NOMINATIONS for HOAR’s Who Cares Wins Awards 2022 have been open less than 24 hours and inspiring entries are already flooding in.
Bowelbabe cancer campaigner Dame Deborah James yesterday launched our annual hunt for health heroes who go above and beyond for patients or communities — from doctors and nurses to porters and paramedics, volunteers and fundraisers.
Our awards, in partnership with NHS Charities Together, will honour them later this year.
One such hero is Natalie O’Rourke, who received last year’s gong for Best Health Charity.
For 14 years she has run Park Lane Stables, a riding school in Teddington, South West London, that is a life-line for children and adults with disabilities and additional needs.
After it faced closure last year after the landlord decided to sell, Natalie raised £1.3million in eight weeks so it could be the charity’s for ever home.
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Natalie, 46, and stables volunteer Philippa George, 25, received her award from Virgin Radio DJ Chris Evans, in front of guests including PM Boris Johnson and Prince William, at a bash shown on Channel 4.
Natalie tells her story in her new book Only Heroes And Horses. In an exclusive extract below, she describes her extraordinary night at the Who Cares Wins awards.
Health award put us on top of the world
“WHEN HOAR told me I was nominated for Who Cares Wins I was flabbergasted. Park Lane Stables, nominated for a prestigious award? I could hardly take it in.
“But after all the months and months of hard work to save the stables, it was the boost I needed.
“The day of the awards was surreal from the very start. It wasn’t every day that I got picked up by chauffeured car and driven to a luxury hotel to get glammed up by a squad of professionals.
“In fact, that had never happened to me in my life before. I had been told I could bring three guests, so I’d chosen my friend Nina, who nominated me, my daughter Alice, who was ten, and Philippa, one of our loyal participants.
“During our hours getting glammed up, we met the other finalists in the Best Health Charity category.
The future King strode in
“They were all so inspirational that I thought Park Lane Stables would have no chance of winning. But I was OK with that, as the other nominees were all very worthy winners.
“When we were shown into the Roundhouse in London, the venue for the ceremony, it was so beautiful it took my breath away. But what really stopped me in my tracks were the exquisitely dressed people moving through it.
“I spotted David Beckham and Rod Stewart chatting to Kate Garraway, foot-ballers Tyrone Mings and Troy Deeney, Chancellor Rishi Sunak greeting The Apprentice’s Karren Brady, while Gary Lineker gave a knowing nod to TV presenter Piers Morgan. It was surreal being surrounded by so many familiar faces. All of a sudden we were urged to sit down, because Prince William and Boris Johnson were about to arrive.
“All eyes spun to the back of the room, where the Prime Minister and the future King of England were striding in. Then it was time for the show to begin and we listened, rapt, to some of the incredible stories of the nominees.
“There was the doctor who had come to the UK as an Afghan refugee and now ran a charity connecting British doctors with those in war zones. The paramedics who were stabbed while out on duty but risked their lives to save each other.
“The young man who had bravely dived into the Thames to save a stranger’s life, and lost his own life in the process. I couldn’t stop crying.
“With my category, Best Health Charity, up next, my stomach clenched. Winning really wasn’t the most important thing, but I could just imagine how much it would mean to everyone at Park Lane if we pulled it off. The event’s host, Davina McCall, introduced Chris Evans, who would be presenting the award.
“He made a short speech about how the winning charity put the “zing” in “amazing” and was a lifeline to people in need. It couldn’t be us . . . could it?
““Let’s have a look at the incredible work they do,” said Chris, gesturing at the big screen behind him.
“It lit up, with a glorious aerial shot of a part of the Thames I’d recognise any-where. Then there it was, in gold letters on the screen: Best Health Charity — Park Lane Stables.
“I felt frozen to the spot — an affliction that did not seem to affect Philippa.
“She was already bounding to the stage, where she gave Chris Evans a flying high-five, grabbed the mic and started making her own acceptance speech, while I hung back.
I had tears in my eyes
“Davina had caught my eye and I knew I’d get the chance to say something. I was already planning how I’d dedicate the award to the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) family, all part of the same mission to heal with horses.
“But for now it was important for Philippa to speak, because she spoke for all our participants. I had tears in my eyes as her excited voice rang out.
“Park Lane Stables makes me feel on top of the world,” she said. “I don’t know where I’d be without it.”
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“When I woke the next morning, I had to check it hadn’t all been a dream. But reaching for my phone, and flicking through my camera roll, I saw, yes, I7 did get a selfie with Prince William.”
- Natalie O’Rourke 2022, Extracted from Only Heroes And Horses (Sphere, an imprint of Little, Brown Book Group) at £16.99.
