Council backs disability sport plan (From Warrington Guardian)
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Council backs disability sport plan
5:00pm Monday 29th October 2012 in News
Adrian Derbyshire
A SPORTS project aiming to reap the success of this year’s Paralympics to benefit the area has been backed by Warrington Borough council.
Sport Cheshire, a charity for sport and physical activity, is set to help the council, along with Cheshire East and Cheshire West & Chester Councils understand the needs of the population and create more opportunities for disabled people to participate in sport.
Only one in 15 people with a disability regularly play sport in England. This has increased in the past five years, but it is still relatively small compared to the one in five non-disabled people that regularly take physical exercise.
Sport Cheshire aims to consult with a wide range of people, including disabled athletes, support agencies, governing bodies of sport and non-participants to access the current problems and constraints affecting people with a disability.
They will identify ways of improving the quality of and access to sport facilities for disabled people in Warrington.
GB wheelchair fencer Adrian Derbyshire from Great Sankey said: “What the Paralympics have achieved is to promote a can do attitude when it comes to disability and sport. To have this great nation get behind its athletes it has proven that disability sport has been accepted and embraced by the British public and we now need to continue the momentum and to build on strong foundations London 2012 has achieved.”
Clr Kate Hannon, executive board member for leisure, community and culture for the council, added: “This year’s Paralympics and the success of Team GB are the driving force behind this project and like us we hope that as many people as possible are inspired by this success and are encourage to take part in sports and enjoy not only the health benefits but also the social aspects of being involved in community activities.”
Organisations and individuals wishing to be involved should contact Matt Parker on 01606 330212.
