Calderdale Council has received an impressive regional accolade for its disability sports programme.
At the Disability Sport Yorkshire Annual Awards, the Council received the Outstanding Local Authority Award, recognising the exceptional and inclusive service development and support for disabled young people and adults.
Calderdale Council has been working to promote disability sports and ensure that all those with additional needs can take part fully in a variety of different programmes and sessions.
Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Communities, Cllr Susan Press, said:
“It’s wonderful news that the disability sports team have been awarded such an impressive accolade for their work on the disability sports offer in Calderdale.
“Improving access to disability sports is extremely important, and it’s great that this hard work has been rewarded at a regional level.”
Five-time Paralympic gold medallist, Hannah Cockroft, said of the award:
“I am so pleased that the great work my local Council in Calderdale have been doing to help make sport totally inclusive has been recognised at the Disability Sport Yorkshire Annual Awards. Sport changed my life and I hope that many other disabled young people can benefit in the local area through the efforts of the team.”
In recent years the programme of disability sports on offer in Calderdale has really increased. Working closely together with colleagues in the commissioning team of Adult and Children’s Services, receiving support through the Calderdale ‘Short Breaks Programme’, the Sports Service has put together a wide reaching programme for young people of all abilities. Young people with disabilities can now take part in sports like football, tennis, swimming, trampolining and dancing, from ages 6 to 19.
Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People’s Services, Cllr Megan Swift, said:
“We’ve worked closely with colleagues in sport to ensure that children and young people with disabilities have more opportunities to get involved with sport, either in tailored sessions or in mainstream programmes in our centres. It’s great that this progress has been recognised by Disability Sport Yorkshire.”
All coaches and support staff are not only trained to deliver the sport sessions, but also in any additional requirements such as moving and handling, personal care and the administration of the relevant medical requirements of participants.
For more information about any of the sessions, please contact Calderdale Council’s Disability Sports Development Officer, Debbie Greenwood on Debbie.greenwood@calderdale.gov.uk or call 01422 341527.
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