BORDERS charity Stable Life is calling on the local community to come together in support as a ‘perfect storm’ of circumstances has resulted in the need for urgent fundraising before winter arrives.

The charity, which is based at Dryden outside Selkirk, supports vulnerable young people across the Scottish Borders through Equine Assisted Learning, where specially trained horses and ponies help children to overcome mental health issues by breaking cycles of damaging behaviour and feelings of helplessness.

Stable Life has been at Dryden for nearly a decade, and despite the high costs of keeping the project running, it’s been a clear success.

Chief Executive Mags Powell said: “Up until this year we thrived thanks to a combination of our commercial riding school, grant applications, council funding, and donation.

Peeblesshire News: Two children benefit from Stable Life charity. Photo on right Honour Burges/Comic Relief Two children benefit from Stable Life charity. Photo on right Honour Burges/Comic Relief (Image: Honour Burges/Comic Relief)

“But funding sources have dried up post-Covid, and we anticipate a long hard winter through which we need to keep our ponies safe, fed and healthy so we can continue to support the young people who are referred to us in distress.

“The work we do has a real impact. Stable Life has supported around 1,120 young people since the charity was formed in 2008,

“Before Covid we were working with children between 10 and 18 years old, but now we are being asked to support youngsters as young as five, six and seven; our increased waiting list is proof of that need.

“This Crowdfunder will hopefully provide some temporary help from the community to see us through the next few months as we restructure to reflect the priorities of the organisation.”

Anecdotally there are so many stories about how Stable Life has changed the outcomes of Borders children facing challenging situations.

Galashiels resident Susan Turner said the charity gave her back her son in 2017: “My husband sadly died just before Doddie’s 11th birthday, and we moved to the Borders to be near family.

“Doddie had to deal with a lot of change very quickly including a stressful school move, and soon started getting over anxious.

“Doddie was struggling to communicate and having panic attacks at night. He stopped communicating at school and was shutting down completely with me.

“We found Stable Life through a teacher, and once Doddie started there it just took one session to start to release his anxiety. It’s so hard to explain but everybody there is so welcoming and kind. The ponies are magical, just being around them takes away bad feelings.

“After eight weeks Doddie was a different boy. He’s now Deputy Head boy at school and a huge asset to the community, and it’s all because he had that help when he was just about to fall through the cracks.

“I have seen first-hand how important Stable Life is. It’s a vital part of our community and an asset we cannot take for granted.”

Stable Life last week launched a Crowdfunder (https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/save-stable-life-charity) with the aim of raising £40,000 in the next eight weeks to allow the organisation to continue delivering for vulnerable children in the Borders while changes are implemented in order to secure its long-term future.

More fundraising will follow next year: the charity aims to raise 200k by April 2024 through a combination of grants, fundraising and sponsorship, with the ultimate aim of futureproofing the organisation for decades to come.

“We realise this is a difficult time for everyone in the community, but as a local charity we are asking those who can help to donate what they are able to now,” added Mags.

“With everybody’s support we know we can stay the course and come out even stronger.”