Catherine McCully, wife of our President, Douglas, was awarded the British Empire Medal in the King’s Birthday Honours List for her work with the ‘Riding for the Disabled Association’. Catherine first became involved with the RDA when she and Douglas came back from his year at staff college in India in 1972. In February 1973 she was asked to bring Neptune, her Grey cob, along to the newly formed Cobbes Meadow Group at Chartham, Kent. Neptune was purchased in 1970 from the side of the road in Northern Ireland when they were stationed in Ballykinler. (He was named after the water cannon used on the streets of Belfast at the time!) This began Catherine’s long association with the group – helping people of all ages and many different types of disabilities to learn the joy and fun of horse riding. Fifty years on Catherine is still contributing, although there have been many changes along the way. Building a new centre, visits from Princess Anne, and the group receiving a number of other awards. Seen above she looks after the ponies, which are used every day.
