OnTrack June / July Edition

June/July 2017 • Issue 8

 YOUR DISABILITY SPORTS MAGAZINE

GET HOOKED on accessible angling

JOLLY GOOD SPORT

School holiday sporting activities for kids

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AARON ‘WHEELZ’ FOTHERINGHAM

SUBSCRIPTION

A man in a chair who flies through the air

 GB DEAFLYMPICS HOPEFUL DANII  CEREBRAL PALSY SPORT  PARA ATHLETICS GRAND PRIX

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02/06/2017 13:03

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Free UK-wide home demonstrations call 0800 916 3053 02/06/2017 12:13

 JUNE / JULY • ISSUE 8

Welcome I

t’s no surprise that the video that captured the moment extreme sportsman Aaron ‘Wheelz’ Fotheringham became the first wheelchair WCMX rider to perform a backflip went vital.

‘Wheelz,’ who has spina bifida, is an extreme sportsman who flies through the air with the greatest of ease in his wheelchair, performing jaw-dropping stunts and smashing death-defying record after record.

In this issue of OnTrack, we meet fearless Fotheringham, the world’s only wheelchair rider to jump the notorious MegaRamp. Meet selfconfessed adrenaline junkie Wheelz, performer of the first wheelchair front flip and double backflip, on page 12.

On page 14, find out how two sportspeople are once again standing on their own two feet following spinal cord injury, thanks to ReWalk technology.

Elite sportsman Steve Brown, who held the GB wheelchair rugby team captaincy during the 2012 Paralympics, tells us how he’s living the dream by combining his passion for sport with his love of wildlife as both a BBC sports commentator and wildlife show presenter.

Steve’s remarkable story is on page 30.

As always, we also bring you the lowdown on the latest products and equipment on the market to help you up your game.

In this issue, OnTrack charts the fortunes of para

Like us on Facebook Search for ‘OnTrack Magazine’

athletes who have been competing in the World Para Athletics Grand Prix ahead of a sensational summer of sport. See page 17.

Turn to page 32 to discover how angling is more accessible than ever before. You’ll be hooked!

Staying with water, meet determined Danii Joyce who is preparing for the swim of her life at this summer’s Deaflympics, and members of the Peterborough Special Olympics Swimming Team who are making a splash in the world of disability sport.

We also catch up with talented blind footballer and OnTrack columnist, Azeem Amir, who explains how recent defeat has made him stronger and more determined than ever to succeed.

Our younger readers who want to fill their school holidays with all things sport should turn to the OnTrack guide to what’s available at clubs across the UK on page 42.

With the World Para Athletics Championships just around the corner and on home turf, it’s an exciting season ahead for sports enthusiasts. Our correspondent will be trackside to bring you all the highlights from London 2017 in the August/ September issue.

Until then…

N i T

Follow us on Twitter @OnTrack_Mag

THE TEAM

CONTACT

DISCLAIMER

Acting Editor: Niki Tennant Staff Writer: Lisa Mitchell Staff Writer: Colette Carr Designer: Stephen Flanagan Marketing: Sophie Scott Sales: Nisha Sran Contributors: Azeem Amir, Mark Bullock, Mark Davidson

Caledonia House, Evanton Drive, Thornliebank Ind. Est., Glasgow, G46 8JT

OnTrack Magazine is published by 2A Publishing Ltd.

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Tel: 0141 465 2960 Fax: 0141 258 7783

The views expressed in OnTrack Magazine are not necessarily the views of the publisher. Reproduction in part or in whole is strictly prohibited without the explicit written consent of the publisher.

enquiries@2apublishing.co.uk www.ontrackmagazine.co.uk

Copyright 2017 © 2A Publishing Ltd. All Rights Reserved. ISSN 2398-3299

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 JUNE / JULY 2017 • ISSUE 8

Contents 12

07 THE INSIDE TRACK

The latest sports news to hit the headlines

09 WIN

An iconic Titan Powerball hand gyroscope

12 WHEELZ IN MOTION

Extreme WCMX sensation Aaron ‘Wheelz’ Fotheringham on the record-breaking backflip that went viral

14 GETTING BACK ON YOUR FEET

How ReWalkers are standing tall after spinal cord injury

17 TEAM GB GO GLOBAL

World Para Athletics Grand Prix series: the ultimate warm up for a summer of sport

19 PEAK PERFORMANCE

Paralympian Aaron Phipps becomes the first unassisted wheelchair user to summit Mount Kilimanjaro

20 ON COURSE FOR SPORTING SUCCESS

Worcester University’s Sports Coaching Science with Disability Sport degree course is breaking the mould

22 SPORTS TECH

The latest sports products and equipment to up your game

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25 A PASSAGE FROM POVERTY

How a charity’s specially-adapted wheelchairs are changing lives in some of the world’s poorest countries

26 CEREBRAL PALSY SPORT

How people with cerebral palsy are reaching their full potential through sport

29 PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES

A former Paralympian fencer’s quest to help wheelchair users track their fitness progress

30 WILD ABOUT RUGBY

We meet ex-GB wheelchair rugby captain turned TV presenter Steve Brown, who’s living the dream

