Park Lane Stables is all about people, and when we met architect Sam Kamleh we could tell she was the right person to work with us on renovating our Teddington home. Sam runs locally based architecture firm AWK and is responsible for some great local community projects. She is committed both to sustainability in construction and to upgrading existing structures wherever possible.

When we shared our ideas with Sam it was clear she had the drive and enthusiasm to work with us to realise them in bricks and mortar. We’ll be choosing from three sets of drawings very soon, so we can finally set to work on making them a reality.

Over the 12 years that we rented Park Lane Stables we weren’t able to give the building the attention it deserved. Now our new renovation will come with TLC built in. This is development for the long term. Once we’re back we’ll be there to stay.

Park Lane wasn’t just the Stables – part of the building was home to Natalie and her family. That is being redeveloped as a welcoming space where visitors will be able to relax and of course say hello to the day’s ‘cuddle pony’ if they wish. As well as offering riding and other interaction with horses for vulnerable visitors and those with disabilities, we’ll be extending the therapy and counselling available.

We constantly meet amazing individuals coping with adversity and achieving great things. But most of them are able to do what they do because of the carers and family who support them. So who supports the carers? Many shoulder their own burdens because they seem slight compared to the person they support, but it doesn’t lessen the weight.

A Counsellor qualified in Equine Therapy has just joined our team, a brand new role which is part of our Teddington future. She will be on hand for when one of our visitors – disabled, vulnerable, living with trauma, carer – needs someone to talk to. Using her unique skills she identifies the help that interaction with horses can provide.

What else can you tell us about Teddington’s future?

Carriage driving will be based here, using the smooth and scenic avenues of Bushy Park, and riding will resume in the Park too. New licences need to be applied for before we can do this, and those are dependent on having dates to move back in.

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