Former supermodel turned TV celebrity Jodie Kidd and Grand National winning jockey Mick Fitzgerald went to the Greatwood racehorse rescue centre this week to present certificates to school children who have taken part in its Horse Power programme.

Miss Kidd also took along a cheque for £10,000 from her charity the Jodie Kidd Foundation towards the running cost of Horse Power, a unique scheme developed at Greatwood by Michael and Helen Yeadon enabling special needs children to work with the ex-race horses and gain an Open College Network qualification.

Mrs Yeadon said: “This cheque from Jodie is almost a life saver as we are so desperately short of funds because many of the donations and sponsors have been affected by the recession.”

Miss Kidd, 32, said she had taken an interest in the racehorse rescue centre and especially its work with underprivileged children when she lived in Savernake Forest until about seven years ago.

She said that when she set up the Jodie Kidd Foundation she decided it would help charities for three of her favourite needy causes: children (the NSPCC), horses (Greatwood) and poverty in India (the Monsoon Accessorize Trust).

Fitzgerald who won the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Grand National in 2008 said : “The work they do here is outstanding and I can see from my regular visits the difference it has made to the children.”