33 HOOKED ON ANGLING

OnTrack wades in on developments in an unlikely accessible sport

35 A PERFECT PARTNERSHIP

How a Paralympic champion and his coach are nurturing a new generation of wheelchair racing stars

36 RECORD-BREAKING DANII IS IN DEEP

Danii Joyce prepares for the swim of her life in the 23rd Summer Deaflympics

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30 33 47

38 HAVE YOU TRIED… RAMBLING?

How hundreds of roaming ramblers are combining fitness with a love of the great outdoors

41 AZEEM AMIR

Talented blind footballer and OnTrack columnist on how recent defeat has made him stronger

42 ON YOUR MARKS, GET SET, GO!

A summer sample of what’s on offer for kids at sports clubs up and down the land

45 SITTING FIT YOGA

Maintain flexibility, posture and strength through wheelchair yoga

46 THE BEACH BOYS

WIN A POWERBALL

TITAN PRO

WORTH £130

09

How Philip Pugh’s son’s cerebral palsy inspired a business that is making waves for wheelchair users

47 SAY BOO TO ACHOO!

Don’t let hay fever stop you in your tracks

48 CLUB FOCUS

Learn how Peterborough Special Olympics Swimming Team members are making a splash

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Parallel London is a free family festival and fully accessible fun run where everybody runs side by side.

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02/06/2017 12:14

The Inside Track  Keeping you up-to-date with what’s happening in the world of disability sport

P8

Goalball UK receives £350k investment

£350k

P9

WIN a Titan Powerball worth £130

TOM DALEY BACKS PANATHLON’S SWIMMING PROGRAMME

O

lympic diving hero Tom Daley dropped in to meet swimmers with disabilities and special needs during a recent competition held by the charity Panathlon.

Daley was training at the London Aquatics Centre before Panathlon’s London and Essex Finals got underway at the Olympic pool. Panathlon’s swimming events are spread across England with over 1000 young people participating in 2016/17, a third of whom had never previously been in a pool.

Overall, more than 10,000 children with disabilities and special educational needs every year are given the chance to take part in competitive sport through Panathlon’s array of multi-sport, boccia, swimming and football competitions.

“I think it is a fantastic charity,” said Daley, the 2009 and 2015 world diving champion and two-time Olympic bronze medallist.

“The more people, of all abilities, getting involved in sport and health and fitness in a fun and engaging way can only be a good thing. And to have this event at the London Aquatics Centre is just another example of the legacy of London 2012.”

Daley helped calm the nerves of competitors with autism from Doucecroft School in Colchester. Their coach Andrea Griffiths said: “They were all a bit nervous coming here, but meeting Tom Daley certainly helped. Many of our students don’t take part in team games so Panathlon provides them with this amazing opportunity. It helps build their confidence and self-esteem and shows them the importance of teamwork.”

P10

British Cycling opens new disability hub

OFFICIAL LONDON 2017 MEDALS UNVEILED

O

rganisers have unveiled the official medals for the World Para Athletics Championships and IAAF World Championships London 2017. Based within the shape of an athletics track, both sets of medals for the World Para Athletics Championships and IAAF World Championships are layered with symbols of every event for each schedule, an intricate design that bears resemblance to the inner workings of a watch.

With London the historical home of Greenwich Mean Time, the medals for the IAAF World Championships also feature iconic London landmarks – Tower Bridge, the London Eye, the Shard and Big Ben. For the World Para Athletics Championships, the layering of the equipment enables visually impaired athletes to feel the details of the medals while there is braille on the reverse marking the host city and the year.

Five-time Paralympic medallist Dan Greaves, European and Commonwealth silver medallist Jazmin Sawyers and coach of Olympic champion Jessica Ennis-Hill, Toni Minichiello, were all part of the creative panel that fed into the medal design process. The biggest sporting events in the world in 2017, the World Para Athletics Championships kick off the Summer of Athletics from 14-23 July with the IAAF World Championships from 4-13 August.

There are 213 medal events at the World Para Athletics Championships and 47 medal events at the IAAF World Championships. More than 3,000 athletes from over 200 nations will compete over 20 days of action.

Tickets are now on sale at www.tickets.london2017athletics.com

www.panathlon.com

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SPORTS NEWS

DON’T BEET ABOUT THE BUSH BEFORE YOU EXERCISE

E

xciting new research suggests concentrated beetroot shots taken before exercise can make ageing brains ‘look younger’. New research from Wake Forest University in the U.S suggests that drinking a concentrated beetroot shot before exercise makes the brain of older adults perform more efficiently, mirroring the operations of a younger brain.

The study, entitled: ‘Beet Root Juice: An Ergogenic Aid for Exercise and the Aging Brain, involved giving shots to participants three times a week for six weeks, one hour before moderately intense exercise.

The concluding findings suggest that combining concentrated beetroot shot with exercise delivers even more oxygen to the brain, resembling brain connectivity of much younger adults.

NEW ENDURANCE EVENT FOR DISABLED RIDERS LAUNCHED

A

Bristol-based riding school is to hold an endurance event specifically aimed at disabled riders. Endurance riding has now become a popular activity for the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA), with groups up and down the country enjoying the challenge of riding in the countryside.

