The local Carriage Driving for the Disabled Group has its Headquarters within the Merrist Wood Equestrian College near Worplesdon and is affiliated to Riding for the Disabled, a National Charity based at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire. The name of the local Group is the Stelle Hancock Driving Group RDA and its purpose is to provide our disabled members with enjoyment and fulfilment by social interaction with the ponies and our helpers all of whom are volunteers, by learning to drive a pony and carriage in the lovely open countryside in which Merrist Wood is situated. The minimum age for membership is eighteen years. Currently there are some 80 members of whom a third are disabled. The Group has ten carriages specially designed to take wheel chairs and the use of eight ponies which are brought in weekly by their owners. We meet once a week from April to November. Our Disabled members come from Care homes in NE Hampshire, Surrey and Private homes. Among the Able bodied members are a number of qualified AB Whips or drivers who accompany each disabled driver. The remainder of the members are Helpers. It needs five helpers to each carriage! Members compete annually at the Royal Windsor Horse Show, the British Driving Society and RDA Shows.

The cost of running the Group is around £5000 per annum which has to be found from Fund raising and donation. Capital items have to be funded from other sources i.e. the National Lottery and various Benevolent Funds.

We always need helpers. If you feel that you are able to spare the time and would like to join us -- perhaps you have had some experience with horses, please contact the Group at Merrist Wood tel no 01483 234018 and leave your details if no one is there. Similarly if you are disabled and would like to learn to drive.

Begin by standing on a comfortable surface, where you have plenty of room at each side. With a 5lb potato sack in each hand, extend your arms straight out from your sides and hold them there as long as you can. Try to reach a full minute, and then relax. Each day you'll find that you can hold this position for just a bit longer.

After a couple of weeks, move up to 10 lb potato sacks. Then try 50 Ib potato sacks and then eventually try to get to where you can lift a 100 lb potato sack in each hand and hold your arms straight for more than a full minute. (I'm at this level.)

...After you feel confident at that level, put a potato in each of the sacks!