Much-loved retired racehorse Frodon paid a special visit to spinal injury patients to bring “a little bit of joy” – and enjoy plenty of apples.
His visit to Salisbury District Hospital on Friday (19 September) was to mark the launch of Horatio’s Garden as the official charity partner of Wincanton racecourse for the upcoming jumps season.
Horatio’s Garden, founded in memory of Horatio Chapple who died in 2011 aged 17, creates and cares for gardens in NHS spinal injury centres across the UK. Horatio had wanted to be a doctor; he volunteered at the the Duke of Cornwall Spinal Treatment Centre at the hospital in his holidays and noticed there was a lack of outdoor space for patients and their families, which gave him the idea for a garden.
Trainer Jeremy Scott and his daughter, Laura, were among those to attend the launch. Laura was a patient at the spinal centre for three months in 2017 after she broke her neck and back in a riding accident, which initially left her paralysed from the neck down.
“The garden is just amazing. As a patient you spend so long shut between the walls of a hospital ward, so to have the opportunity to come outside and enjoy the fresh air and feel a little bit normal for a few hours is really important,” said Laura.
“It is important for visitors to be able to come to see you and not feel like they are visiting you in a hospital and you just feel like you’re at home or in another garden elsewhere.”
The garden was the first to be created by the charity in 2012, and is just 30 miles from Wincanton racecourse. The collaboration aims to raise awareness and funds to support the charity’s gardening, workshops and event programme, and to care for the garden.
Frodon, who was trained by Paul Nicholls, won 19 of his 52 starts, including the King George VI Chase and Ryanair Chase. He is well known for his association with Bryony Frost.
Wincanton racecourse general manager Blaithin Murphy said: “We are absolutely delighted that Horatio’s Garden will be our charity partner of the season. Their work has a profound impact on the lives of thousands of people going through incredibly difficult times.
“To be able to bring Frodon into Horatio’s Garden today to bring a little bit of joy to the patients and the staff here has been really special. Frodon has been an absolute star and enjoyed plenty of apples that are grown here in the garden. We’d like to thank Jimmy Frost and his team for bringing him up for the morning – we know a lot of people won’t forget today.
“As a sport, we know that there are risks involved every time a jockey gets up on a horse and charities such as Horatio’s Garden have been vital in supporting them in their recovery. We look forward to working together to raise awareness and funds for such an inspiring cause, while offering our visitors the chance to engage with a charity that makes a real difference.”
Laura added: “These guys are going to be on such a high for a few days now. You don’t get this sort of thing in a hospital normally, so they’re going to be buzzing for a while.
“Unless you’ve experienced having a spinal injury or know someone who has had one, you probably don’t really know that these gardens are here, and I think it is really important to showcase that to everyone and explain how important the funding is to keep them going and hopefully get more around the country.”
Katie Tait, chief executive at Horatio’s Garden, said that the charity is proud to partner with Wincanton racecourse and look forward to working together.
“We hope to see as many supporters as possible at the special raceday on 26 October, where all money raised will make a real difference,” she said.
“It’s with the support of organisations like Wincanton racecourse that we can continue our vital work to support people with life-changing spinal injuries in our beautiful gardens.”
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