Urchinwood Manor will hold this special event on 13 June, 2017, with entries open to all RDA and Accessibility Mark riders. Riders will test their stamina and skills over a distance of either one or two kilometres, providing the perfect taster event for anyone considering giving endurance a go. Endurance riding is a fun activity that is open to riders of all abilities. The nature of the sport also provides more involvement and variety for volunteers as they venture out into open countryside.

For further information contact Sally Hall at Urchinwood Manor on 01934 833248.

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TAKE PART IN INCLUSIVE LATIN AND BALLROOM DANCE CLASSES

W

hy in a city of 8.7 million people, isn’t there a single place in London to regularly participate in inclusive ballroom? This is about to change with the establishment of the pioneering Step Change Studios – London’s first ever dedicated inclusive Latin and Ballroom dance company, which has just received backing through the Dance Enterprise Ideas Fund.

Established by Rashmi Becker, who has a background in disability advocacy and is guardian to her older disabled brother, and Nuno Sabroso, a respected and seasoned dance professional who was top two in the world wheelchair dance rankings, Step Change Studios will provide opportunities for everyone, from beginners wanting to dance for fun and wellbeing, to more advanced dancers wanting to compete at the highest levels or to perform. Rashmi would like to hear from experienced disabled dancers interested in taking part in the showcase, and from disabled and non-disabled people and organisations working with disabled people of all abilities and levels interested in dancing. Visit: www.stepchangestudios.com more info.

GOALBALL UK RECEIVES

£350K PRIVATE INVESTMENT

G

oalball UK’s elite teams have received a significant boost to their Paralympic ambitions thanks to a generous private donation of over £90,000. This latest donation is in addition to a previous £250,000 grant from the same donor - a total of nearly £350,000 (before Gift Aid) in the past four years. Mark Winder, CEO of Goalball UK said: “We were not successful in the latest elite funding allocation from UK Sport – though they recognise our medal potential.

Goalball is the only Paralympic sport specifically designed for the blind and visually impaired people.

Originally created to help rehabilitate soldiers after WWII, the sport has grown rapidly in the past four years with a 425% increase in participation alongside remarkable successes at an elite level.

For more information on Goalball please visit the website www.goalballuk.com

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02/06/2017 14:20

WIN SPORTS NEWS

FREEMASONS GIVE GRANT TO ADVENTURE HOLIDAYS TRUST

A

Cumberland charity that provides a series of potentially life-changing outdoor activities will be able to offer adventure holidays to wheelchair users thanks to a grant of ÂŁ40,000 from Cumberland and Westmorland Freemasons. The Bendrigg Trust, based in the countryside near Kendal, is installing a series of hoists in the bedrooms, bathrooms, games room and lounge in its new accommodation block so that the facility will become fully accessible to people in wheelchairs. The grant, through the Masonic Charitable Foundation, is funded by Freemasons and their families from across England and Wales. The Trust provides exciting outdoor activities to disadvantaged and disabled people, including canoeing, caving, climbing, archery, zip-lining and abseiling. The new hoists, which are being fitted to six additional bedrooms, will allow more than 100 extra wheelchair users to visit the Trust every year, to enjoy activities aimed at enhancing their potential and boosting confidence. Until now, only two bedrooms had hoists, meaning many wheelchair users who applied to visit were turned away.

PREMIER LEAGUE & BT FILM CHAMPIONS DISABILITY INCLUSION

T

he Premier League and BT have produced a short film; Inspiring Disabled People Through Sport: Balding and Cockroft’s Inspiring Stories, which explores how sport can help create opportunities for disabled people. It highlights stories of individuals who have benefitted from the Premier League and BT Disability programme since its launch in September last year. The film is presented by award-winning sports broadcaster and BT Sport host, Clare Balding. It features Paralympian, Hannah Cockroft, who won two gold medals at the London 2012 Paralympics.

Paralympian Hannah Cockroft, said: “When I was younger, I was not allowed to take part in sports due to health and safety concerns.

However, programmes like this are breaking boundaries and stigmas that exist around disability sport."

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HOW HEAVY IS THE POWERBALL TITAN? Email your answer and your contact details to enquiries@2apublishing.co.uk or visit ontrackmagazine.co.uk to enter online. Alternatively, complete this form and return to the address on the right:

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Terms & conditions: The prize is not transferable and there is no cash alternative. Only one entry per person. Closing date for entries is Monday, July 17. The editor’s decision is final. The prize will be sent to the winner directly by Royal Mail from RPM Sports Ltd.

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| 9 02/06/2017 13:28

SPORTS NEWS

RESEARCH SHOWS ACCESSIBLE POSITIVE IMPACT OF SPORTS AT THE TENNIS ON HEALTH OF RIVERTIME REGATTA DISABLED PEOPLE

G

reat Britain’s leading tennis charity, the Tennis Foundation, has released ‘The Positive Impact of Disability Tennis’ - a detailed research report showing the combined mental and physical health benefits that playing tennis can bring to disabled people. The report looks at the impact of disability tennis on players, their parents and guardians, coaches and tennis venue staff, and is the result of research undertaken by ComRes on behalf of the Tennis Foundation. Key findings show that playing tennis can make disabled people feel more confident, happier and less isolated, as well as playing a key role in keeping them more physically active.

