Herefordshire Riding for the Disabled is celebrating the approval of planning permission to construct a modern riding therapy facility at its new site between Llangrove and Whitchurch in the South of the county.

The new centre will include a 30m x 60m indoor riding arena and hydraulic rider hoist, viewing area, 15 stables and a mechanical therapy horse room.

The RDA has outgrown its current home at Holme Lacy College and has been looking for a larger site that will allow for much-needed development. Over 100 people, aged 5 to 75, currently attend weekly riding therapy sessions, but the new facility will allow us to extend this and also offer weekend sessions. The new arena will be more than twice the size of the one at Holme Lacy, allowing for exciting activities such as RDA show jumping

RDA supports everyone with a learning or physical impairment, as well as those with mental health conditions. Our fully qualified and specially trained coaches support individuals to determine how riding and contact with horses (also known as equine human therapy) might best enhance their physical and mental well-being.

Work on the Llangrove is anticipated to begin this summer, however, help is still needed to support both the build and implementation of this exciting project. "We are very fortunate to have already secured funds to start this project, but we need financial help to complete the entire build," says Sarah Wells, a trustee for the Herefordshire RDA. "We're launching our Build a Barn campaign today and would to love to hear from any local businesses who may be able to help with any construction materials. This might be anything from gates to fence posts or hardcore to kitchen appliances, we are going to need it all. We're also launching a crowd funding campaign for everyone to get involved; it is such a big project that every penny really does count.

You can help by:

1) Donating individually to this page

2) Getting together to hold an event and donate proceeds to our campaign. It could a coffee morning, cake sale or open gardens.

3) Donate materials to the project. We'd love to hear from any businesses who could donate anything from gravel, paving slabs to concrete or wash basins.

Pictured below - (l) Emily Peachy Yard Manager & RDA Coach and (r) Claire Chandler - RDA Centre Manager with mascot Squirt the miniature pony