A POWYS rescue is appealing for a home for a pony whose former owners were banned from keeping equines for 10 years after she was found emaciated, collapsed and shut in a horse trailer.
 
Llanfechain-based Totem Horses, a small not-for-profit rescue and re-homing centre, is appealing for a home for a pony called Holly, who was caused unnecessary suffering by her former owners who left her emaciated and unable to stand with a heavy worm burden.
 
Sarah Morris (see notes) and Debbie Smitherman on Winllan Farm, Winllan Road, Llansantffraid-Ym-Mechain pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the two-year-old Welsh cross pony when they appeared before Welshpool Magistrates Court on 27 November 2018. The two were banned from keeping horses or ponies for 10 years and ordered to pay a £300 fine, legal costs and a victim surcharge*.
 
Totem Horses founder, Jo Barr, said: "Having previously worked for the RSPCA for 10 years I honestly thought I had seen everything, but when we went to collect Holly, who they said was simply 'unwanted due to lack of time', I could not believe what I saw.
 
"Sarah said rather than use a stable they had shut her in the trailer three days before as she was cold, but the pony was lying in her own urine with no food or water. I was amazed she was still alive.
 
"All of her bones were visible and the skin on her withers and in other places had broken down. It beggars belief two so called horse lovers could allow an animal to be in that state, shut in a trailer dying just feet away from the back door of their house where they sat safe, warm and well fed."
 
Holly was signed over to Totem Horses who sought immediate veterinary treatment for her and alerted the RSPCA. It was touch and go whether she would survive for the first three days, but with around the clock support from Simon Woods and his team at Lower House Equine Clinic she pulled through.
 
Jo said: "For the first three nights I slept in the barn with Holly as she had drips and other treatment. I had to lift her head to give her water and feed from a scoop as she wasn't even strong enough to lift it herself.
 
"Lower House Equine Clinic were brilliant and made sure she had pain relief and fluids everything else she needed around the clock. I was determined that if we did lose her she would not die alone - so I stayed with her.
 
“Thankfully she didn’t, but it still it took a further two weeks before she was actually strong enough to stand up without some help."
 
Now Totem Horses is appealing for a home for Holly where she can start a new life. The not-for-profit’s horses go out on a loan agreement and homes are subject to regular home visits.
 
Jo added: "I am very grateful to RSPCA inspector Phil Lewis for everything he did as well as Simon and his team at Lower House Equine Clinic, but I could not have saved Holly without the support of our volunteers Lyddy, Kelly, Holly and Jiri, and also Helen and Adam who got involved later on and helped this young pony to regain her trust in people.
“I am very pleased the court recognised the serious nature of the neglect and also the RSPCA exists to investigate and make sure the people responsible are held accountable for their actions.”
 
Holly is still a young pony and it takes a while for her to trust new people so she needs an experienced home anywhere in England and Wales where she will get regular handling. For further information or to offer Holly a home please visit www.totemhorse.org.uk or their Facebook page.

​A vital community fundraising event is due to run as smooth as silk thanks to the generous support of a London tech firm.
 
WM Reply, expertsin enhancing collaborative tools and business systems platforms for large organisations, will be supporting Notting Hill Genesis’ (made up of Notting Hill Housing and Genesis Housing Association) ‘A5 Show’. The firm will do this by providing their technical services free of charge to ensure the exhibition’s website, which will enable people to purchase the different artworks, runs smoothly.
 
The community exhibition gives creative residents and staff the chance to have their work displayed alongside professional artists, with all items displayed anonymously until it is purchased for the set price of £50. All proceeds from the sale of artworks will go towards The Tenant Hardship fund, which supports the most vulnerable tenants living in Notting Hill Genesis communities.
 
With the majority of artworks expected to be purchased through the dedicated website, it was vital for Notting Hill Genesis to be sure the system would not fail. So when the opportunity came, they gladly accepted the specialist services of WM Reply to stress test the online portal free of charge – a service that would normally have cost thousands.
 
Richard Acreman, Partner at WM Reply, said:
 
“The Resident Art Show is a fantastic event showcasing the creativity of the community it also aims to help. It’s an honour for us to be part of such a worthy cause, so we were just happy to help in whatever way we could.”
 