One of the most striking findings revealed by the research is that 91% of disabled players surveyed said that tennis has had a positive impact on their self-confidence, demonstrating how much playing tennis can contribute towards improved mental wellbeing. Other findings said that it has had a positive impact on their showed that 84% of respondents day-to-day happiness stated that playing tennis has had a positive effect on their social support networks and 89% said that it has had a positive impact on their day-to-day happiness.

Since starting to play tennis, disabled players surveyed also reported feeling less bored (73%), less isolated (63%), less stressed (48%) and less tired (33%).

89%

BRITISH CYCLING OPENS NEW DISABILITY HUB

British Cycling has announced that its ninth HSBC UK disability hub site will open at the newly-built Brownlee Centre and Cycle Circuit at the University of Leeds. The facility, which was part-funded by British Cycling, has state-of-art training facilities, including a 1.6km cycle circuit – one of the longest in the country. The facilities are open to sports enthusiasts of all ages and abilities. For full details of how to use the new facilities, visit www.leeds.ac.uk/cyclecircuit.

To speak to someone at British Cycling about disability hubs and what they offer, please call 0161 274 2070 or email development@britishcycling.org.uk.

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O

ver 400 pupils from Thames Valley special needs schools will take part in the Rivertime Accessible Regatta. For many, the event on Wednesday, June 14 will be their first experience of competitive bell boating, accessible sailing, wheelchair powerboating and canoeing.

Organisers Rivertime Boat Trust together with Give Them a Sporting Chance have also called upon other charities and organisations to provide an opportunity for regatta participants to try out other land-based accessible sports, such as new age curling, archery and wheelchair basketball. The event runs between 10am and 2pm at Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre, Marlow. In designing the Rivertime Accessible Regatta, the Rivertime Boat Trust is being advised by a panel of experts on disability and aspires to stimulate children and young people with disabilities to develop a long-term involvement with accessible sports.

NEW CELEBRITY TEAM CAPTAINS FOR SUPERHERO TRI

Y

et more Celebrity Team Captains have announced that they’ll be donning mask and cape and squaring up to the Celebrity Superhero Tri at Dorney Lake on 19 August. Among them are Paralympic swimming champion Susie Rodgers and international surfer and Help for Heroes ambassador Chris Jones who, like their fellow Team Captains earlier this year, are putting a call out to the nation to enter a competition to join them for this titanic clash. The Celebrity Superhero Tri is one of many unique challenges at Superhero Tri, the first event in the only sports series dedicated to the ‘Everyday Superhero’ – the UK’s 12 million people with disabilities and long-term injuries. Susie and Chris will be competing against a host of fellow celebrities, from comedian Adam Hills to Paralympian Kadeena Cox, who have already been paired with their competition winning teammates. Visit www.superheroseries.co.uk.

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02/06/2017 13:29

Advertising Feature

sportscotland

the national agency for sport

Beyond the bricks and mortar sportscotland National Centre Inverclyde

is now open for business following a £12m investment from Scottish Government and sportscotland.

sportscotland National Centre Inverclyde is the first facility of its kind, having been designed from the outset with inclusivity in mind. The centre is now hosting around 100 school children per week and numerous clubs and sports organisations who are taking full advantage of the huge range of facilities on offer.

“Everything we need has been thought about and catered for” The Scottish Cerebral Palsy/ Stroke / Acquired Brain Injury Football Squad were one of the first groups to train at the newly redeveloped centre.

Paralympian and Scotland CP football vice captain, Martin Hickman was very impressed with what the centre has to offer, saying “The facilities are amazing, from the equipment in the gym to the standard of the accommodation. This is an ideal place for us to come together as a team, allowing us to focus fully on our training knowing that everything we need has been thought about and catered for.”

This year the centre will also welcome the GB Boccia team for a number of training camps as well as hosting the Scottish Gymnastics team in the National Gymnastics Performance Centre which is also based at Inverclyde.

However, Inverclyde is not just a performance training centre - its doors are open to everyone.

The community facilities include tennis courts, pitches, both indoor and outdoor, and an 860m² fitness suite which boasts an impressive range of equipment including machines that support users with accessibility needs. The full gymnastics programme also offers a wide range of classes including disability gymnastics and sessions for adults as well as providing performance pathways for young people.

“It’s going to be an amazing first year!”

The ethos of inclusivity at Inverclyde goes beyond the bricks and mortar and extends to the procurement of suppliers to the centre.

NL Industries, Dovetail Enterprises, Haven Pts and The Sign Factory all secured contracts to supply goods and services to the new centre in Largs through the Scottish Government Framework for Supported Factories and Businesses.

The aim of the framework is to increase opportunities and access to contracts for small businesses, the voluntary sector and disadvantaged individuals across Scotland.

The team at Inverclyde is looking forward to the

next few months which are already packed full of training camps with performance athletes, residential programmes with school and community groups and a steady stream of eager local residents. If the feedback so far is anything to go by, it’s going to be an amazing first year!

