30/06/08 - Cllr Justin Tomlinson, Sporting Chance For Everyone

Cllr Justin Tomlinson With Swindon Rockets - Croft Sports Centre

Disabled sportsmen and women from across the country headed for Swindon for a day of competition.

About 200 people descended on Dorcan Recreation Complex on Sunday to take part in Swindon's first ever Parachallenge - a free for all day-long disability sporting event.

Even Britain's number one wheelchair tennis champion Louise Hunt dropped in to give visitors a tutorial in the sport.

Visitors played wheelchair tennis, powerchair football and tackled disabled rock climbing.

"The day was a fantastic success," said Ben Humphrey, ability sports training officer for Swindon Council.

"The event is all about inclusion, it's an anything you can do I can do too' thing and it's important that there are the means and facilities out there for people with all different abilities to be able to play sport."

Visitors also spent parts of the day in tai chi workshops learning about relaxation and breathing.

The event was a highlight of Get Active Month - an initiative co-ordinated by Active Swindon, which is a scheme supported by Swindon Council and Swindon Primary Care Trust.

Swindon's recently formed powerchair football team, the Swindon Rockets, faced teams from London and Cornwall and the Swindon Leopards, a football team for adults with learning disabilities, also signed up for a six-a-side competition.

Get Active Month forms part of the Challenge Swindon campaign which is aimed at getting people across the borough more active, more often.

Following Government guidelines, the council aims to raise activity levels by at least one per cent a year and help achieve the target of getting half the population doing 30 minutes of exercise three times a week by 2020.

Coun Justin Tomlinson, cabinet member for leisure, culture and recreation, said: "I am delighted that we are offering exciting new opportunities for people of all abilities to get active.

"It is great news that we have a recently formed powerchair football team in the town and I wish them every success in this competition and for the future."

For more information about the event and disabled sporting groups in Swindon, contact Ben Humphrey at Swindon Council on 01793 617782.

Swindon Advertiser 30/06/08