Clwyd Special Riding Centre

Due to two of our grooms progressing their studies at university in equine science and veterinary science, Clwyd Special Riding Centre has openings for one full-time and one part-time groom.
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These are exciting roles for enthusiastic, driven and experienced individuals to work on a professional yard of 20 horses.

The primary aim of the role is to help look after and prepare our horses for all our weekly activities at the Centre, and for on and off-site competitions. Includes the exercising and schooling of horses.

Applicants must have at least a Level 2 horse care and riding qualification or equivalent proven skills and experience.

ROLES: Groom. 1 x full-time / 1 x part-time positions.
SALARY: Salary at relevant National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage rate. Roles to include some evening and weekend work.
START DATE: August 2024.

For the full job description, please visit our website/News & Events: https://clwydspecialridingcentre.co.uk/news/news_article.php?id=279

TO APPLY:
Please email your CV to [email protected] or send a hard copy in the post marked ‘Confidential’ and addressed to the Equine Manager to: Clwyd Special Riding Centre, Llanfynydd, Flintshire, LL11 5HN.

Closing date for applications: Sunday 14th July 2024. Interview includes a riding element.

Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to have a riding session with world class dressage rider and trainer, Sophie Wells OBE, Paralympic, World and European Gold Medallist.

Places are limited and bookings will be taken strictly on a first come, first served basis. Book in promptly to avoid disappointment!

Exciting News!

Clwyd Special Riding Centre will be hosting a dressage clinic on 30th and 31st July with world class dressage rider and trainer, Sophie Wells OBE, Paralympic, World and European Gold Medallist.

Sophie coaches many para and able-bodied riders, including Georgia Wilson (2019 European Gold & Silver Medallist, 2020 Paralympic double bronze medallist), Erin Orford and Izzy Palmer.

Sophie has won an impressive total of 38 medals at 14 consecutive Para Championships. She is an inspirational coach and has a real flair for getting the best out of both horse and rider.

PRICES:
Cost for a 1-2-1 session...
30 mins on your own horse £65
40 mins on your own horse £85
30 mins on a hired CSRC horse* £75
40 mins on a hired CSRC horse* £90

*Please note: you must be a regular participant at the Centre to be able to hire a CSRC horse for this event.

Bookings can be made for one or both days. 50% deposit required on booking. Balance to be paid two weeks prior to lesson: by 16th July.

HOW TO BOOK: Contact Morgan by phone on 01352 770446 (Option 6) or email: [email protected]

Day and overnight stables available on request at an additional cost.

Places are limited and bookings will be taken strictly on a first come, first served basis. Please book in promptly to avoid disappointment!

**NEW** BHS riding sessions for independent riders with additional needs...

On 20th July, CSRC will be commencing additional riding sessions on a Tuesday afternoon/evening and all day on a Saturday.

As we are a special riding centre, these riding lessons are open to independent riders with disabilities, neurodiverse participants and those who ride for therapeutic benefits, such as those with anxiety disorders.

Our new BHS Coach, Sarah Whiteside, will be taking the sessions. Sarah will start by offering private sessions to assess new riders, before grouping suitably matched riders into group sessions going forward. A limited number of 1-2-1 sessions will also be offered.

We have an all-weather hacking track so our riders can experience hacking as well as riding in the school. We also have the opportunity for our riders to progress on to British Dressage para dressage and represent the Centre at competitions.

PRICES:
Group session - 45 mins at £25 per session
Group session - 30 mins at £20 per session
Private 1-2-1 sessions – 30 mins at £30 per session

HOW TO BOOK: Contact Morgan by phone 01352 770446 (Option 6) or email: [email protected]

Thankfully ‘rain did not stop play’ on 17th June, and CSRC’s Annual Ladies’ Fun Tennis Tournament and Lunch fundraising event proved to be a grand slam, raising £1,500!

By kind invitation of Mr & Mrs Richard Morris, this year’s event was held at Willington Lodge, Whitchurch and surrounding tennis courts. Willington Lodge provided the ideal setting, made even more spectacular as we were gifted the use of a wedding marquee which was draped in beautiful flower arrangements.