For more information on Inverclyde go to www.nationalcentreinverclyde.org.uk adverts_OnTrack_JunJul17.indd 11

02/06/2017 12:14

WC MX MX

WCMX

Images © Tasha Whyte

Words by Lisa Mitchell

Aaron ‘Wheelz’ Fotheringham

A

aron Fotheringham is a professional WCMX Rider from Las Vegas, Nevada. The 25-year-old, who has spina bifida shot to fame after a series of online videos showcased to the world what a man and his chair could accomplish.The first of his videos to go viral demonstrates his impressive feat of being the first wheelchair user to perform a back flip. He was then asked to perform with Nitro Circus.

Nitro Circus is an ‘action sport collective’ led by Travis Pastrana, an American professional motorsports competitor and stunt performer, featuring his friends and himself travelling around the world riding dirt bikes, base jumping, and performing stunts. Wheelz hasn’t looked back since and has added being a mentor and coach to children with disabilities on to his ever-growing resume. Here, OnTrack Magazine catches up with the international extreme sports star to find out what’s next in the pipeline. 

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02/06/2017 13:31

WCMX

When did you first start riding at skate parks?

I first started riding skate parks when I was eight years old!

What attracted you to the sport?

As a young kid I always looked up to pro skaters and pro BMX riders, I always dreamed of being a professional extreme athlete.

What kind of alterations did you have to make for you to ride?

Over the years I have worked with Box Wheelchairs to help come up with one tough chair. My WCMX chair has skateboard wheels in the front, and a full suspension setup to make the landings less impactful on my back.

How did you start making a name for yourself?

I’d say things started blowing up after I landed the first wheelchair backflip in 2006! My life has been pretty nonstop since then, it’s been a lot of fun!

What was your first competition?

I think the first time I competed was in 2005, but I was the only wheelchair and I was competing with BMX riders, in a local Vegas competition series that was going on called AmJAm What was it like?

It was the best time of my life, everything was new and super exciting, I was competing against some really good BMXers, I didn’t win but I had a blast!

At what point did you realise that this is what you wanted to do for a career?

I always dreamed of being a pro athlete, it was always something I wanted to do, but I still can’t believe I’m able to do this for a living.

Tell me about your achievements to date.

AARON

‘WHEELZ’

FOTHERINGHAM, WHO

HAS

SPINA

BIFIDA,IS MASTER

THE

OF

WHEELCHAIR

FLIPS.

...once they see how much fun their wheelchair can be, it lights up their face and changes the way they see it.”

Some of my career highlights: I landed the first backflip on a wheelchair, the first double backflip, the first front flip, and the first and currently only wheelchair to jump the Mega Ramp.

What was it like when the video of the back flip went viral?

I was in shock. It felt pretty cool to get recognition for something I worked so hard for. I’m always so grateful for the support from everyone.

What are your favourite tricks to perform?

The Handi-plant is one of my favourite tricks to do, it just feels good! And front flips, those are such a rush.

Tell me about working with Nitro Circus.

Working with Nitro Circus is so much fun, it’s like a big family. Everyone supports each other in their quest to land something big. Being a part of the Nitro team is a childhood dream, come to life. Nitro has helped me reach some of my bigger dreams.

What is the hardest part about what you do?

The hardest part of what I do is trying to not get hurt!

What is your network of support like?

My support team is one thing I am

so grateful for. My parents have been a huge part of me making it this far, and my good friend Mike Box for building me chairs that hold up to everything. There are so many people that have helped me get to where I am today, I am just a small piece of the puzzle.

What is it like coaching/mentoring children with disabilities?

It’s so rewarding, I love it. Some kids will show up kind of shy or bummed out, but once they see how much fun their wheelchair can be, it lights up their face and changes the way they see it. A Wheelchair becomes FUN. And that’s mission accomplished.

Have you got any competitions coming up?

We actually just had the World Championships of WCMX a few weeks ago, it was a lot of fun with a lot of really talented riders.

How do you prepare for a competition/exhibition?

Usually I just listen to some music and visualise how I want it to go in my head. I do a lot of practicing in my head before I even set my wheels on a ramp.

How often do you practice?

I try to ride a skate park every day.

Are there any tricks you are working on right now?

One of the tricks I’m working on is a double front flip.

What are you doing at the moment?

I’ve been working out in the gym and riding, trying to get in shape for an upcoming tour.

What do you have planned for the future?

I plan to help WCMX grow, to have more competitions and to help more people see their chairs as a positive.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start WCMX’ing?

I would say grab a helmet, some elbow pads and just have fun.

magazine.co.uk

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REWALK

The technology that cheats spinal cord injury Words by Colette Carr & Niki Tennant

R

eWalk Robotics is on a mission: to fundamentally change the health and life experiences of people with spinal cord injury.

ReWalk is a wearable, robotic exoskeleton that provides powered hip and knee motion to enable individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) to get back on their feet.

The only exoskeleton available for use at home and in the community, ReWalk is the most widely used and the most researched.

The system allows the individual to stand upright, walk, turn and climb and descend stairs. The ReWalk Exoskeleton enables independent, controlled walking while mimicking the natural gait pattern of the legs.

The batterypowered system features a light, wearable exoskeleton with motors at the hip and knee joints 14

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Research has revealed that standing and walking in the ReWalk also provides potential health improvements in addition to social and mobility benefits.

