Up for a little competition?

Summer in the UK is the time for students to receive their examination results. Stressful times for parents, students and teachers alike. This can be the culmination of many years of study. The pressure to achieve, these days, is far greater than ever. Many jobs, which in years gone by would be considered more menial, unskilled, now require unprecedented levels of qualification. For some, this is not because the level of knowledge is required, but more that the employers now expect a certain level of education for all employees.
This can be difficult for GCSE students with little or no clear idea of their future career path.
Equally, for children with ‘special educational needs’ this can bring added pressure. If your strengths do not lie in academia, and you find regurgitation of factual knowledge an insurmountable mountain, your choices can become narrow and limited. However, this is not the end. Whether you find learning easy, or practical tasks more ‘your thing’, every single challenge you face is made more interesting by the competitive spirit.
It’s this competitive spirit that makes sport so popular.
For a wheelchair sports club such as ours, the competitive spirit is much in evidence, but not, as some might imagine, in a ‘disability top trumps’ way.
Disability sport is the most inclusive experience you can have, where an able-body is little or no advantage. For team sports, such as wheelchair basketball, the competitive spirit is what keeps us trying to win.
The latest internet craze is the ‘ice bucket challenge’.  This has started to become a general charity awareness act, where even celebrities are getting in on the act. Victoria Beckam, Kylie Minogue, John Terry, Jeremy Clarkson, and even Alex Salmond are all getting wet, and hopefully making a charitable donation. The competitive spirit here is responsible for a surge in awareness and donations for a little known condition, ALS.
Perhaps we can also spread the word that the competitive spirit in all of us (even me!) can be used for good things. For everyone who received the results they wanted, who can now take it to the next level, for everyone who didn’t quite make the grade, who can use this to improve, a competitive spirit can take you places. Mine insisted I achieve academic grades sufficient to become the vet I wanted to be, despite my severe debilitating allergy which actually prevents this becoming a reality.
For students, and sports players, use your competitive spirit to be the best you can be, whether you have a future plan, or you just go where the flow takes you, let it take you as near to the top as you can.

http://www.upworthy.com/the-last-ice-bucket-challenge-you-need-to-see-and-you-really-should-see-it

 

 

A spark extinguished – a sombre post.

August 12th 2014 saw the world waking up to the news of the demise of actor and comedian Robin Williams.

His death, which has been linked to mental illness, has highlighted the potential seriousness of depression. His battle was public, struggle documented and his tributes in the media are using a quote of his; “I used to think the worst thing in life was to end up alone. It is not. The worst thing in life is to end up with people who make you feel alone.”
In Williams’ death, the world has lost an intelligent and talented actor and funny-man. His family has lost a father, husband, grandfather. Initial reports link this apparent suicide to severe depression, and around the world, no doubt, many people are pausing, closing their eyes and remembering others lost to this terrible disorder. Many succumb to a final end, either through accidental or intentional drug overdose, or by more mechanical means. There will be reports, studies, statistics, none of which will be any help to those left behind, or those still fighting the fight.
I have written about the ‘black dog’ before. I still have no answers, I hold no essential comfort. There will always be times where people like Robin Williams feel so alone in the crowd that all they can see is the final exit.
Unfortunately, physical disability and depression are often found hand in hand. Dealing with living a minority life, for any reason at all, whether you’re blind, deaf, use prosthetic limbs, a wheelchair, are heavily tattooed, homosexual, bisexual, transgender, or are just a traffic warden, can have its trials. Inclusive sport can be a way to level the playing field. Even if you’re able-bodied, the challenge of facing regular wheelchair users on the sports court can be daunting. You may excel at shooting baskets through the ten-foot hoop, whilst you’re standing under it, but what about from a seated position, on wheels? More tricky? Definitely!
Attending a sports club can also raise endorphins, which help to combat depression.
Alongside depression, disability robs a sense of spontaneity. If any trip, excursion or outing needs complex planning, the sense of independence and spontaneity is dramatically reduced. In an inclusive world, this would not be the case. Having to plan carefully your route, so it’s accessible, make sure the hotels can accommodate equipment, even provide accessible bathrooms is time-consuming, should be easy but often isn’t. Catering for basic human needs is taken for granted by the vast majority of the population; those that don’t realise the upstairs dining room, or the tiny bathroom with no separate shower, no grab rails, is a certain deal breaker and show stopper for some.
All these things, along with anxiety and depressive disorders are insufficiently discussed. They are not ‘mainstream’ enough, and yet, they affect so many people. They are hidden disabilities, taking away the essence of spontaneity, removing even spontaneous joy of thought.
They need to be discussed.
Robin Williams’ death has been the loss of a ‘national treasure’. For every single person who feels the end of their tether approaching, we owe it to ourselves and them to discuss mental health and disability more openly. Only when these things are common-place, and not stigmatised will we ever stand a chance of identifying and helping those who feel alone in the crowd.