We are extremely grateful to Mr & Mr Morris for allowing us to use the marque, and for raffling off the flower arrangements to contribute £370 to the total.

Thank you also to Gail Legget and Sally Anson from the CSRC Fundraising Committee who aced the lunch, serving up a delicious lunch, followed by delightful puddings made by the volunteers of Hanmer Church that would give the Wimbledon strawberries a run for their money!

If watching Wimbledon rekindles your tennis prowess, then come and join us next year...

We have 10 places remaining on our upcoming Safeguarding for Equestrians Course being held here at the Centre on 6th July.

The course, being run by an RDA tutor, is fully accredited by the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) and British Equestrian Federation (BEF).

PRICE: FREE to RDA volunteers.
The course is open to volunteers or staff from other member bodies, or external organisations outside of the RDA - such as the Pony Club. Price is £25 (payable to the RDA).

DATE: Saturday 6th July 2024.

TIME: 10am start (arrive for 9.30am). Finishes 1pm. Tea and coffee will be available throughout the morning.

VENUE: Clwyd Special Riding Centre, Llanfynydd, Flintshire, LL11 5HN.

HOW TO BOOK: Visit the MyRDA website for further details and how to book your place: https://myrda.org.uk/events/safeguarding-for-equestrians-face-to-face-course-6-july-2024-clwyd/

If you have any questions relating to the venue, please contact Sara Henney: [email protected].

We are pleased to announce that CSRC will be running the BHS Pony Stars Junior Challenge Awards over the school summer holidays.

This will be suitable for a suggested age group of 8-12 years and children must meet the requirements to participate at the Centre.

The awards will run as a six-week course, one session per week, and will commence on the week beginning the 23rd July 2024.

Pony Stars enables long-term progression with a range of activities that will develop knowledge, skills and self-confidence. In each group your child will work through sets of challenges that make up topics within set themes.

Cost: £180 for 6 sessions (plus £24 noted below) - payable in advance to secure your place.
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Participants may choose one of the following days:

• Tuesday 10-1pm
• Wednesday 10-1pm
• Thursday 10-1pm

There will be a maximum of six children per session.

As part of the programme, each child will receive their very own My Challenge Book to log their achievements. As they progress through the various challenges there will be stickers, badges and rosettes up for grabs too to keep them engaged and motivated. Please note, there is an additional one off fee of £24 to purchase the pony stars pack of:

• Challenge book
• Sticker sheets
• 6 cloth badges
• 1 rosette
• 1 drawstring bag.

HOW TO BOOK: Contact Morgan by phone on 01352 770446 (Option 6) or email: [email protected]

Visit the BHS website to read more about this exciting Pony Star Awards programme. https://www.bhs.org.uk/careers-recreational-awards/recreational-awards/pony-stars/

On 6th July, Morgan, our Office Administrator, will be walking up Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) in aid of Clwyd Special Riding Centre.

This is Morgan’s first time walking up Yr Wyddfa, so if you would like to cheer her on and help her to take her fundraising to new heights, please visit her JustGiving donation page:
https://www.justgiving.com/page/morgan-brassington-1717576065144?utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=page%2Fmorgan-brassington-1717576065144&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=pfp-email

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. JustGiving sends your donation straight to Clwyd Special Riding Centre and automatically reclaims Gift Aid if you are a UK taxpayer, so your donation is worth even more.

Thank you in advance for your support, and good luck, Morgan!

Morgan's fundraiser for Clwyd Special Riding Centre Help Morgan Brassington raise money to support Clwyd Special Riding Centre

The gavel is raised ready for our Charity Auction at the Bangor-on-Dee Charity Race Day on Friday 6th September!

We’re looking for bespoke experiences and high value items to auction off at our Charity Race Day.

Get behind the excitement of our charity race day and donate a prize today. All enquiries: [email protected]

Thanks for staying connected and following our amazing charity!