Studies have shown it helps to maintain bone mass, improves seated balance and significantly reduces night time sleep disturbances. Users have also reported improved mental health, reduced pain, better body conditioning, improved posture and balance, a decrease in body fat and reduced pressure ulcers.

Walking on the device has also

been found to improve bowel and bladder function.

The ReWalk Personal 6.0 System is the sixth generation of the innovative medical devices company’s pioneering robotic systems, and the technology is mind-boggling.

The battery-powered system features a light, wearable exoskeleton with motors at the hip and knee joints. The ReWalker controls movement using subtle changes in the user’s centre of gravity.

A forward tilt of the upper body is sensed by the system, which initiates the first step. Repeated body shifting generates a sequence of steps which mimics a functional natural gait of the legs.

It has an on-board computer-control system whose battery power supports all-day use. Because it is completely self-supporting, the user does not feel the system’s weight.

The clever, powered hip and knee motion system moves with the user and the adjustable ankle mechanism provides optimised step pattern.

Here, OnTrack meets two sports enthusiasts who have regained their feet thanks to revolutionary ReWalk robotics. 

magazine.co.uk

02/06/2017 13:33

REWALK

Case study: Claire Lomas

A

fter five years of wanting to stand up, Claire Lomas – who was paralysed from the chest down in a horse riding accident – can now look forward to sitting down after a long day on her feet. It was more than eight years ago when a devastated Claire was told she would never walk again after a freak accident while horse riding resulted in spinal damage.

Claire had led an active life prior to the accident and, despite the news that she would need to use a wheelchair, was determined to regain that previous fit and independent lifestyle she craved.

“That split second changed my life forever, it was just a freak accident, the horse clipped his shoulder on a tree and it left me paralysed from the chest down,” explained Claire.

“I never accepted what I was told, which was: ‘You’re in a wheelchair, get on with life in a chair and you don’t need to exercise your legs.’ I won’t accept that and never will.

“I want to make the best of the situation,

I want to keep myself healthy, exercise as much as I can, and that’s why the ReWalk suit has been invaluable to me. I always bounce back and make myself push on.”

Claire was part of the 2016 Paralympic preparations and has since made good use of her ReWalk suit during some momentous occasions.

She explained: “I lit the Paralympic English cauldron in Trafalgar Square and I met David Cameron, Boris Johnson and Seb Coe - and I met them all when standing up, and it’s such a different feeling to when you’re looking up to someone all the time.”

In April 2014 – five years after her accident - Claire walked the 26.2mile distance around London in the ReWalk suit in what she called “an amazing experience” that made her glad she “wanted to sit down at the end of the day after five years of wanting to stand up.”

She was, she said, grateful for how tired she felt by the end of the day. Claire has also used the technology to complete the Great North Run, raising £204,000 for Spinal Research – a massive £154,000 in excess of her target.

A firm believer that vital research is coming close to finding a cure for spinal injury, a grateful Claire is convinced ReWalk will play a significant role when that time comes. The technology, she says, has allowed her to become used to standing again and keeps her body “fit and ready.”

Case study: Spencer Watts

P

assionate motorcycling enthusiast Spencer Watts was just 15 years old when he came over a jump slightly short during a practice run. The resulting accident left the schoolboy with spinal cord damage. He was paralysed from the waist down. Now, thanks to ReWalk technology, the determined paraplegic competitive motorcyclist is back on the bike and on his feet.

“I had been competing on bikes since I was around six years old, and started racing when I was about nine,” he recalls.

He had, he explains, always lived for motorsport and was adamant that the accident wouldn’t mean that he had to give up his passion for racing.

“I kept fighting to achieve my goals and one of them was to go out on a motor cross bike again and it was achieved thanks to the foundation that supported me with my off-road bike and the ReWalk legs.

“I started on the bike about eighteen months after my injury and I’ve been back competing for about two years.

I came across ReWalk through the Matt Hampson Foundation - a charity that supports people who have been injured through sport. They put me in contact with the nearest physio centre to come and give ReWalk a go.”

Spencer admits: “The first time, I didn’t really enjoy it, but the second time it was better, and after a few practice sessions I got my own set of legs through the Foundation.

“Once you get used to it and work it out, it gets easier. You get a wristwatch and that allows you to tell the device what to do, whether it be climbing stairs, sitting down or walking. It just helps you do whatever you want to do.”

The technology has allowed Spencer, who is now a proud father-of-two, to remain active and follow his dreams. The experience has given him more than just the ability to walk.

He added: “I want to run the London Marathon using ReWalk next year. To get you back on your feet is great, but ReWalk is also great on a day-to-day basis, helping with health benefits and the medical side.”

magazine.co.uk

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| 15 02/06/2017 13:33

MAKE EVERY TRIP AN ADVENTURE

With our Motability Scheme offers, you can be behind the wheel of a Volvo for less.

A unique interior, intelligent design and innovative technology set these two models apart, so with the Motability Scheme you know you’re driving a great deal.

DISCOVER THE VOLVO R ANGE SE ARCH VOLVO MOTABILIT Y

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METALLIC PAINT AND REAR PARK ASSIST INCLUDED.

