Park Lane Stables smashes £1million fundraising target and thanks donors

Following an enormous campaign to raise money to secure its premises for good, Greater London RDA Centre, Park Lane Stables, has smashed its target

Following the announcement that their lease won’t be extended, Park Lane Stables RDA in Teddington, London put out a desperate plea for fundraising, to help them achieve their target of £1million. Buying the stables would allow them to continue supporting their local community.

With just one week to go until their deadline, coverage on BBC Breakfast led to an enormous wave of donations, with nearly £500,000 raised in just two hours. An updated message appeared on the RDA group’s crowdfunding page: “Thank you so much for all of your support so far. The big donations have been fantastic and lifted our spirits every time, but to those who pledged their pocket money, and all the people who gave £5 and £10 and said: ‘sorry I can’t give more’, we and our staff and RDA riders would like to say a huge thank you. Between us we made it happen!”

RDA UK’s Head of Communication and Insight said: “We’re delighted and so excited for the trustees, volunteers, staff, riders and ponies of Park Lane Stables RDA. Congratulations to everyone involved and a massive thank you to all those who pledged their support. This campaign has helped to highlight the vital part played by RDA groups like Park Lane all over the UK, enriching lives through horses. With most of our groups still closed in lockdown, and thousands of riders desperate to get back to their ponies, this good news will be a boost to the whole organisation.

“The next part of the journey will be ensuring a smooth transition and sustainable future for the group, and we will be working with the trustees to help and support them through this exciting new chapter.”

The group still welcomes any extra support – as a charity with ongoing costs, every little helps. With 23 horses to feed, house and pay vet and farrier bills for, the general running costs are high. Any additional funds raised for the group will be put towards future plans to purchase additional land for its horses to graze on and build a secure arena that could be used for RDA riding and carriage driving sessions for participants.

To find out more about or make a donation, visit crowdfunder.co.uk/save-our-stables