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Going for Gold! Lord’s Taverners’ National Junior Wheelchair Basketball Championships.

North West Under 15 and Under 19 Gold Medal Winning Teams

  

25th to 27th July 2014 has been an amazing weekend for Junior League Wheelchair Basketball.

Stoke Manderville Stadium in Aylesbury hosted the Lord’s Taverners’ Junior Championships, in the usual superb style.

There are photos of the event on our Facebook page, website and hopefully you’ll be able to read about us in the local press. Because of all this, I want to present some different views. Before I do, though, I want to thank everyone who was involved in the event. All the players, coaches, team managers, referees, table officials, caterers, dorm supervisors, parents, carers and everyone else involved, should be very proud to be a part of this event. I’d love to list everyone here, but it wouldn’t make for a very interesting read…. Sorry!
So, this year, 10 regions entered teams to the Under 15 year olds tournament, and 12 regions entered the Under 19s.

Can you imagine a larger gathering of kids with disabilities?

Stoke Manderville Stadium, with it’s Paralympic history, is the obvious choice of accessible venue for this. Throughout the weekend, the edges of the two courts became a dumping ground of daytime wheelchairs, kit bags, orthotic devices and discarded prosthetic limbs.   One of the most difficult things for kids to deal with is the issue of body confidence. Obviously, given the regularity of media articles on this subject, it is pertinent to all ages, but adolescents have the hardest time. The prevalence of eating disorders is a serious worry for all parents and so feeling your teenager has some degree of body confidence has to be reassuring.   I’ve spent time in schools. Teenage girls wear more make-up than film stars. They spend ages straightening their hair, getting spray tans, acrylic fingernails, false eyelashes, ‘Sharpie-marker’ eyebrows and tottering around on platform heels in a cloud of perfume; boys sprouting beards , dealing with acne and trying to handle hair-gel. And despite all this, these kids are still insecure.

Any sporting tournament is a big event, all the participants give time and energy to prepare and to participate. All the children proudly representing their regions worked exceptionally hard to get into their teams. For children with disabilities, particularly if these are physical and obvious, life can be full of added challenge. People who should know better will stare, and for already self-conscious teens, this is wearing. It is equally irksome and particularly irritating for the parents of these teens too. A friend of mine once told me of someone, – a stranger- berating her for scolding her son, who was misbehaving, as young kids tend to do. This stranger felt that my friend shouldn’t be reprimanding her child because he uses a powered wheelchair, and therefore, in the eyes of this outsider, could not possibly be misbehaving. Reality check…. having a medical problem, a body which looks different, doesn’t work the same way as others, or has parts missing, does not mean an inability for mischief. For any other parent, not correcting an erring child would be considered neglectful. You wouldn’t allow your toddler to climb the furniture or on the windowsills, so why is it okay if your toddler has shortened, deformed limbs? Inclusion for disabled people should cover all aspects of life. Parents of disabled children ignore the pitying looks, smile saccharin-sweetly at the words of encouragement, and the ‘I don’t know how you cope…’ because it doesn’t help.  There is no easy way to explain. You cope because you cope! It’s not like there’s a choice.   Attending an event like the Lord’s Taverners’ Junior Championships puts parents together. There’s no need to discuss diagnoses, nobody is going to want details of your child’s condition, or ask how you cope. No-one is going to look askance at you if you tell your one-legged teenager not to hop down the staircase. We all know that you can’t tell teens what to do anyway, and for all the kids facing life with differences, we know they are finding their own ways to do things.
When you have a baby, you want for them to sit up, to crawl, to walk. Developmental milestones are ticked off by the medical professionals. But if your baby skips one, doesn’t crawl, or is a bum-shuffler, that doesn’t mean it’s wrong. If your child gets around on their hands, swinging a leg-less torso between them, how can that be wrong? They’re still independently moving! And all this is why disability sports tournaments and clubs are so important. In a sports hall of teenagers, I’ve never seen so much effortless body confidence. Prosthetic limbs were shown off in shorts or discarded when their owners took to sports-wheelchairs. The problem of excess trouser-leg fabric was solved by simply tying a large knot, or tucking them under. A high-five at a basket scored could be a left-handed affair if one of the participants has a hand deficiency, or reduced arm control. There was even a very well-behaved assistance dog in attendance, although he wasn’t allowed on court!

