The Cavalier Centre near Much Wenlock wins £20,000 marketing boost

It has been a year of good news for The Cavalier Centre, the riding charity near Much Wenlock that offers equestrian activities, therapies and sport for disabled children and adults across Shropshire.

The centre has been chosen as the 2026 recipient of Reech and Reward, an initiative run by Shrewsbury marketing agency Reech. To mark five years of the scheme, Reech doubled its pledge from £10,000 to £20,000 of marketing support, which will give the charity a complete rebrand, a new website and new photography and video to help with awareness and fundraising.

"Every single day we see how transformational horse-assisted therapy is for the adults and children who come through our doors," said centre manager Hayley Jay. "This will make a massive difference to everything we do here." Reech founder Rob Hughes said the round had been the toughest yet, but the centre's ambition shone through at the live pitch day.

The charity was established in 1995 and is home to Perry Riding for the Disabled Association. Its activities include horse riding, carriage driving, hippotherapy (physiotherapy on horseback) and horse care, and more than 200 volunteers help to deliver them.

The centre has also said a warm thank you to Selina Graham, who has stepped down as chair of trustees. During her time in the role Perry RDA became the Cavalier Centre and opened to the public in 2019, gained British Horse Society approval and launched programmes including Stable Relationships, which the RDA later trialled as its official equine-facilitated learning programme. In 2023 the centre received the King's Award for Voluntary Service, presented by the Princess Royal. In her honour the outdoor arena has been renamed The Graham Arena, and Annabel Abell has taken over as chair.

The charity is also working on a project called Creating Inclusive Outdoor Experiences, which plans a sensory trail, a willow refuge for rainy days, fruit trees, a picnic area, a memorial garden and a camping area where youth groups could stay overnight.

Anyone interested in riding, volunteering or fundraising can get in touch with The Cavalier Centre near Much Wenlock, and a new website is on the way as the Reech project takes shape.