Rosemary Laing was one of four outstanding volunteers from NSW rewarded for their efforts as this year’s winners of the annual NRMA Helping People Awards.

NRMA’s Helping People Awards recognise volunteers from NSW and the ACT who volunteer for a charity or not-for-profit organisation.

She has also won a five-night travel package to Cairns and Port Douglas for herself.

Rosemary was instrumental in helping to set up the Raymond Terrace branch of the Riding for the Disabled (RDA) in 1979.

The primary objective of RDA is to provide most people with a disability, the opportunity to ride and enjoy all the activities connected with horse riding.

Riding for people with a disability is both therapeutic and recreational and RDA is one of the few organisations who offer a multi-diagnostic service, catering for people with a wide range of disabilities.

“We started off in a small way but over the years it grew and grew and now there are 150 people who go through each week,” Rosemary said.

“We always have a lot of projects on the go so the $5000 will go a long way towards reaching our goal.”

Rosemary has been running the carriage driving program in Stroud on a fortnightly basis for the past 13 years.

With her 20-year-old mare Busy, Rosemary can be seen teaching disabled people how to drive a carriage every second Tuesday at Stroud Showground.

“We have two RDA drivers who are both in their 30s and they look forward to their morning out,” she said.

“It makes a great difference to their lives.

“They have increased confidence in themselves and socially they are so much different.

“They have more self-esteem and they open up more to people.

“Horses are very therapeutic – they don’t judge people because they are different.

“A lot of the RDA riders and drivers really open up to the horses.”

However Rosemary’s work in Stroud could be jeopardy with more instructor drivers and volunteers needed to keep the program going.