In the 33 degree heat of the hottest weekend in a long time, all these kids gave their all to the game they all obviously loved. Many went home disappointed at not winning. All of them went home with certificates for participating and the admiration of everyone there, and quite a few probably went home sporting new bruises due to contact with the floor following sporting altercations, and enthusiastic game play.   I hope all the players also went home more content with who they are.
Disability sports groups are nurturing families. All parents are proud of their kids, and none more-so than parents of potential future sporting heroes.
Despite the success of the Paralympic Games, disability sports still lack publicity and media coverage. I say if you want to see radiating joy, and achievement in bucket-loads, no matter where you are in the world, you’ll search out groups like ours. Being proud of who you are and what you can achieve is the biggest boost to body confidence you can ever get, so support your local clubs, because for the North West Regional Under 15 and Under 19 teams, winning the Gold, and achieving happiness, is infectious!

Cumbria Wheelchair Sports Club is proud to be associated with members of the Gold Winning Teams.

Here’s the Role of Honor!

North West U19 Team

Head Coach: Josie Cichockyj
Assistant Coach: Nick Howard
Team Manager: Colin Pattinson

Pat Deacon (Manchester Mavericks)

Holly McGrady (Carlisle Panthers)

Nathan Maguire (Carlisle Panthers)

Adam McGrath (Vikings)

Nat Pattinson (Carlisle Panthers)

Ben Taylor (Carlisle Panthers)

Gregg Warburton (Oldham Owls)

Lucas Warburton (Wigan Warthogs)

Samantha Wilson (Carlisle Panthers)

Jenny Wilson (Manchester Mavericks)

 

North West U15 Team

Head Coach: Paula Johnson
Assistant Coach: Julian Mattinson
Team Manager: Emma Tomkinson

Finley Tonner (Manchester Mavericks)

Callum Doherty (Vikings)

Jack Tate (Vikings)

Lewis Craddock (Vikings)

Tyler Baines (Carlisle Panthers)

Lauryn Beattie (Carlisle Panthers)

Louis Telford (Wigan Warthogs)

Callum Fairweather (Vikings)

Ethan Pattinson (Carlisle Panthers)

Joel Pattinson (Carlisle Panthers)

Not forgetting, Carlisle Panthers players Dylan Cummings and Carrie Cannon who represented Scotland.

All the players names can be found using the following links.

Under 15s

Under 19s

Prejudice and Persuasion… and other words beginning with P….. (Panthers??)

In the last few weeks, our Carlisle Panthers basketball teams have been busy.

We took the teams to Ireland to play in Belfast.  After braving the choppy seas, we sadly suffered defeat. Our teams are taking a battering with defeats the majority of the last games we’ve played, and while our new development teams played their first matches, against really strong teams, their inexperience showed in their sad defeat.  Our Juniors have teamed up with Lothian Phoenix for matches in the Junior League at Leeds.  And some of our ladies have joined in the Women’s League as Angels of the North, playing most recently in Worcester, including an impromptu change of venue due to flooding!

 

 

Michael Hingson, a prominent activist in America campaigns for the rights of blind people. In his 2011 book Thunder Dog, he quotes Kenneth Jernigan’s ‘Blindness: A Left Handed Dissertation.  He states:
‘For an exact analogy, consider the situation of those who are left-handed.  The world is planned and structured for the right-handed.  Thus, left-handedness is a nuisance and is recognised as such, especially by the left-handed. Even so, the left-handed can compete on terms of equality with the right-handed since their handicap can be reduced to the level of a mere physical nuisance.’

