Middlesbrough’s Unicorn Centre, a horse-riding facility established in 1998 that offers people with disabilities and learning difficulties the chance to ride and interact with horses, is set to close due to insurmountable financial pressures. Despite dedicated fundraising efforts by staff and trustees to cover rising running costs, the board unanimously decided to shut the centre, leaving visitors and parents devastated by the news.

Users and families expressed shock and sadness, emphasizing the centre’s importance as a calming and supportive environment. Among them, Olivia Fairclough, who has been a visitor for over a decade since becoming paralyzed, vowed to fight to keep the centre open, highlighting its significance as more than just a facility but a true home for many.