A woman who devotes her time and energy to enriching the lives of people with special needs insists she is not special because there are many unsung heroes in Bermuda.

Rebecca Lister, 34, volunteers with the Therapeutic Riding Programme at WindReach Recreational Village, Warwick, four days a week. She leads the horses, but started off as a side-walker in September 2013 — walking alongside the riders and making sure that they are safe and comfortable.

“I call WindReach my job, I enjoy being there so much,” Ms Lister said. “The work they do is absolutely invaluable to the participants. The children, young adults and seniors get so much out of being there.”

“It’s such a cathartic place and I can see that in the riders; some would be very closed and introverted, and the moment they sit on a horse, the smiles come, they are engaged and they are loving it.”

“The staff give such a warm welcome to anyone and everyone. I kind of think of it as my home away from home — that’s why I am so happy to give any time I can,” she added.

The programme started as the Bermuda Riding for the Disabled Association in 1973, providing physical therapy and rehabilitation, and was taken up by WindReach in 2009.

It aims to develop cognitive skills and improve the emotional, physical and social well-being of persons with special needs.

“It’s so wonderful to be able to help in something so needed, worthwhile, and valuable to the participants, who gain so much from it — but I’m not special, so many people are ready and willing to help in Bermuda in so many little ways,” Ms Lister said.

Ms Lister started volunteering at WindReach, a four-acre facility offering educational and therapeutic experiences for persons of all abilities, after a fellow volunteer introduced her to the organisation.

She has also helped out with the nativity and seniors’ lunches, and during the summer camps the former primary school teacher ran poetry classes and planned a scavenger hunt.

“We try to incorporate all abilities and the scavenger hunt was great because even the less able and wheelchair-bound could get out and about,” she said. “It was so funny because the competitive side came out in some of the carers and they started racing with each other.”

Ms Lister said that her reward was knowing that she was making a difference and that people were able to access services they so crucially needed.

She said WindReach was so important because there were few provisions for disabled people in Bermuda, and that was why it was imperative for volunteers to keep turning up and for funds to keep coming in. Ms Lister, from Belfast, Northern Ireland, moved to Bermuda with her husband David in 2013 and said that the warm welcome she received was part of why she wanted to give back to the community.

“I feel so blessed and lucky,” she said. “My first couple of months were just a dream. Everyone was so friendly.

“It’s not just the gorgeous surroundings that make Bermuda, it really is the people — they are just so charismatic, so friendly, so ready, willing and able to help.”

Ms Lister is now doing her part to welcome newcomers through her work as the first vice president and membership chairperson of the International Women’s Club.

She registers new members of the club, which provides services to the community and assists in the integration of newcomers to Bermuda, processes payments and ensures they receive newsletters and invitations.

The club also has a strong philanthropic focus, with members actively supporting local charities through fundraising events and volunteering.

“It’s a fantastic resource and not just for the friendship groups, but to learn about what else is available in Bermuda to give back to Bermuda, to help, to volunteer or donate to, and learn about the other charities that are out there,” Ms Lister said.

n For more information or to donate to WindReach visit www.windreachbermuda.bm or call 238-2469.

n Do you know an Unsung Hero? Call Lisa on 278-0162 or e-mail lsimpson@royalgazette.com