After visiting the Whangarei Riding for Disabled centre with her camera one day, photographer Sue Shepherd hit on an idea to help the group raise funds.
The poignant photos she has since taken of children riding the horses with RDA staff helping them now feature in a 2016 calendar that will be sold at some Northland retail outlets and through the organisation's website.
Ms Shepherd not only donated her photos and time, she organised the calendar's printing and also arranged for businesses to sponsor each page to cover the costs. Now all the profits from sales can go directly back to RDA.
"Initially I offered to do some photos for the Riding for Disabled website. I went and visited the centre for three days to take the photos," she said.
"It was an amazing experience. This group do a fantastic job for our handicapped kids and others that need support. Seeing the love on their mums' and dads' and caregivers' faces nearly made me cry. Also the kids' reaction to the horses, plus, of course, the commitment of a huge number of volunteers," she said.
