Sirona's approach puts relationships at the heart of everything — between young people, practitioners, and the horses and animals in their care. This past year, that approach has felt more important than ever. Referrals have continued to rise, with many young people arriving at Sirona carrying complex needs including anxiety, eating disorders, self-harming behaviours, ADHD, Autistic Spectrum conditions, and emotionally based school avoidance. Against a backdrop of worsening youth mental health nationally, Sirona's work offers something genuinely different: space, stillness, and the quiet companionship of animals.

With the support of our funding, Sirona adapted their timetable to offer more one-to-one sessions, giving young people the time and safety they needed to build trust before joining small group work. Four young people progressed onto the Horse Works programme — learning practical skills, teamwork, and communication alongside the very real mental health benefits of being outdoors with animals. The results have been remarkable: two went on to study equine and animal care at college, one returned to education to complete their GCSEs, and another began a work experience placement at a care farm. Three young people also completed the accredited OCNL Level 1 in Animal Care course, achieving a 100% pass rate.