And

‘it would seem, the problem of the left-handed is not just a side effect of the fact that the world is constructed for the right-handed, but a real inherent weakness….. As with other oppressed minorities, the subtleties of language and prejudice carry over into the job market. I know of a girl, for instance, who lives in Kansas, and who sought employment in a factory in that state. She was interviewed and passed every test with flying colours. The prospective employer terminated the interview by telling her, “You are in every way qualified for the job, and I would hire you immediately except for your handicap.” In outrage and indignation she demanded to know what he meant. “Why,” he said, “it’s obvious! You are left-handed. The machines on our assembly line are made for the right-handed. You would slow down the entire operation.” This is not fantasy, but fact. The company makes greeting cards. The girl did not get the job.  If, in truth and in fact, the left-handed girl would have slowed the assembly line, it is hard to see how the action of the employer can be called discriminatory.  He could not be expected to buy new machinery simply to give her a job, nor could he be expected to redesign the entire factory.  The ‘normal’ person is right-handed, and it is reasonable for the factory to be designed accordingly.’
‘How did the employer know that the girl would slow down the assembly line?  How did he know she was less efficient?  Perhaps she had alternative techniques.  Perhaps, in fact, she could have done the job better than most of the other people he had on the line.  He decided, (based on what he doubtless called ‘obvious’ and ‘common sense’ reasons) that she couldn’t do the work.  Accordingly, she was never given the opportunity to try.  Beware the ‘obvious’, and look very carefully at so-called ‘common sense.’  Do you still say there is no discrimination against the left-handed?’

He sums up his dissertation by stating:- ‘  we need your help; we seek your understanding; and we want your partnership in changing our status in society.’

The same, in my opinion can be said for all people with perceived disability, to paraphrase Kenneth Jerrigan, he said, ‘We, the blind, (or in general – the disabled) must neither cop-out by selling ones selves short with self-pity and myths of tragic deprivation, nor lie to ourselves by denying the existence of the problem.’

As the tenacity of our teams show, even in the face of defeat we continue to train, and to play.  Defeat and challenge in sports and in life can make us stronger.  This is further driven home in the commitment of our team management and coaches, and in the generosity of such people as Geoff Smith and the Co-operative Community Fund, who recently presented us with a cheque for £1990.

More exciting funding news is imminent, so stick with us!

 

Michael Hingson escaped the 9/11  Twin Towers attack, by walking the stairs with his guide dog.  Like him, we can all believe we are capable of extraordinary things, and help the discriminatory majority to see us all differently.

Blindness: A Left Handed Dissertation

http://rosellefoundation.org/

 

 

 

Good Efforts and Great Gifts.

Last weekend, (30th November) both Panthers 1 and 2 were away to Leeds Spiders. In a to and fro game, the final score was Spiders-2 34 to Panthers-2 21. Panthers-1 met Spiders-1 in the second match of the day. In another nail-biting basket for basket game the Panthers-1 took the win with 51 to Spiders-1 40.  The re-matches are this coming weekend, 7th December at Carlisle.

The score-lines reflect the talent and commitment of all the players, not just our own. Commitment is difficult to quantify. It can be considered a long or short-term prospect, with the success of the particular project yielding a measure of the commitment input.

My commitment to you is to try to keep you up to date with the goings on from out little club, and to try to entertain you a bit. We’re going from strength to strength with the commitment of everyone involved, and my goal is to share the joy with all of you. If you like what you read, please feel free to share, comment, make suggestions….

Here’s a story, the origin of which is unknown, but which clearly illustrates how commitment to others can change someone’s day.

“Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room’s only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation. Every afternoon, when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window. The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this in exquisite details, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine this picturesque scene. One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man could not hear the band – he could see it in his mind’s eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words. Days, weeks and months passed. One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away. As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone. Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window besides the bed. It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, ‘Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.’

Epilogue:
There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations.
Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled.
If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can’t buy.
‘Today is a gift, that is why it is called The Present .’”

My gift to you folks, just a little early for Santa’s delivery!

The Nature of the Game…

A little late, but better late than never…..

