The Trustees of Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) have today announced that Chief Executive Ed Bracher will be moving on from the organisation next April.

In a statement, The RDA UK Board said:

“It is with both sadness and gratitude that the board of RDA UK announces the resignation of Chief Executive, Ed Bracher.  

Ed joined RDA UK in 2004 and during his 17 year tenure has provided the organisation with strong leadership that has ensured that the organisation is widely respected as one of the UK’s most important and well known charities.

The board is hugely grateful for Ed’s commitment to the RDA and will be very sorry to lose him as he is universally respected throughout the RDA community and beyond.  His optimistic, inclusive and pragmatic approach will be sorely missed as he embodies the spirit of RDA – committed to making lives better and believing above all that “It’s what you can do that counts”.

Ed has overseen the development of RDA UK into a broader organisation committed to high standards in coaching, including the building of the National Training Centre in 2017 and the recent launch of the Princess Royal Coaching Academy.  He has been a consistent advocate of expanding RDA’s reach, encouraging RDA groups around the country to find innovative ways to help more people. During the pandemic, Ed steered the organisation through this most difficult of periods with a focus on its opportunities as well as challenges, and RDA has emerged with new programmes that will reach even more people over the years to come.   He has stewarded our extraordinary organisation up to and through its 50th anniversary and thanks to him and our team of staff and volunteers, RDA is as strong as at any time in its history.

Ed will be with RDA until April 2022, during which time the board will be undertaking a process to appoint a new Chief Executive. The Board has already begun the process of recruiting an experienced interim Chief Operating Officer to help ensure continuity as the Director of Operations replacement settles in and a smooth transition to the new Chief Executive.”

Ed Bracher said:

“After 17 years at the helm of RDA, I have decided this is the right time for me to move on to the next stage of my career and I will therefore be leaving in April.  As we move forward towards the launch and delivery of a new strategy, it is time for someone new to take up this role and lead RDA to the next stage of its journey.

RDA is an organisation made up of many amazing people, not least our riders and drivers, who I have been privileged to meet and work with.  I am proud of what we have achieved and built up and the part I have played in taking RDA forward.  All of our achievements over my time with RDA – be that improving coaching standards and the introduction of new activities; or the creation of our National Training Centre – have been in pursuit of ensuring people get the best possible experience with RDA.  I am grateful for the support I have received to do this from so many volunteers, from supporters and particularly from my colleagues at National Office, and I hope I leave the organisation stronger than it was when I came into post.

I am excited to begin this new stage of my career, and have several new opportunities to explore. That said, I will be sad to leave an organisation that has given me so much over so many years, and from which I will take away many unforgettable moments. I look forward to keeping up with all of RDA’s future successes, of which I feel sure there will be many.”