Dear Sir/Madam

Re Access Fighting Fund and Access Petition

I refer to the above and set out details of each below. I would be very grateful for any assistance you could give us in publicising both of these matters.

If you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours faithfully,

Mark Weston

Director of Access, Safety & Welfare

Tel: 01926 707760

mark.weston@bhs.org.uk

The Access Fighting Fund

The British Horse Society has set up an Access Fighting Fund.

The fighting fund has been established to secure a fund of £100,000 to enable The Society to fight future rights of way cases to ensure the preservation of our equestrian rights of way.

In the recent BMW case, both the British Horse Society and the Ramblers Association had costs awarded against them for defending the publics right to use a bridleway in Cowley Oxford.

The fund which was established online only weeks ago has already raised over £10,000.

Please help The Society to reach its target so that it can continue to defend our rights of way network not only for todays horse riders and carriage drivers but for future generations as well.

The Access Fighting Fund can be accessed online at http://www.justgiving.com/AccessFightingFund, donations can also be sent by cheque made payable to the BHS, to Access Fighting Fund, BHS, Stoneleigh Deer Park, Kenilworth CV8 2XZ.

If you can, and you are a UK taxpayer, we can maximise your contribution if you complete a Gift Aid declaration. The simplest way you can do this is to complete the notice below, sign and date it and send it with your cheque to the Access Fighting Fund at the above address.

If you have any queries regarding this please do not hesitate to contact the British Horse Society Access Department on 01926 707 712.

" .......................................................................................................................

I enclose a cheque/postal order (made payable to The British Horse Society) for: £____________.

Gift aid declaration

I wish The British Horse Society to treat this donation as a Gift Aid donation. I understand that I must pay in this financial year an amount of income tax and/or capital gains tax at least equal to the tax reclaimed by the Society.

Name: Mr/Mrs/Miss___________________

Address ......................................................................................................................................

..........................................................................................................Postcode:..........................

Signed:......................................………………………………...Date:...........................................

The Access Petition

'The British Horse Society is calling on all equestrians to sign a petition asking Government to give them a say in all new access and rights of way legislation.

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Equestrianaccess/

Equestrians are the most vulnerable of road users and need increased off-road access for their safety and the welfare of their horses. Horse riding and carriage driving provides healthy outdoor exercise which the Government is keen to encourage. It is enjoyed by over 4 million people in the UK and is the second biggest land-based industry but equestrians have not been included in recent access-creating legislation which would help make them safer and encourage healthy outdoor recreation.'