Shropshire Star

Club's donation to disabled riding group

A £500 sponsorship donation by Shrewsbury accountancy practice will help to boost funds for a new indoor arena at Shropshire’s Perry Riding for the Disabled Group currently based near Baschurch.

Published
Louise Osselton (left), director of CBSL Accountants with Jane Barker and Selina Graham of Perry RDA. Also pictured is Simon Bird of The Shrewsbury Club.

CBSL will be one of a number of local businesses sponsoring the K12 Children’s Summer Tennis Tournament staged by the Group and to be held at The Shrewsbury Club on July 28. Over 100 children are expected to participate in the event which will add to the funds already raised by Shropshire’s children, through sponsorship, as part of the ‘Kids with 12 months to complete their Challenge’ programme.

In 2014, Perry Riding for the Disabled challenged local children and those further afield to raise £100,000 in a year. It took them slightly longer, but they raised almost £110,000 which kick-started the fundraising and provided a major contribution to the completion of the first phase of the centre’s build programme.

This year’s tournament, the fourth to be staged, will help to fund the second phase of the centre to secure the internal fit-out and add an external carriage driving track.

The Perry RDA Group supports many riders with disabilities ranging from those attending for pure fun through to those competing at international level in dressage.

As the group could only offer outdoor training facilities, inclement weather meant that it had to cancel over 50 per cent of its sessions each year.

The only long-term solution was to build an indoor centre:

Trustee Jane Barker said: “Back in 2013, we literally thought enough is enough and launched our campaign to build an indoor centre with support from RDA National. We have been overwhelmed by the support we have received from local people and the three previous tennis tournaments have raised substantial funds.

“The children participating in the K12 Challenge have so far contributed an astonishing total of £110,000 and we are immensely grateful for their continuing support. We would like to say a massive thank you to CBSL Accountants and our other local supporters, and The Shrewsbury Club for their sponsorship of the tennis tournament.”

Louise Osselton, director of CBSL Accountants, handed over the practice’s £500 sponsorship donation at The Shrewsbury Club to Jane Barker and Selina Graham, trustees of the Perry RDA.

Children still have time to enter the tournament. There are three age categories: Age 10 and under, Age 13 and under, and Age 17 and under with prizes for the winners of each section. To enter, contact mary.cambray@monks.co.uk

Other local businesses supporting the event are solicitors FBC Manby Bowdler and investment management company, Brewin Dolphin. The Shrewsbury Club has provided 10 courts free-of-charge for the event.