You are already following us here, but did you know our social media accounts cover Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn? And don't forget to visit our website too! https://clwydspecialridingcentre.co.uk/

You can continue to keep up to date with all our exciting news and upcoming events by regularly checking in on one or all of our social media channels.

Don't forget to like our pages, and help us to build our CSRC Community by sharing them with your family, friends and like minded businesses!

Join us for an exciting day out at the races! We are delighted to again be hosting a Clwyd Special Riding Centre Charity Race Day on Friday 6th September at Bangor-on-Dee Racecourse.

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW for our Private Marquee!

Whether you are looking to book a table to mark a special company or personal anniversary, or buying an individual ticket, you will be helping to raise important funds for our amazing charity. Help us to make this an extra special day and share this post with your family and friends.

For tickets and more information, email: [email protected]

Thanks to a generous grant of £45,000 received from the Pets Foundation (part of the Pets at Home retailer), CSRC has been able to enhance our horses’ welfare by upgrading some of our equine facilities.

This grant has enabled us to replace the floor matting in our 22 stables which had reached the end of its life and was starting to deteriorate. Just like a plush carpet, our horses can now enjoy the comfort of this quality flooring which was supplied and professionally fitted by Quattro Products Ltd.

The remainder of the grant will be spent on improving entry to all our fields, and for some, this will include new drainage solutions ready for the winter months.

Thank you Pets Foundation!

Exciting News!

Clwyd Special Riding Centre will be hosting a dressage clinic on 30th and 31st July with world class dressage rider and trainer, Sophie Wells OBE, Paralympic, World and European Gold Medallist.

Sophie coaches many para and able-bodied riders, including Georgia Wilson (2019 European Gold & Silver Medallist, 2020 Paralympic double bronze medallist), Erin Orford and Izzy Palmer.

Sophie has won an impressive total of 38 medals at 14 consecutive Para Championships. She is an inspirational coach and has a real flair for getting the best out of both horse and rider.

PRICES:
Cost for a 1-2-1 session...
30 mins on your own horse £65
40 mins on your own horse £85
30 mins on a hired CSRC horse* £75
40 mins on a hired CSRC horse* £90

*Please note: you must be a regular participant at the Centre to be able to hire a CSRC horse for this event.

Bookings can be made for one or both days. 50% deposit required on booking. Balance to be paid two weeks prior to lesson: by 16th July.

HOW TO BOOK: Contact Morgan by phone on 01352 770446 (Option 6) or email: [email protected]

Day and overnight stables available on request at an additional cost.

Places are limited and bookings will be taken strictly on a first come, first served basis. Please book in promptly to avoid disappointment!

Clwyd Special Riding Centre is honoured that our mechanical horse, Woody, is now a Brand Ambassador for Crewe Saddlery.

Woody works with able bodied and disabled riders, and we required a dressage saddle that was supportive but not too high in the cantle to make it easy for all riders to mount.

Crewe Saddlery fitted an Arena Saddles Cob Dressage 17.5” 2XW with rear shims and two sets of thigh blocks to fine tune the support for the rider.

We are extremely grateful for the generosity and support from Bea (pictured) at Crewe Saddlery.

Crewe Saddlery do our annual saddle fittings for all our horses and ponies, keeping both horse and rider comfortable in sessions. We are very impressed with the fit of our saddles and the standard of service we receive.

Well done to CSRC riders Julie and Lily at Kelsall para dressage this morning. Both got 66% and a lovely red and blue ribbon. They have both made great improvements and the partnerships are growing.

Clwyd Special Riding Centre offers a great scheme where para riders can train and compete on our Centre's horses. We offer excellent training opportunities from top coaches.

Fantastic to see Stephen enjoying is Equine Assisted Therapy (EAT) session with Mouse. Smiles all around!

If you would like to know more about our EAT sessions, contact our EAT Practitioner, Beth Woods on 01352 770446 (Option 5) or email [email protected]

Book your place on the next Flatwork Clinic with Sandra Edwards, List 2 British Dressage Judge, on Sunday 23rd June here at Clwyd Special Riding Centre.

Cost for a private session:

£45 for 45 mins on your own horse.
£30 for 30 mins on your own horse.

