Overview
The Wormwood Scrubs Pony Centre is a unique inner-city charity in West London that provides equestrian therapy and riding opportunities for disabled children and young people, many of whom have learning difficulties and physical disabilities. The Centre offers a safe, supportive environment where children and adults alike can flourish through pony activities, volunteering, and community engagement.
Until recently, the Pony Centre had no network infrastructure — no wired connectivity, no Wi-Fi, and no reliable internet access. Staff and volunteers relied on limited tools, which made day-to-day communication, coordination, and outreach challenging.
Panacea Networking stepped in to change that. By donating expertise, labour, and resources — and re-allocating enterprise technology that would otherwise have been sold or scrapped — Panacea designed and delivered a modern wired and wireless network that is already transforming how the Centre operates. The equipment itself was generously donated by the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH), making this a collaborative act of social good.
Challenges
- No existing infrastructure: The Centre had no wired or wireless network in place, meaning a complete design and installation was required.
- Limited internet options: Connectivity was restricted to an outdated PSTN line with speeds capped around 25 Mbps.
- Tight budgets: As a small charity, the Centre could not afford costly licences or ongoing support.
- Wide site environment: The network needed to provide fast and stable coverage across multiple indoor and outdoor spaces where therapy and riding sessions take place.
The Panacea Solution
- Re-Use of Donated Enterprise Hardware
- Panacea worked with the RNOH to source Extreme Networks enterprise hardware that would otherwise have been retired. By repurposing this equipment, the Centre gained a professional-grade solution at no cost.
- Structured Cabling Installation
- Ethernet wiring was installed throughout the grounds, providing reliable wired backhaul to offices, staff areas, and access points.
- Affordable High-Speed Internet
- To replace the old PSTN connection, Panacea deployed a 5G/LTE performance router with high-gain antennas, achieving a much faster and more resilient internet link at a fraction of the cost of a leased line.
- Wireless Survey & Deployment
- Comprehensive wireless surveys ensured coverage was optimised, giving staff, volunteers, and visitors access to strong Wi-Fi across the Pony Centre’s buildings and outdoor areas.
- Extreme Networks Connect Management
- By leveraging Extreme’s free “Connect” solution, the Centre can manage up to 10 wired and wireless devices centrally, avoiding licence fees while still benefiting from enterprise-class controls.
- Ongoing Support
- As part of the donation, Panacea committed to 12 months of free monitoring and support, giving the charity peace of mind as they adapt to the new system.
Results & Impact
- Reliable Connectivity: Staff, volunteers, and families now benefit from fast, stable Wi-Fi across the entire site.
- Operational Efficiency: Improved connectivity makes scheduling, administration, and communication much easier.
- Community Engagement: The Centre can now connect more effectively with families, schools, and support organisations.
- Direct Benefit for Disabled Children: By strengthening operations and digital access, the Pony Centre can deliver activities for children and young people with disabilities more effectively.
- Sustainable Technology: Repurposing enterprise hardware showcased how foresight and ingenuity can reduce waste while maximising impact.
In total, the project, including equipment, installation, and labour, is valued at £15,500, a transformational contribution for the charity.
In Their Words
“On behalf of Tonya and the Trustees of the Wormwood Scrubs Pony Centre, I would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to you for your time, expertise, and generosity in installing our new enterprise-grade wired and wireless network.
The gift of such an advanced system, together with the considerable labour and contractor costs that you and your team covered, is an extraordinary act of support. Knowing that the total value of the system is in the region of £15,500 brings home the scale of your contribution. We are deeply grateful.
This upgrade will make a tremendous difference to the Pony Centre. Reliable connectivity will improve how we communicate, manage our operations, and engage with the families, schools, and community groups who rely on us. It will also make a real impact on how we can plan and deliver activities for our disabled riders and participants, ensuring our staff and volunteers can work more effectively to provide the care and opportunities that are at the heart of our mission.
Thank you again for recognising the Pony Centre as a worthwhile cause and for so generously sharing your skills and resources. Your support is making a real difference.”
– Tonya Ellis (Chief Executive) and Trustees, Wormwood Scrubs Pony Centre
About the Wormwood Scrubs Pony Centre
The Wormwood Scrubs Pony Centre was founded in 1989 by Sister Mary Joy Langdon, who has dedicated her life to making equestrian activities accessible to children and young people with disabilities. Her vision was to create an inner-city riding school that would give participants a safe space to flourish physically, emotionally, and socially through the therapeutic power of ponies and horses.
The Centre has received notable recognition over the years. It was formally opened by HRH Princess Anne, and its work has been acknowledged by both Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. These royal connections reflect the Centre’s longstanding reputation as a unique and valued institution.
Support has also come from the wider community, including celebrity patrons such as Annika Rice and Martin Clunes, who have helped raise awareness of the charity’s work.
Today, the Centre remains a lifeline for hundreds of families, schools, and community groups each year. With its dedicated staff and volunteers, it continues to deliver equestrian therapy, riding lessons, and volunteering opportunities to children and young people with physical disabilities, learning difficulties, and special educational needs.
Why It Matters
This project goes beyond installing a network. It shows how donation, ingenuity, and foresight can repurpose technology for a higher purpose. By giving enterprise hardware and expert labour a second life, Panacea delivered more than connectivity, it helped empower a community, enabling the Wormwood Scrubs Pony Centre to keep changing lives for disabled children and young people.