On 21/10/13, Carlisle Panthers 1 and 2 took on Manchester Mavericks at home.  Heavy scoring from Darren Kiddell and the rest of the first team showed the depth of experience and ended in a 62 – 53 win.  The entire match was hard fought, with one of the Mavericks star players, Nathan Maguire taking a couple of heavy tumbles.
Panthers 2 came out fighting against Mavericks 2, but the newness of the team structure showed their inexperience and after a close game, Panthers 2 suffered a 22 – 25 defeat.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/101513370@N08/10714533646/

Teamwork is, obviously the name of the game here, as it is for a great many sports.  Disability sports should, by definition, be inclusive sport.  Differing disabilities have effects on the dynamics, but as the team gains experience playing together, each member is better able to compensate for the differing abilities of their team mates.

No matter your limitations, we belive nurture can bring out your best.  We have talented players, but no ‘stars of the show’ – our teams are made up of enthusiasm and different skills.  whether you put the ball through the hoop, or you excel in defence, we all work together and support each other to enjoy our game.

We’re putting Cumbria Wheelchair Sports Club on the map, we’re all ambassadors for our club and we can all make it grow.

Let’s pull together, make it count, and we can bring in the wins!

Celebrate!!!

Last night, Carlisle Panthers Wheelchair Basketball First Team were awarded with Carlisle Sports Awards Team of the Year.  Congratulations to all the members of the team, and massive thanks have to go to everyone who works so hard behind the scenes to make this happen.

Another small triumph yesterday has to be the £1044.50 raised by everyone who helped out at the collection and bag pack at Sainsbury’s in Carlisle.  We are so grateful for the generosity of the shoppers and the store who allow us to do this to boost our coffers.

Both of these pieces of news are proof that we can all do our bit to make good things happen.

Thomas J Watson Jr, former President of IBM said ‘If you stand up and be counted, from time to time you may get yourself knocked down.  But remember this; a man flattened by an opponent can get up again, a man flattened by conformity stays down for good.’

The animal kingdom works on survival of the fittest.  Watching any natural history programme on TV will show the natural order; small, weaker animals hunted down for food by the larger and more powerful.  Baby animals are considered cute, fluffy little creatures with big eyes, vulnerable little things to be protected.  Many species live in groups, families or packs, with a pecking order, but each individual is respected for who they are.  They all have a part to play.  Patrick McGoohan, in the cult TV series from 1967, played a man resigned from a government agency who kidnapped to a strange village and known only by number 6.  He says ‘I am not a number, I am a free man.’  We are lucky, in this country to be free people.  There are many walks of life, many places in the world where this is not the case.

Albino animals, totally pure white, stark, unusual, are admired by humans, but in the wild, natural world they are unable to camouflage themselves in the environment in which they live, effectively holding up the menu sign for hungry predators.

While you’re admiring the pictures above, consider how people react to albino humans – transparent, pale pink eyes, poor vision, numerous medical complications.  And yet, whether they realise it or not, these people are the very ones who will make us consider our own individuality.  The author A A Milne said ‘The things that make me different are the things that make me’, echoed by the thoughts of Mark Twain who said ‘Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect’.

As disabled sports players we will always be in the minority, and always be judged by virtue of our differences.  This is in no way a bad thing, and is gaining recognition by winning awards, such as the one at the start of this post.

Individuality should be celebrated, none of us are just a number.  Kurt Cobain, the late lead singer of the band Nirvana said ‘ Wanting to be someone else is a waste of who you are’.

No-one should waste who they are.  We are all capable of great things, and we can all contribute.

My last ‘pause for thought’ is a short story from the singer-songwriter and author Tom Waits.

“In the forest there was a crooked tree and a straight tree.  Every day the straight tree would say to the crooked tree, ‘Look at me, I’m tall and I’m straight and I’m handsome.  Look at you, you’re all crooked and bent over. No-one wants to look at you.’  And they grew up in the forest together.  One day, loggers came and they saw the crooked tree and the straight tree and they said, ‘Just cut the straight trees and leave the rest.’  So the loggers turned all the straight trees into lumber, and toothpicks and paper, and the crooked tree is still there, growing stronger and stranger every day.”

Game, Set and Match…

Panthers 1 met Oldham Owls away on 13th October.