£55 for 45 mins on a hired CSRC horse*
£40 for 30 mins on a hired CSRC horse*

*Please note: you must be a regular participant at the Centre to be able to hire a CSRC horse for this event.

The sessions will be held outdoors but we do have availability to use the indoor arena from 2:30pm - 5pm.

HOW TO BOOK:
Contact our Equine Manager, Faye, by phone on 01352 770446 (Option 3) or email: [email protected]

These clinics are very popular, so book early to secure your place. Places offered on a first come, first served basis.

We would like to share the bittersweet news that Brian has moved on to a new home and is no longer owned by Clwyd Special Riding Centre.

Brian has always demonstrated the characteristics of the Clydesdale breed as he is gentle, willing and wants to please, and, despite his size, he always showed undeniable care for his riders. Brian was always a big favourite at the Centre, loved by many. However, we felt it was time he moved onto a more relaxed home for a well-deserved pamper.

We are sure that Brian will excel in his new home with Alex, previous Groom and Yard Supervisor at CSRC, and we look forward to seeing what he is up to in the future.

Brian is a very special horse, and we shall miss him greatly.

If Brian was lucky enough to have been adopted by you, we have transferred your remaining adoption period over to Mouse, who is very grateful for your support.

Please nominate Clwyd Special Riding Centre!

Visit this site to nominate: https://www.facebook.com/share/wpZSCA4vBsfJhmz6/ thank you.

Do you know a BHS Riding Centre in the North West that goes above and beyond to make a positive impact in your community? Whether it's through exceptional coaching, community engagement, or providing invaluable support to riders of all levels, we want to hear about it!

Tag your local BHS Approved Riding Centre in the comments below and nominate them for the Approved Centre Award at this year's BHS Awards. Let's celebrate the centres that make a real difference in our equestrian community! 🌟🐴

👉 https://wkf.ms/3TJHwVw

We are thrilled to share that during National Volunteers’ Week, our volunteers have received several awards for their dedication to volunteering...

ASSOCIATION OF VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS IN WREXHAM (AVOW)...

At AVOW's 40th Anniversary Awards which took place at Gresford Memorial Hall, Gerry Green (pictured top left) received the 'AVOW Award for acknowledgement of her continued commitment and dedication to volunteering in the community'. See our previous story about the amazing work that Gerry has done over the years. The many comments made on social media are testimony to how many people’s lives she has had a positive impact on.

Pam Jones, Fellow of the RDA and Advanced RDA Coach at the Centre, received AVOW’s ‘40 Years Superstar Award’ for volunteering service. (Pictured top right).

Pam is an inspirational and highly esteemed coach and mentor. She began her RDA journey in 1983 when, having achieved her BHSAI she became an RDA group instructor. Little did anybody know that this was the start of four decades of dedication and commitment, to not only her local RDA group but also to the region, the county, nationally and internationally.

It was Pam’s natural gift for teaching riding that quickly led her on the pathway to becoming an RDA Advanced Coach and receiving the very prestigious RDA Fellowship Award.

Her kindness, patience, attention to detail and ‘nothing is ever too much’ attitude, endears her to the participants and their families. The result of which has meant that many participants have achieved their dreams of competing at the RDA National Championships. which Pam has attended for the last 30 years!

Pam is not only committed to the coaches, participants and volunteers but also to the horses here at the Centre. Always ensuring that their welfare comes before all else. There is nothing that she doesn’t know about RDA. At the age of 70, Pamela is supposed to be trying to step back from volunteering but shows no signs of slowing down.

CSRC is very lucky to have these two amazing ladies along with all those who volunteer their precious time each week or whenever needed.

FLINTSHIRE LOCAL VOLUNTARY COUNCIL (FLVC)...

Emily Morgan from Flintshire Local Voluntary Council came to the Centre yesterday to present a certificate to recognise, acknowledge and thank volunteers for all that they do. Emily brought cake which added to the array of cakes already provided as a treat for all volunteers throughout the week. (Pictured bottom).

