A new indoor equine therapeutic centre named in memory of Jack de Bromhead will be built this year, ChildVision announced on Tuesday.
Based in Drumcondra, ChildVision is a specialist therapy and education centre for children with visual impairment. The new indoor facility will give them access to the best global equine activities all year round, crucially through the winter months and in bad weather conditions.
Spearheaded by de Bromhead family friend and well-known racehorse owner Chris Jones–and with the blessing of Jack's parents Heather and Henry–the €1 million donation target required to complete the equine therapeutic centre was reached last December.
The de Bromhead family–Henry, Heather and their daughters Mia and Georgia–said of today's announcement, “The equine centre will be a wonderful legacy for our beloved Jack, a hugely missed son and brother. Horses are a huge part of our lives, and we know the physical experience of riding a horse offers so many potential benefits, especially helping address a host of physical, social and emotional issues.
“More so, it will be a place of learning and hope, full of laughter and joy, traits that were such a part of Jack, all facilitated by the much-treasured horses and ponies that call the ChildVision stables home. We are looking forward to following the development and construction of the new equine therapeutic centre and being there to cut the ribbon when it is completed.
“We are forever grateful to those who came on board to support us–we know Jack would be really proud of what this life-changing generosity will enable.”
Barry Sheridan, ChildVision CEO, added, “We have an ambitious plan for the ChildVision campus and front and centre was trying to secure funding for an equine therapeutic centre. We had already raised over €500,000 but without this extraordinary fundraising support we would not have been in a position to break ground in 2024 on this vital facility.
“We would like to thank the de Bromhead family, Chris Jones and the other wonderful benefactors for enabling our dream to come true. We will ensure that Jack's legacy and that of his loving family, who so generously agreed to share his name with us, will live on for generations to come.”
To raise additional funds towards the running costs of ChildVision's equine programme, Kenny Alexander, owner of the four-time Cheltenham Festival winner Honeysuckle, who was trained by Henry, has donated the racing colours that Rachael Blackmore wore in all of their major races. The iconic silks, signed by Rachael, Henry and Kenny, will be auctioned at the Goffs Punchestown Sale on Thursday, May 2.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