It was a hard fought match and with the team still reeling from our man down from the previous match, the Owls took the triumph with a 66 – 45 win.
Both our division 1 and division 3 teams were in action at home on 19th October.

As a mark of respect, team manager Colin led a minute of applause for the late Paula Longrigg, who wouldn’t have wanted a minutes silence.
Panthers 1 took on St Helens Vikings 1, who proved to be a strong team. Injured Panther Paul returned for the top off, with a heavily bandaged hand, and the team pulled together, but had to admit defeat with the final score of Vikings 59 – Panthers 44.
Panthers 2 took on St Helens Vikings 2 in another spirited match. The atmosphere was charged, as both teams had a good turn out of supported. Mel and her budding team of cheerleaders shouted themselves hoarse with encouragement, but the home team once again bowed down to the Vikings with a final score of Vikings 40 – Panthers 31.
The Vikings experienced teams played well and won the day, but the Panthers had a couple of good matches and will come back fighting!

After the dust settled… Panthers 1 v Newcastle Eagles

First division 1 match held on 29th September was away to Newcastle Eagles.

There’s a certain amount of history between the Panthers and the Eagles, which has led to some hard-fought matches in the past, and this proved to be equally stormy. Both teams played their hearts out, leading to some great basketball.

Panthers starting team consisted of Stewart, Terry, Stephen, Darren and Nat, with Paul, Paula and Carrie on the bench.  The match was off to a good start with the first 10 baskets scoring ten out of ten and the scoreline at the end of the first quarter running at 20-15 to the Panthers.  Into the second quarter, disaster struck and Paul was badly injured… (hope you’re not in too much pain Paul… get better soon!).  The scoreline at the end of the second quarter was therefore favouring the Eagles, at 8-13.  Panthers turned it round in the third quarter with scores running at 14-10, and despite Stewart being sent off for 5 fouls in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, the score ran to 21-12 with Stephen obtaining 3 from 3 free throws and Terry taking 4 big shots to aid the win.  The Panthers upped the defence into the second half of the match which turned it round for them.  Top scorers were Darren, Stephen, Nat, Terry and Stewart.

Kudos to the Eagles who played well and run out a good team, but the winners on this occasion were our superstars the Panthers 1 team.

Well done guys and gals!!

How it all began….

Just as mighty oak trees grow from little acorns, so too has our club developed from the spark of an idea, nurtured and cherished by someone with a vision.

Mel and Colin Pattinson’s son is a full-time wheelchair user.  Living in the North of England means that disabled people are generally more isolated than if we lived in other more densely populated areas of the country, so this means that for disabled youngsters, especially, they can feel alienated from their peers, and so when the opportunity arises for parents of disabled kids to help them to meet other kids, it’s my experience that those parents will do everything in their power to make it happen.  It was during one such opportunity, at a Whizz Kids event that Nat Pattinson had his first taste of wheelchair basketball, and such was his enthusiasm, that his mum, Mel, decided to research local clubs for her son to attend.

Unfortunately, there were no local clubs.  Nat began to play basketball for Newcastle clubs and other teams.  But Mel was not to be deterred.  With help from Active Cumbria, and Carlisle City Council Sports Development Team, she orchestrated the birth of Cumbria Wheelchair Sports Club.

Recent forays into social media are spreading the word, and this blog, in the two months it’s been live, has now been read in 23 countries worldwide.

 

Worldwide exposure is, obviously, a fabulous thing for our players, and for our potential future paralympians.  But the Cumbria Wheelchair Sports Club management team and committee are still campaigning to increase the local profile of the facility.  The club was formed by local people, for local people.  By far the majority of the take-up is from Carlisle and the surrounding area, but we are slowly, but surely reaching out to the rural communities of Cumbria.  We need to keep spreading the word.

If you want further information please email us or get in touch through Twitter @cwsc_panthers or on Facebook.  Our email address is cumbriawheelchairsports@hotmail.co.uk.  Pass this on to everyone you meet.  Help us to enrich lives, to give disabled people a chance to belong, and to give our future paralympians the playground they need and deserve….

And from all of us, we want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Mel, for her tenacity and spirit, and for her unending enthusiasm.  Three cheers, and the gold star for our very own Gold Star!!!