THANK YOU volunteers, you are ALL superstars...!

Gerry’s, Pam’s and Abbie’s stories are just three great case studies shared from our team of amazing volunteers. This week was about celebrating ALL of our fabulous volunteers, past and present. Volunteers are the lifeline of our charity. Without their support we simply could not deliver our therapy sessions, maintain the Centre, or grow our services to enable more people to access the benefits of equine therapy.

GET INVOLVED:

Just a few regular hours a week from a volunteer can help offer more people the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of equine therapy; and the act of volunteering can help to enhance your own well-being too. And while we need volunteers who can commit to weekly sessions, we are also looking for people who can help at events, and to maintain the site and garden areas.

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT VOLUNTEERING CONTACT:

Sara Henney, Volunteering Coordinator on 01352 770446 (Option 4) or email: [email protected].

Visit our website to read again all our volunteer stories from this week: https://clwydspecialridingcentre.co.uk/news/

This year’s Annual Drinks Party raises £3,350!

Despite the exceptionally wet weather, the exquisite interior of the 16th century Knolton Hall, provided the perfect venue to host our Annual Drinks Party on 16th May.

Over 100 people attended the event, and once warmed by a complimentary glass of wine and canapes, the conversation flowed.

The evening was a great success and the total funds raised come to a fantastic £3,350!

We are exceptionally grateful to Mr & Mrs Edward Chantler for enabling us to host this event in their beautiful home, and to the members of CSRC’s Fundraising Committee, who themselves are volunteers, and worked tirelessly to provide a steady flow of refreshments and delicious canapes. Thank you also to Nigel Churton for supplying the donation bar.

CSRC Chair of Trustees, John Reynolds, spoke at the event. John said: “As the relatively new Chair of CSRC, this was the first time I have attended the annual drinks party. It was wonderful to see so many supporters come together. It was a great opportunity for me to learn more of their connection to the Centre, and also for them to hear about how they can help support our amazing charity going forward. We are so grateful for their generosity and for helping us to raise a fantastic amount.”

Thank you again to everyone who bought tickets. The positive feedback we have received tells us you had an enjoyable evening!

Why not follow our social media accounts to find out more about what our incredible team of horses, staff and volunteers do, and make sure you don’t miss the date and venue of our next event…

If you missed out this year but would still like to make a donation to Clwyd Special Riding Centre, visit our website donation page to give through JustGiving: https://clwydspecialridingcentre.co.uk/donate/ or contact our Fundraising Manager, Caroline Dingwall at [email protected]

DAY 4 of National Volunteers' Week!

Today we share the experience, Abbey Roberts, has had as a volunteer at Clwyd Special Riding Centre. She was so inspired by the benefits she received as a participant, she signed up to volunteer...

“I’m Abbie, and I am a former volunteer. Although well managed, I have chronic health conditions. As a child, I was a Hippotherapy and RDA riding participant. I truly believe these sessions were a huge turning point for me and the progress I have since made.

"I had no idea what I wanted to do as a career. Feeling frustrated, I began volunteering at the Centre. Being a volunteer has given me so much more than I initially imagined it would. I have gained so much confidence in myself and what I am capable of.

"I've become so passionate about helping young people with additional needs that I now know this is what I want to pursue a career in.”

GET INVOLVED:
Just a few regular hours a week from a volunteer can help offer more people the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of equine therapy; and the act of volunteering can help to enhance your own well-being too. And while we need volunteers who can commit to weekly sessions, we are also looking for people who can help at events, and to maintain the site and garden areas.

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT VOLUNTEERING CONTACT: Sara Henney, Volunteering Coordinator on 01352 770446 (Option 4) or email: [email protected]

DAY 3 of National Volunteers' Week!

It’s not only individuals who volunteer their time here at the Centre. Many companies have a Corporate Social Responsibility promise that encourages their employees to give back to the local community and charities by volunteering their time and skills.

CSRC is very grateful to have had support from employees of the locally based Genfit, a Solar PV and Battery installation company, to help out with various projects around the Centre.

