Toppy Star Pony Hire are delighted to have teamed up with ten local settings who would all like a pony visit to look forward to. Unfortunately Toppy Star is not entitled to any government grants/funding during this period of lockdown but we obviously still have our ponies care and welfare needs to meet. We are used to working and don’t want money for nothing so we are crowdfunding money to care for the ponies and give these fantastic settings a visit when life goes back to normal. A win win situation! Please take time to read their nomination stories and I hope you will agree we will be supporting a fantastic and inspiring group of people. Toppy Star has donated free travel to each visit. Lots of love Kirsty and Bonny the magnificent therapy pony.

***Lunardi court Care Home, Cupar*** I am nominating Lunardi Court Care Home in Cupar, to say thank you to all the residents and staff for their kindness and understanding through this really difficult time, a wee visit from Bonnie would really lift everyone’s spirits

***P7 Duloch Primary School, Dunfermline.*** Having used Toppy Star Pony Hire at Christmas time and being very impressed with the company, I thought a visit from the wonderful team would be just what the P7's at Duloch Primary need and quite honestly deserve. After showing great maturity and resilience, after missing out on their high school visits, after the Woodmill arson attack, they, like all kids around the world are facing missing out on an official school leaver’s event. Again though, the kids have taken this in their stride and shown maturity way beyond their years and have left all the parents so proud. I think they all deserve something really special for this and what's more special than a personal visit from the Toppy Star Ponies?

***Autism Rocks Fife*** Liza Quin has nominated Autism Rocks (Fife) based in Buckhaven for a free pony therapy visit because we support 1980 families from all over Fife living with Autism and so many of our children would benefit greatly from this experience . Children with autism benefit from equine therapy due to the motor, emotional, and sensory sensations that come with riding a horse. Creating the Emotional Bond Autistic children have difficulty in obtaining in everyday life. It can also help with co-ordination and balance so all in all it would be a very beneficial experience for some of our younger children.

***Home Start, Glenrothes *** Gail McNab has nominated Home Start Glenrothes for a free pony therapy visit because our families that we support deserve something to look forward to after trying times. They might never normally get an opportunity to do something like this and to see their children smiling and hugging the ponies will brighten up everyone's day.

***Seamab School, Rumbling Bridge *** I, Judith Knox-Falih nominate Seamab Residential School, Rumbling Bridge, Perth & Kinross for a free pony therapy visit. Seamab cares for and educates some of the most vulnerable children in our society who cannot for various reasons live at home. The children at Seamab have experienced some level of trauma, loss, disruption and separation during their short lives. Having seen first-hand how engaging with therapy ponies helped my son feel a sense of responsibility and connection and gave him the opportunity to open up to Kirsty about things that were troubling him in a ‘space’ that was safe. I would love the children who live at Seamab to have the same opportunity in the hope that it ignites a spark of connection for them too. For some of the children at Seamab relationships can be tricky, however they all deserve connection of some kind in their life, just as we all do.

***Muirhead Outreach Project, Glenrothes *** The Muirhead Outreach Project based in Glenrothes has been nominated for a free pony therapy visit. After spending so much time in isolation and with limited contact it would be a huge benefit to them to be allowed to spend time with ponies in a therapeutic way. To be able to pet them, brush them and nurture them would be a hugely positive experience for them. Our families were at a disadvantage before the Covid 19 crisis and throughout lockdown they are showing incredible resilience and initiative. But it will take its toll and what a great way to help them rebuild relationships - in the supportive environment of Muirhead with Kirsty and her ponies.

***Chapel Level Care Home, Kirkcaldy*** We at chapel level Kirkcaldy have been nominated for free pony therapy visit. This would be so benefit our residents no end they over all kinds of animals but seeing the ponies come to visit would be a dream come true for them. They have requested this for a long time as we share the Toppy Star videos with them. With covid 19 just now everything has stopped no entertainment or visits and I know once gone this would make their day. We have a lady within our care home lived on a farm with horses as well as her very own pony she thinks of the days and shares her stories so would love this and it would give her fresh memories all over again.

***Age Concern, Cupar *** I have nominated Age Concern Cupar for a free pony therapy session because Age Concern has been closed due to the lock down. Many of their service users live alone and Age Concern is where they socialise so for many the last few weeks have been a lonely time. I know that Age Concern staff have been calling them and making sure they are all ok however there is nothing like a chat and a cuppa with your friends face to face. Many of the service users do not have internet far less a device they can video call on so for them the lock down has been that little but harder than for many of us. They have received a visit from the ponies before and absolutely LOVED it and I think that once the centre is open again to have another visit will be a fantastic way to celebrate.

***Falkland Out of School Club, Falkland *** I have nominated Falkland OOSC. The reason I have nominated Falkland OOSC is that through the whole pandemic the children have been so resilient and have been excellent despite all the change. I feel these kids deserve a treat and the chance to be rewarded for being so fantastic. Plus they are great children, they have the utmost respect for our club, we think they're fantastic and they love ponies so what better way to give them a treat x

***Abbotsford Tayside View Care Home, Newburgh*** Stella would like to nominate Abbotsford Tayside view in Newburgh for a free pony therapy visit because our residents will enjoy meeting the pony and interacting with it, some of them used to be farmers so it brings back fond memories. It’s something exciting to look forward to and tell their family and friends about on the phone, as they haven’t seen their families in over a month now.