Mandy Worster, volunteer programme manager for Notting Hill Genesis, said: 
 
“Everyone involved is really looking forward to the A5 Show and giving our extremely talented residents the chance to display their work to a wider audience. Having a website we know works well and can help us raise money for such a good cause is vital, and we are extremely grateful to WM Reply for becoming one of our sponsors and providing such an important and efficient service.”
 
The community exhibition will take place at the Koppel Gallery in High Holborn, London and run from Thursday 29 November – Friday 21 December 2018.

A renowned artist will create a series of artworks with orphans from Lesotho to raise money for an international charity which provides food programmes for impoverished communities in the country.
 
Richard Scott is a British-born artist who lives and works in South Africa, known for his artwork he describes as ‘Naïve meets Pop Art’. He is now working in partnership with UK-based charity Msizi Africa to produce artwork for an upcoming charity auction.
 
Msizi Africa have been running food programmes since 2007, serving more than 2.8 million meals in the process to children. In addition to this, the charity has also built houses for vulnerable families, supplied more than 1,000 school uniforms and pay tuition fees for those who want to learn but cannot afford it.
 
Their latest venture involves a workshop where orphans and other children from some of Lesotho’s poorest communities will create artworks, which will then be sent to Cape Town to be embellished by Richard Scott, before being auctioned online to raise funds for the charity.
 
Lucy Herron, founding trustee of Msizi Africa, said: “We are incredibly grateful to Richard for getting involved. The children cannot wait to see their art combined with his to create something new and exciting.”
 
Richard Scott, whose work has been sold to collectors all around the world, said:
 
“How can you explain how cool it is to paint for a living? Even cooler than that is the feeling you get when you help other people – that’s the coolest feeling in the world. So, when Lucy Herron asked me to join her programme at Msizi Africa in Lesotho, South Africa, it was a no-brainer.
 
“Getting involved with the charity is an honour and helping the kids help themselves, while having fun painting, is really a special feeling. Thank you Msizi Africa for allowing me to be involved and been able to make a difference.”
 
Once completed, the art will be auctioned online in November. Anyone who is interested in receiving updates on availability should visit www.msiziafrica.org.uk.

​A start-up app created to help young violinists with their practice has announced a scheme to collect feedback during their first version trial, whilst raising money for an international music charity. 
 
nSpireMewas founded by conductor and music entrepreneur Stuart Barr to help children unleash their musicality. Their ethos is that “every child possesses extraordinary powers of creativity, and it's our job to develop technology that enables them to unleash it”.
 
Stuart was conductor to the veteran artiste Dame Shirley Bassey for 6 years, conducting her worldwide from the Oscars, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Concert to her farewell album at Abbey Road. He taught at the Royal Academy of Music for a decade, recently took his MBA in the Creative Industries at the University of Cambridge, and is Chairman of the London Youth Choir.
 
The nSpireMe app gives children actionable feedback on their pitching and rhythm, with their music displayed alongside practice notes from their teacher. It’s a 3-way platform that connects teacher, student and parent. nSpireMe helps fill the void between lessons and during holidays, enabling students to accelerate their progress, and stay engaged.
 
As well as offering teachers, parents and students free access to the app for an initial trial period, nSpireMe have also pledged to donate £1 to Music as Therapy Internationalfor every bug or glitch reported. This can range from a crotchet rest being slightly out of place to display issues on smaller screen devices. Furthermore, nSpireMe have also decided to donate £1 for every shared post on either Facebook or LinkedIn.
 
Music as Therapy International are a UK-registered charity who believe passionately in the power of music to make the most of people’s potential, overcoming obstacles such as disability, trauma and mental illness. Their unique approach sees them train care staff to use simple music therapy techniques and musical activities, providing them with resources and professional support to make sustainable change.
 
Alexia Quin, founder and director of the music charity said, “We would like to thank Stuart and nSipre Me for this innovative and generous pledge of support. Any money raised will mean vulnerable children and adults across the UK and around the world can continue to experience the benefits of music in their lives.”
 
nSpire Me believe that the power of music can transform the lives of all people, particularly those with disadvantages, whatever those may be. Stuart said: “We are in awe of the work that Music as Therapy International do, and know that our donations will make a significant impact”.
 
