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Broadlands Group

Riding for the Disabled

the ability to improve the lives

of those with a disability

Copyright © Broadlands Group Riding for the Disabled      Registered Charity: 1074408

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55th Anniversary

2010

We have started our 55th year of  helping disabled people and are planning a fabulous Open Day in celebration.

Did you ride with us?  We would love to hear anyone that has been involved with  Broadlands over the years.  We are trying to collect together as many memories of Broadlands through the years as we can.

We will be holding our Open Day at Broadlands on Saturday 17 July 2010 and would like to invite all our friends.

Please contact us with your details and any information or pictures you have.

The History of Broadlands.

The grounds of Broadlands were laid out in 1900 by an Australian Doctor for use as a Nature Care Centre.  The name comes from the Broad lanes that surround the immediate area which provides wonderful riding.

Mr & Mrs Frank Welch came to Broadlands at the end of 1946 and started a holiday home for overseas children.  The family ponies became very much part of the holidays.

Mrs Flora Welch started taking disabled riders for lessons in the 1950’s.  These riders were mostly spastic of suffering from poliomyelitis and came from Farnham.

The group became official in 1964 and was one of the original members of the Advisory Council on Riding for the Disabled.

Mrs Welch died in 1975 and the Group carried on with the same committee and her daughter Mrs Suzanne Stratford took over as instructor.

We are now a registered charity and raise all of the funds necessary to support 8 ponies.  All of our helpers and instructors supply their time free and willingly.  During school term we offer rides to children from Treloar School, Froyle and Shepherds Down School, nr Winchester.  We also offer rides to local children and adults that can benefit from riding.