So far this year, three teams from Genfit have spent a day at CSRC. Together, they have helped to make a real difference, from re-organising our rug room (which was no mean feat!), spending a few hours sorting out much-needed cupboard space to store our Christmas decorations; to weeding the entrance to our holiday accommodation just in time to welcome our first RDA Holiday of the season.

Thank you to the Genfit employees for your continued support!

ARE YOU A QUALIFIED TRADESPERSON?

We are also in need of experienced, qualified tradespeople such as electricians, plumbers and roofers who would be willing to volunteer their expertise and skills from time to time to help maintain some of our buildings. We have several residential and communal buildings, two office blocks and two stable yards, all of which are used on a regular basis by our participants and their families.

Keeping them all in good working order is paramount to our charity being able to continue to offer the excellent services that we do to the local community and surrounding areas.

FIND OUT MORE:

If you work for a company that wishes to offer some volunteering in the local community, then please don’t hesitate to contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Sara Henney, who will be more than happy to chat with you about the opportunities available.

Tel: 01352 770446 (Option 4) or email: [email protected]

Read the Genfit volunteering stories:
https://clwydspecialridingcentre.co.uk/news/news_article.php?id=236
https://clwydspecialridingcentre.co.uk/news/news_article.php?id=216

We welcomed our youngest participant onto the BHS Changing Lives Through Horses (CLTH) programme recently and what a busy bee she has been working towards her Achieve Awards.

We have used various learning techniques to make learning more engaging, fun and interactive.

Our star pony, 'Sassy Sucky', has been at the centre of our activities and what a saint he has been - from being washed from head to toe, to having stickers stuck all over him!

We have also used our drawing and planning skills to plan an obstacle course which we then built with the help of some of our amazing volunteers. Then it was Little Jack’s turn to test out the course and, as always, he was an absolute gentleman in every sense of the word. In the coming weeks we will be riding around the same obstacle course with a few additions made – watch this space!

Activities such as the above help to develop the following key life-skills which are the key aims of the programme: 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀, 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸, 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲, and overall help with personal development.

WHAT IS THE BHS CHANGING LIVES THROUGH HORSES PROGRAMME?

The CLTH programme is aimed at children who have become or are at risk of becoming disengaged or excluded from school, have additional needs including social, emotional and mental health needs or those who are home-schooled.

We currently have spaces available for children aged 8-11 years old on our Wednesday afternoon session that takes place from 2pm – 4.30pm. We will have more sessions available soon for those who are aged 12–18 years old.

FIND OUT MORE:

For further details about the BHS Changing Lives Through Horses Programme at CSRC, please contact our CLTH programme leader, Sara Henney. Sara will be happy to chat with you about the benefits of the programme for young people and how its activities nurture skills to enable personal growth that would otherwise remain hidden.

Email: [email protected]
Tel: 01352 770446 (Option 4)

DAY 2 of National Volunteers' Week!

Today we share the experience, Gerry Green has had as a volunteer at Clwyd Special Riding Centre...

“30 years on and I am still volunteering!

"The joy of being part of someone’s progressive journey is immeasurable. I feel privileged to have supported children right from their very first riding session through to them leaving school; even to proudly watching them compete at the Para Olympics.

"The RDA too is one big global family, and one that, as an RDA Instructor and holiday organiser, has allowed me to travel to America, and to help run holidays at CSRC for groups visiting from Hong Kong and Russia.

"I am proud to be part of a solution that provides opportunities to those who may not have access to the benefits of sport, the recognition, enjoyment, and acquisition of skills within a highly recognised discipline.

"Volunteering is not just about giving to others; it has enriched my life too.”

GET INVOLVED:
Just a few regular hours a week from a volunteer can help offer more people the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of equine therapy; and the act of volunteering can help to enhance your own well-being too. And while we need volunteers who can commit to weekly sessions, we are also looking for people who can help at events, and to help maintain the site and garden areas.

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT VOLUNTEERING AT THE CENTRE, CONTACT: Sara Henney, Volunteering Coordinator on 01352 770446 (Option 4) or email: [email protected].