The Broadlands Riding for the Disabled Group provides therapeutic facilities for disabled and disadvantaged children and adults in Hampshire. We have now completed the first phase, replacing the asbestos roof and building a room for parents and carers to watch the riding and that also acts as an office for the staff. Our next phase is to assist accident victims and sufferers of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in a new therapy area.
The first challenge is to replace a deteriorating asbestos roof on the riding school, but this is not just about repairing old outdated facilities. We have a far greater vision. It's all about redeveloping and enhancing essential facilities and services within the Broadlands' complex, acquiring and training more ponies and volunteers to enable us to offer help to an increasing number of disadvantaged people in the future.
Broadlands has seen a shift from primarily helping those with physical disabilities such as spina bifida, cerebral palsy and the after-effects of polio to adults and children with learning difficulties. This is apparent from the children featured in the video here and on the Broadlands RDA website. Those that Broadlands RDA can help is ever increasing with a growing waiting list for adults and children. We need to repair, enhance and develop our facilities to achieve this.
We will be able to offer more therapeutic rides and additional equine therapy facilities to help those with psychological problems such as depression, low self-esteem and Post Traumatic Stress Disorders. A new Learning Centre and secure office facilities would improve how we deliver training. Upgrading essential facilities will allow us to increase the number of volunteers involved who, after training, will bring hope to the lives of more people suffering from physical and mental disorders.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