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Fuel consumption and CO2 figures for the Volvo V40 range in MPG (I/100 km): Urban 33.2 (8.5) – 70.6 (4.0), Extra Urban 54.3 (5.2) – 85.6 (3.3), Combined 44.1 (6.4) – 78.5 (3.6). CO2 emissions 149 – 94g/km. MPG figures are obtained from laboratory testing intended for comparisons between vehicles and may not reflect real driving results. *Advance Payment of £1,599 is for the Volvo V40 D3 Cross Country Manual. Metallic Paint and Rear Park Assist included. Advance Payment of £499 is for the Volvo V40 T3 Momentum Manual. Metallic Paint and Rear Park Assist included. Offer available on the Motability Contract Hire Scheme. To be eligible to join the Motability Scheme you must be in receipt of the Higher Rate Mobility Component of the Disability Living Allowance, the Enhanced Rate Mobility Component of Personal Independence Payment, War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement or the Armed Forces Independence Payment, which will be taken in lieu of the four-weekly rental for 36 months’ duration. 60,000 mileage allowance over 3 years; excess mileage charges may apply. Offer available from 01/04/2017 to 30/06/2017 subject to availability at participating dealers. Offer not available with other promotions and may be subject to change. For full terms and conditions, visit www.motability.co.uk. Motability Scheme vehicles are leased to customers by Motability Operations Limited (Registered Company No. 1373876), City Gate House, 22 Southwark Bridge Road, London SE1 9HB.

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02/06/2017 12:14 17/03/2017 12:57

TEAM GB

Team GB go global Images Š onEdition 2016

Words by Colette Carr

A

s the world of athletics readies itself for the World Para Athletics Championships to descend on London this summer, athletes from across the globe are in a race against time to put in notable performances to ensure their place at the starting line at the London Stadium.

As the anticipation revs up and the athletes fight to be in peak condition to come out in poll position, the World Para Athletics Grand Prix Series offers athletes and coaches the perfect opportunity to get back competing in the new season and get a feel for where everyone else is at.

The Grand Prix Series takes para athletics all over the world before the showcase event in July, starting in Dubai in March before heading to Tunisia, Brazil, Italy, the USA, China, France, Switzerland and Germany.

And as potential Team GB athletes gear up for the home games a number of them jetted off to sunny Dubai for the 9th FAZAA World Para Athletics Grand Prix and the first stop on the GP trail picking up few medals to make their mark.

Paul Blake went head to head with fellow Brit Jordan Howe in the T35/36 100metres and 200metres with Blake topping the table in both with Howe finishing second in both. Blake also picked up silver in the T36 400metres.

Elsewhere on the track Shaun Burrows lifted double gold in the T20/38

Paul Blake went head to head with fellow Brit Jordan Howe in the T35/36 100metres and 200metres with Blake topping the table...

200metres and T38 400metres and Zachary Shaw completed the same feat coming first in both the T12b 100 and 200metres.

Sophie Hahn and Rio relay teammate Kadeena Cox faced off in the T37/38 100metres and T38/44 200metres with Hahn coming out on top in both and Cox finishing third in both. Their other Rio relay teammate Maria Lyle set herself up well for London selection with two golds in both the T35 100 and 200metres, while Laura Sugar completed the track medal haul with a silver in the T44 100metres.

Away from the track and on the field Vanessa Daobry struck gold in the shot put 3K F34 and Kylie Grimes picked up silver in the F51 club throw.

Jonathan Broom-Edwards leaped to success snatching gold in the F44 high jump, while Stephen Miller’s F32 club throw outing earned him a silver and Joshua Bain won silver in the 1K F37

discus throw and bronze in the 600 F37 javelin.

Back out west Sammi Kinghorn’s trip out to Arizona for the 2017 Desert Challenge Games did more than help her make her stake for a place at London seeing the Scot come home with a new world record and multiple gold medals ensuring a happy long flight home.

Kinghorn turned in a five-star performance bagging no fewer than five golds in the States in the 100metres, 200metres, 400metres, 800metres and 1500metres events setting a new world record in the 200.

With the Grand Prix and other warm up tours underway, athletes are well into the swing of London preparations before the announcement of the team selection on 7 June.

Keep an eye on britishathletics.org.uk for the team announcement.

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02/06/2017 12:15

MOUNTAIN TRIKE hands to stay clean and dry. It is robust, yet lightweight enough to tackle the terrain of Mount Kilimanjaro.

“I’ve always pushed myself when it comes to sport, I initially started out by taking part in local 10k races in my everyday wheelchair. I then got into wheelchair racing and took part in the London Marathon - my first time was 2.5 hours and the following year I was delighted to cross the line in under two hours,” explained father of two Aaron, of Southampton.

“I then discovered a passion for wheelchair rugby. I was training 11 times a week, whilst working full time and trying to maintain family life. Wheelchair rugby can be quite brutal, it’s a contact sport but the adrenaline you get when playing as part of a team is incredible. The highlight for me was being selected for the London 2012 Paralympic Games - a very proud moment.”

