A Dover mum is raising money for an undercover space at a riding centre so her autistic son and others can continue riding all year round.

Tracey Crutchfield, of Coombe Valley Road, hopes to raise £60,000 for a roof over the Alkham Valley Community Project and Therapeutic Riding Centre.

This is a registered charity between Dover and Folkestone, and offers therapeutic riding for disabled and disadvantaged adults and children.

Mum Tracey, 49, said her son Ryan, 22, “comes alive” when he is riding horses.

She said: “To find activities that Ryan loves and benefits from is quite a difficult challenge so to have found he loves horse riding means he is having quality experiences and therefore this enhances his quality of life.

“When the sessions are cancelled it is a major loss for him.

“Riding all year would mean his health and wellbeing is continually being developed and promoted and he can continue to participate and enjoy this experience.

“For me as his mum and main carer, watching him enjoy these sessions is priceless.”

She has encouraged friends and family to take on a Wet Onesie challenge. This has seen lots of people don their winter onesies and dive into a bath of water. So far this has raised £320.

Jo Murrell, trustee at AVCP said: “This time of year the weather will shut us down and Ryan really misses it. Not just Ryan but lots of people really miss it when it’s a reduced service in the winter.

“We need a roof or another area we could go in and make it fun and sensory and then we could continue.”

AVCP provides horse riding for people with physical or mental disabilities, both adults and children, as well as community riding which means visitors can access riding at an affordable price.

A roof for the whole site would cost £60,000 but if the centre can not raise this, then it aims to transform one of its existing buildings at a cost of £10,000.

On Tuesday, centre staff dressed a horse in a onesie and gave him a bath to raise funds for the appeal.

To sponsor the cause visit https://crowdfunding.justgiving.com/Tracey-crutchfield

Or follow Ryan’s blog at www.facebook.com/TheLifeofRyanCrutchfield