Over a year’s worth of hard work, a huge fundraising effort and generosity beyond measure will be celebrated on Tuesday 19th December. Her Royal Highness, the Princess Royal, president of Riding for the Disabled will formally open the new home of the RDA’s Woodbridge and District Group.
Her Royal Highness will open the purpose-built premises, which include 40m x 20m indoor and outdoor arenas, community area, 25 acres of paddocks for grazing and a 1km all-weather track for carriage driving.
In a programme designed to showcase their new home and the valuable work of the Group, Her Royal Highness will meet volunteers, riders and horses. After a riding demonstration and awards ceremony, a formal unveiling of a plaque to mark Her Royal Highness’ visit will take place.
Suzanne Hammond Trustee for the Group said “We are absolutely delighted that our new home will be formally opened by Her Royal Highness, the Princess Royal. This will mean so much to our riders, carriage drivers and volunteers. Everyone has worked so hard over the last year to make our new home possible. We are so grateful and today is really the icing on the cake”.
The land and old farm buildings at the Groups’ new home ‘The Bays’, has been provided on a long-term lease by local landowners, the Chamberlain Family.
The Chamberlain family said, “This is a wonderful charity to be associated with and we are sure that the Group’s activities will benefit everyone involved”.
Suzanne Hammond said “We greatly appreciate the Chamberlain family allowing us the opportunity to develop our new home and build the indoor arena. Her Royal Highness, the Princess Royal opening our new premises today is a wonderful Christmas present to all involved. But our work doesn’t stop now, in the New Year we have more fund raising to do to raise money for the continued renovations and a hoist to help some of our riders mount more easily.”
The Group will start riding lessons and carriage driving from their new home in January.