Parents who wish to see how nSpireMe can accelerate their child’s progress over the summer should visit www.nspireme.co.ukwhere they can sign up for a free trial now. Don’t forget, any bugs found will mean a donation to Music as Therapy International!

A new charity created to improve education for girls in Nigeria is seeking support to help launch its first project in the West African country.
 
Project Girl Foundation was set up to empower girls and local communities in rural Nigeria through education. Their vision is to close the gender gap of illiteracy and transform the education system in the country. The new charity is the creation of British-born Nigerian Lily Nwamaraihe, 36, who lives in London.
 
Lily, who has worked in the UK education system for 10 years, founded the charity following a personal journey to discover and engage with her ethnic roots that began in 2012 with her first trip to Nigeria as an adult.
 
Lily said: “On visiting Nigeria I discovered a beautiful country filled with a rich culture, yet sadly one coupled with a devastatingly failing education system. It was clear children were not receiving their basic right to a free and effective education. 
 
“Of particular concern to me was the plight of girls both in the home and at school, such as the lack of importance placed on girls’ education compared to their male counterparts.”
 
It was from this experience that Project Girl Foundation was born, with an aim to transform girls’ education and empower them by providing them with sufficient skills and resources to enrich their lives, that of their families and their communities.
 
The organisation began to come together in 2017 and now has a board of trustees in place. They are now seeking support of the public, particularly the British Nigerian community, to help them deliver their first project in Enugu State in south-east Nigeria. This project will mainly focus on functional literacy for girls, while also encouraging those with Special Educational Needs to participate in the programme.
 
Lily said: “Project Girl Foundation has big plans, but we need the help of others to make them a reality. We are asking for individuals, businesses and anyone with a connection to Nigeria to get in touch and give us their support.”
 
The charity is also interested to hear from schools and churches, especially those who would consider a partnership to help deliver their programme. Anyone who would like to know more or give their support should get in touch via the Project Girl Foundation website.

​A start-up app created to help people meditate has announced a series of workshops which will raise money for an international music charity.
 
Third Ear, which is the first app to use sound to invoke a meditative, mindful state in its users, is the creation of Leo Cosendai, the Swiss-born meditation expert now based in London.
 
The young entrepreneur, already a celebrated sound meditation teacher, created the app to allow users to access the benefits of his teaching wherever they are. To help promote the launch of the new app, Third Ear are holding a series of immersive events in partnership with Ministry of Sound. 
 
Leo said: “This series of events are a fantastic opportunity for anyone curious to experience sound not as a way of entertainment but as a way of self-entrainment.
 
“Whether you are experienced or completely new to meditation and mindfulness does not matter in the slightest for physical posture and silence are not part of the equation. In fact, it is not uncommon to see first timers come out of the room stunned.” 
 
As well as offering members of the public the chance to sample the benefits of sound mediation first-hand, Third Ear have also pledged 20% of the price of each ticket sold to London based charity Music as Therapy International.
 
Music as Therapy International are a UK-registered charity who believe passionately in the power of music to make the most of people’s potential, overcoming obstacles such as disability, trauma and mental illness. Their unique approach sees them train care staff to use simple music therapy techniques and musical activities, providing them with resources and professional support to make sustainable change.
 
Alexia Quin, founder and director of the music charity said, “We would like to thank Leo and Third Ear for their incredible gesture of support. The money raised will help us bring the benefits of music into the lives of vulnerable children and adults across the UK and around the world.”
 
The first Third Ear event will be held on 17 July, and then from September onwards on a monthly basis on the third Tuesday of each month. Tickets cost £20 per person and are available from SeeTickets.com. The Third Ear app is free to download on iOS, with a new version coming out on both iOS and Android in September 2018.

​AN AWARD-WINNING charity with twenty years’ delivering staff training in the UK and around the world has announced they are repeating their awards scheme for their highly acclaimed training course for Early Years practitioners.
 
Music as Therapy Internationalis a South London-based registered charity who believe passionately in the power of music to make the most of people’s potential, overcoming obstacles such as disability, trauma and mental illness. Their unique approach sees them train care staff to use simple music therapy techniques and musical activities, providing them with resources and professional support to make sustainable change.
 
The charity has been running their Interactive Music-Making(IMM) course since 2010. The six month course provides staff working in Early Years (with children under 5 years of age) with the skills and confidence to use music in a therapeutic way with the children in their care.