This year sees the start of the 50th Year celebrations of riding at the Diamond Centre. Way back in 1969 a gentleman called Keith Webb and his wife June, arranged for children from Queen Mary’s Hospital for Children, Carshalton and Croydon Spastics Society to have some pony rides at Diamond Farm Riding School in Oxted. Later that year the rides were moved to the hospital grounds with the ponies being transported in for twice weekly sessions and continued there until 1971 when a fund raising drive raised the £75,000 needed to buy the land and develop the first few buildings on the site that is now The Diamond Centre. Construction began in January 1973 with the first lessons in the arena starting in September 1973. The Centre was officially opened by Princess Anne in May 1974. Over the years literally thousands of disabled children and adults have benefitted from riding at Diamond, some have been coming for over 30 years and the Diamond – and especially the horses – is very much at the heart of many peoples lives. We have over 200 volunteers, again some of them coming for years, who give their time on a weekly basis to help the disabled enjoy the benefits of regular contact with horses. We are a registered charity and the Diamond receives no government or local authority funding to help us meet the running costs which are currently approximately £350,000 per annum.

We will be having many celebrations throughout the next 12 months, the first date for your diaries is the 9th May 2020 for a Diamond Spring Ball at the Oaks Park Golf Club – further details to follow.