WITH Volunteer Week looming, names of worthy community members are springing to mind.

Not the least of these are life members of Riding for the Disabled (RDA) NSW members Anne Caines and Tony Compton.

With over 20 years volunteering, Anne Caines was a founding member of the Tweed Valley Riding for the Disabled Centre.

"She has attended almost every day of riding sessions since then, and has always been a reliable, hardworking and devoted volunteer," RDA representative Stephanie Armstrong said.

"Anne has done nearly every job possible in the RDA, apart from coaching.

"She has served on the committee, helped organise and attended volunteer training days, workshops and fund raising events.

"She has also unfailingly attended extra activities such as the Banana Festival.

"Anne has always been willing to do any job necessary, from horse attendant and sidewalker for the riders, to cooking, shopping and cleaning.

"She is not physically able to help regularly at riding sessions any longer, but still does other jobs for the Centre whenever she can."

Tony Compton has been a volunteer for the whole 22 years the Tweed Valley Riding for the Disabled Centre has been operating.

For over half that time, he served on the committee in numerous capacities.

"Tony volunteered in riding sessions twice a week for 19 years and still now volunteers once every week," Ms Armstrong said.

"His main role has been as a sidewalker, encouraging and helping the riders and making them feel safe and confident.

"Tony has attended many training days for sidewalkers over the years, and assisted at many funding raising events.

"He has consistently done extra tasks above the sidewalker role and been an advocate for and representative of the Centre in the general community whenever the opportunity has arisen.

"We appreciate his calmness and skill in assisting anxious and disturbed young riders and his mentoring of new sidewalkers."