the Australian Racing Board from 2006 to 2015; and on the Board of Pegasus since November 2014. He has a Masters of Management from the Australian National University (ANU), complementing a career in management.

Peter hopes to be able to use his racing industry contacts and his own experiences to assist the Pegasus Board and management to develop a strong financial and operational platform, and build a prosperous future for Pegasus and the many people within the community whom Pegasus supports.

Gerry Christian AM – Vice PresidentBorn in Auckland NZ, Gerry moved to Australia in 1975 and served 33 years in the Royal Australian Navy. Prior to joining Beca early 2017, Gerry worked for seven years as an International Business Development Director for the Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Training and fourteen months with the German company Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems. He has extensive experience in strategy, business development and customer relations in both the Australian and New Zealand Government sectors. Since joining the corporate sector in 2009 Gerry has continued to leverage his naval service leadership skills, operational experience and adapt his strategic thinking to the corporate and not-for-profit sectors.

Gerry was a Seaman Officer in the Royal Australian Navy who specialised in Above Water Warfare and rose to the rank of Commodore. He served in command of HMAS NEWCASTLE from 2002 to 2004, including duties as the Multi-national Naval Task Group Commander in Iraq in late 2003. He also commanded HMAS MELBOURNE from 1996 to 1998, the shore establishment HMAS COONAWARRA in 2000 and he was the inaugural Force Element Group Commander for the RAN Patrol Boat Group from 2000 to 2002. Promoted in 2005 to Flag rank, Commodore Christian represented his country and served as Naval Attaché (Washington) for two years. Gerry is a graduate of the Naval Command College at the United States Naval War College, Rhode Island, where he simultaneously completed MBA studies at Salve Regina University in 1999. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts (International Relations) degree from Deakin University. On Australia Day 2005 he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for “his exceptional service in supporting operational capability”.

Tony Curtis – TreasurerTreasurer Tony has been the principal of Anthony Curtis and Co. – a chartered accounting practice – for 22 years. He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia; has been on the Board of Sharing Places Inc. for the last eight years; and is also an inaugural Board Member with Oncology Massage Ltd.

His impetus for joining the Pegasus Board was to help Pegasus predominantly in its finance and administration areas. Tony’s accountancy business is a proud supporter of Pegasus, sponsoring various events throughout the year.


Sally Bishop – SecretarySecretary Sally is currently an Assistant Director with the Department of Health, working in the area of mental health. She has worked in the allied health area for over 20 years, previously in the regional and metropolitan rehabilitation services settings. Sally has also been a member of Rotary for a number of years, and has a strong interest in supporting the work undertaken in the community sector.

Sally joined Pegasus three years ago, as she was keen to support an organisation that provides such valuable services and programs to help individuals grow and reach their potential.

David Kallir Preece

Apart from more than 24 years of lived experience with a family member with a significant disability, David brings a range of qualifications, skills and passion to the Pegasus Board. Together with a Diploma of Applied Science (Environmental Health) and a Graduate Diploma in Public Administration, David has 30 years of policy and administration experience within the ACT Public Service, with a deep understanding of the internal workings of ACT government administration and Federal/State interactions. He has a great understanding of, and commitment to, the governance and operation of not-forprofit organisations, and is serious about ensuring people living with disability have opportunities to live full and meaningful lives.

Scott Marriott Scott has twenty-plus years’ experience in education and training, from the school classroom through to designing, implementing and evaluating national programs. Scott has influenced Federal government priorities including financial literacy through the MoneySmart Teaching program and vocational education and training in various policy, program and secretariat roles.

Scott is currently working at the Australian Government Department of Education and Training on skills reform. He brings expertise in strategic policy design, stakeholder engagement, procurement and people management.

Scott holds a Master of Business Administration with specialisations in leadership and finance, a Bachelor of Education (Health and Physical Education) and an Advanced Diploma of Human Resource Management.

Michelle ScullyMichelle is a strategic communication and stakeholder engagement specialist with over 25 years senior executive experience in public affairs, reputation and issues management, change management and corporate communications in the private, government and not-for-profit sectors. She has particular experience in defence, intelligence and national security as well as foreign affairs, international development, agriculture and human services. She is adept at providing advice to Executives on communication programs and strategies to promote and achieve organisational outcomes; maintain and strengthen reputation; and to facilitate effective and lasting change.

Michelle believes the key to success in the strategic communication field is to build collaborative and effective relationships to help organisations identify their communication intent and objectives so as to better understand challenges and more readily develop business solutions.

Contact Us119 Drake Brockman Drive, Holt ACT 2615P: 02 6254 9190E: [email protected]: pegasusact.com.au

How to donateVisit www.pegasusact.com.au and click on the ‘Make a Donation’ button.Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT): ‘Pegasus’ BSB: 032 712 Account: 112218Cheque: ‘Pegasus’ 119 Drake Brockman Drive, Holt ACT 2615Credit card: 02 6254 9190

Make a bequestA bequest to Pegasus is one of the best ways to leave a lasting legacy that has the power to transform lives well beyond your lifetime. Bequests may consist of:

• a percentage of your estate• a nominated dollar amount• proceeds from a life insurance policy• shares or bonds• property or real estate.

You may choose to leave your gift for general use or you may prefer to discuss your gift intention with Pegasus, by contacting the Chief Executive Officer, Jane Thompson on 02 6278 6243.

Like good news?Connect with us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PegasusRDASign up for our quarterly newsletter ‘HoofPrint’ by emailing: [email protected]

We need you to...Be a champion for Pegasus by spreading the word about us to friends, family and co-workers. Host a fundraising event for Pegasus at work, invite your friends to our annual events, donate or volunteer.

The opportunities are many and the rewards are great.

Pegasus makes a difference to so many lives.

You can make a difference to Pegasus.

2016–2017 annual report - pegasus rda · 2019-11-05 · 1 pegasus annual report 2016-17...

Documents