Access, Equipment and Venues
EFDS Inclusive Fitness Initiative
Kent and Medway now have 7 accredited IFI sites
- Pent Valley Sports Centre - Folkestone
- Julie Rose Stadium - Ashford
- Strood Sports Centre - Medway
- Larkfield Leisure Centre - near Maidstone
- The Stour Centre - Ashford
- Medway Park - Gillingham
- the new accessible Gym facility is now open at Cascades Leisure Centre in Gravesend, and it is the managements intention to register the new, larger Gym under the IFI Scheme.
- Sevenoaks Leisure Centre - Sevenoaks
- Dover Leisure Centre - Dover - are planning to register
IFI is a national scheme whereby fitness suites are awarded grants to increase the range of equipment that they offer that is "user-friendly" to disabled people. Staff receive disability equality training and the fitness instructors are further trained in working with disabled people. Lastly the site will then receive funding to employ an Activator to promote the new service.
All this is following an access audit of the facility and submission of a plan to show how the site will contribute to local disability sports development.
There were 150 sites accredited across the whole of the UK, so for Kent to gain 7 is a good average.
In addition, the Zeroth Active Zone in Boughton Lane, Maidstone offers accessible gym facilities and equipment for use by groups of disabled people
Telephone ; 01622 749564
e-mail: Zeroth Active Zone
Olympic Park to be most inclusive and accessible to date
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has today announced that the Olympic Park, venues and infrastructure for the London 2012 Games will be the most inclusive and accessible to date.
The ODA has published its Inclusive Design Strategy which sets out the framework for how the Olympic Park will be designed and constructed to be inclusive for people of all cultures, faiths and ages, and accessible to disabled people.
Inclusive design principles have been embedded into the ODA's procurement, design and construction processes. Practical examples of how the Park will become the most accessible and inclusive in London include:
- wider pathways with smooth surfaces and seating and resting places at regular intervals
- setting a new UK benchmark for wheelchair spaces and amenity seating
- gentle gradients giving all users greater freedom of movement
- clear and easily understood signage
- excellent provision of baby changing facilities and buggy stores
- a range of accessible toilet facilities
- washing facilities to accompany faith rooms
The same exemplary accessibility standards will be applied across the three modes - Olympic Games, Paralympic Games and through into legacy to ensure that everyone finds the Park welcoming and easy to use .
London 2012 is aiming to go further than any previous Host City to ensure that both the Olympic and Paralympic Games are accessible for everyone. After the Games, world-class sporting venues and the largest and most inclusive park in London will be left to help inspire a new generation of Olympic and Paralympic athletes.
The ODA has consulted with diverse groups within the local community and the strategy has been influenced by the experiences of multi-faith groups, parents, disabled people and Paralympians.
Amazing...... could you do this with a wheelchair ?
Opportunities
Need information regarding opportunities regionally or nationally or for disability-specific advice?
Access to the Countryside
The
Kent Sport Leisure & Olympics are currently working with two
sites in Kent to accommodate a new 'Tramper' vehicle to
enable people with impaired mobility to access the countryside.
The Tramper is an electric powered, four wheeled vehicle that is
designed to cope with virtually any environment, i.e. mud, un-even
ground, grass, gravel, steep banks, etc.
Two vehicles are now in place at Shorne Wood Country Park, near Gravesend, and are available to the public, to book. A third vehicle is located at Bedgebury Forest, near Goudhurst, Kent
For more details contact: Paul Panton
You may also like to contact the Disabled Ramblers Association
Boma by Molten Rock
The Boma has been designed by a young man from Thanet, Chris Swift, which is aimed at improving the quality of life, and lifestyle of disabled people. Chris is tetraplegic following Guillain-Barre syndrome, and is fully aware of the needs of his client group
The Boma off road wheel chair, dubbed by Chris, 'a mountain bike for the disabled, is designed specifically for those, like himself, who would be unable to use any other vehicle. For those who are unable to access the countryside, or go out in the snow because of their disability the Boma is ideal. Designed to break up into component parts the Boma is lightweight and fits into any normal vehicle, being very easy to assemble on arrival at a destination. Comments from current users range from being able to ride alongside his wife when she is on her horse, to being able to go shooting once again. The Boma is also able to be adapted to particular riders, for example someone who is smaller than average height.
Molten Rock Equipment Ltd., Chris's company have designed the Boma to run up to approx 8 mph, for 14 miles over rough terrain. The other important quality of the Boma is that it is not immediately obvious that the rider is disabled; for Chris this was a very important issue.
Because it will go anywhere that a mountain bike can go, the Boma is suitable for all the countryside needs for disabled people, including access to the sea. The Boma recently won a Silver Award for innovation at the Concours in Paris .
Chris is able to bring the Boma to you for a demonstration, and, if you would like, you could try out a Boma for yourself.
A pdf version of the information sheet for the Bommer is available to view by following this link
Chris can be contacted on: 01908 586447 or 07773278768. or go to their website: www.moltenrock.co.uk
Equipment
Have you ever thought about taking up a sport but were discouraged by the cost of buying all the equipment needed, especially a suitable chair ? Well you could be eligible for some help towards the cost of a sports chair.
Taking part in sport can be a great boost to your self-confidence and help you develop the social skills needed for everyday life. Many sports, though, require you to have a specific type of chair to enable you to take part in competitions. Rugby and basketball chairs require more protection for your feet and legs as they are contact sports while tennis chairs need to be more maneuverable so that you can turn using one hand (as you hold the racquet in the other!). The cost of a sports chair can be around £3,000 depending upon the sport, so it is easy to see why many people are unable to afford this. There are two organisations that may be able to help you buy the sports wheelchair that is needed.
Get Kids Going will award grants to young adults and children under the age of 26 to enable them to participate in the sport of their choice. They have provided chairs for marathons, triathlons, athletics, mountain skiing, and tennis, among others.
They will also award grants to young disabled people for everyday chairs so that they are able to join in with their friends in whatever they are doing. Any equipment that the child has grown out of can be donated back to the organisation and then recycled so that another child is able to benefit from it.
The other organisation is Whizz Kidz and they award grants to children and young people under the age of 18. They will also put money towards the cost of both lightweight manual chairs and powered wheelchairs to enable children to be able to join in activities with their friends. The amount of the grant awarded depends entirely upon the needs of the child and Whizz Kidz will perform their own assessments.
If you would like to benefit from either of these grants you can either contact Sarah Stanwix on the Spinal Injuries Association Helpline; 0800 980 0501 or by email or you can contact the organisations directly.
Lord's Taverners Sports Wheelchair Sponsorship
The Lord's Taverners organisation currently run a scheme to assist disabled young people to purchase sports wheelchairs. To access this you need to fill in a short application form, which can be obtained from:
The Lord's Taverners, 10 Buckingham Place, London, SW1E 6HX, by telephone: 020 7821 2828, or direct from their website
Variety Club
The Variety Club offer help with wheelchair's for disabled children, through their Easy Riders for Kids Scheme. Last year it helped over 3,000 youngsters under 19 years old with manual and powered wheelchairs, and buggies.
Contact the Easy Riders Team on tel: 020 7428 8100
GBL Wheelchair Warehouse
GBL Wheelchair's sell a range of sport as well as everyday wheelchairs and have an extensive warehouse where you can go and try out equipment
