Purley Bowls Club members are pleased to be supporting The Diamond Centre For Disabled Riders as our Captain’s Charity for the 2025 season.

The Diamond Centre provides adults and children with disabilities, therapeutic time with horses, either mounted or unmounted.

The Diamond Centre for Disabled Riders is a registered charity, which provides unique facilities to benefit disabled children and adults by having regular contact with horses. They have around 350 riders per week, with a range of disabilities, aged range from 3 to 75+ years old. Every week they enjoy time with horses, mounted or unmounted, vaulting or carriage driving, with the assistance of the Diamond Centre instructors, volunteers and staff. All participants gain something out of their sessions whether it’s physical, sensory, educational or communicative benefits and, of course, it puts a smile on everyone’s faces!

As part of the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA), The Diamond Centre exists to provide disabled people with the opportunity to ride, carriage drive or vault at the level of their ability to benefit their health and well being.

The benefits of horse riding and interaction with the disabled are well documented. The riders with mobility issues experience the sense of a freedom of movement and those with emotional issues or autism find empathy with the horses and can gain a great sense of calm and independence from riding. Families and carers often tell us that the riders improve their social skills and confidence with riding, it’s a great conversation starter and for many who feel socially awkward, talking about their horses can lower the barriers.

The riders
The Diamond Centre’s wide range of activities offer excellent opportunities to riders of all abilities and ages – from 3 to over 75 years old. All riding (including hippotherapy), vaulting and carriage driving takes place under expert instruction.

The riders have a wide range of disabilities including cerebral palsy, controlled epilepsy, Down syndrome, autism, learning difficulties and behavioural problems. It is widely recognised that interaction with horses and riding benefits disabled children and adults both physically and mentally. The centre also help victims of brain trauma injuries who can show remarkable improvements through riding.

For many riders it is one of the few activities they can participate in and experience some form of independence and gain a great sense of achievement which adds to and aids their wellbeing.