UK PARALYMPIAN’S

GREATEST CHALLENGE A aron Phipps is no stranger to challenges and has always been determined to achieve above and beyond the goals he sets himself.

In May last year, he achieved his biggest challenge yet to become the first unassisted wheelchair user to summit Mount Kilimanjaro, with the help of his Mountain Trike all-terrain wheelchair.

Aaron has been a long-term supporter of the Meningitis Research Foundation (MRF) after contracting meningitis in 1999. As a result of the disease, Aaron had both legs amputated below the knee as well as the tips of his fingers. But his determination has seen him compete in wheelchair races and representing Team GB at the London 2012 Paralympic Games as part of the wheelchair rugby squad.

Mount Kilimanjaro is the world’s highest free standing mountain and, at 5,895m, it’s a tough challenge.

In researching the best equipment during rigorous training, he discovered the Mountain Trike - an off-road wheelchair.

The chair has been designed using high-end specification mountain bike components and a lever drive system helps propel the chair, allowing the user’s

Aaron who works for Roma Sport on their innovation and development within its sports and active wheelchair portfolio, is also an athlete mentor for Sky Academy and a motivational speaker.

Through his latest challenge and his speaking appointments, he is determined to help fund research and raise awareness of meningitis and the available vaccines that could prevent other children from suffering the way he did.

Aaron admits that the challenge was the toughest he has ever undertaken.

“It felt like I’d done 16 marathons, I blacked out, I was sick, but I was determined to do it. The Mountain Trike was incredible - it was pounded over boulders and terrain that I never thought it would get over. Unfortunately, as we got higher up the mountain I was able to use it less and less. I refused help and resorted to climbing up on my hands and knees. We set off at midnight and reached the summit at around 10:30am. I feel incredibly proud especially as I managed it all by myself. I wouldn’t have been able to achieve this without the incredible support of the team around me.”

Aaron is enjoying spending time with his family, heading out to New Forest for days out using his Mountain Trike whilst contemplating his next big challenge. www.meningitis.org www.mountaintrike.com

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02/06/2017 13:35

WORCESTER UNIVERSITY

On course for sporting success

Words by Colette Carr

W

hen former professional footballer David Mycock moved to the University of Worcester to study his degree, he couldn’t have imagined the chain of events that were about to unfold that would shape his career path.

When at university, David was asked to coach an English international blind footballer on the Talented Athlete Scheme before ending up running a blind football team which ultimately went on to win the National Futsal League and the Champions League.

the roof” due to the clever running of the course and balance between specialised knowledge and overall sport science and coaching know how.

The close attention to detail and personal touches implemented also go a long way to help make the course as popular and successful as it is according to David.

He said: “We try to work with every individual to make the best bespoke course we can for them.

“It’s a three-year Bachelor course with eight modules per year. It is the principles of a degree in sports coaching and the fundamentals of sport and exercise science to adapted physical activity and sport

preach when it comes to inclusiveness and accessibility.

They don’t just invite able-bodied students to come on board to learn the ins and outs of disability sport, but young disabled wannabe coaches themselves.

“I would say 40% of the course in each year are people with disabilities themselves.

We have students who are wheelchair users, have cerebral palsy, visual or hearing impairments, so they have an opportunity to coach within their own sport classification and get a degree.

“We support people who maybe never thought of going to university or thought they’d never get the chance.”

The course is delivered from world class accessible facilities with plans for more to be developed in the pipeline.

“In Worcester University, we have the only inclusive arena in Britain – it’s a fully wheelchair accessible 2000 seater and we have the Great Britain women’s wheelchair basketball in there.

“We’ve just gotten the funding to design a national inclusive centre for adapted physical activity, with a health and wellbeing centre, a performance analysis suite and tournament venues all connected to the St John’s campus.”

With para-sport on the rise, you can only imagine that the demand for this type of education will be too.

And going forward, the facilities to be put in place only further cement the fact that the course is heading in the right direction and will continue to produce future disability sport coaches.

“We’re also about to revalidate it and bring in more national body awards, so who knows where it’ll go, especially with the new facilities, because our students will be the workforce working with international teams.”

For more information on the course visit worcester.ac.uk.

We’ve just gotten the funding to design a national inclusive centre for adapted physical activity, with a health and wellbeing centre, a performance analysis suite and tournament venues...

And it was seeing the need for talented young footballers with visual impairments to have a governing body that helped inspire him to become a driving force in creating Europe’s only disability specific sports coaching course.

Recognising the need for professionals experienced and qualified in this part of the sports sector, David and his colleagues developed the Sports Coaching Science with Disability Sport.

And when asked why he thought it took so long for somewhere to develop a course like this, he was pensive in saying he thought the main reason was a bit of the fear of the unknown.

“I think people were frightened of it because it wasn’t a standalone career, it only takes 15-20 people, universities want bigger courses, it’s a little bit niche and I think that most people found inclusion and the adaption seemed to be an afterthought which is a common trend in society probably,” he pondered.

For the past five years, David says the course has continued to grow and has seen the satisfaction levels go “through

and disability. It looks at the barriers and difficulties to overcome, it explores mental health in childhood and adolescence and special education needs schools.

“It’s a 50/50 between academic and practical. We pride ourselves on how we practically apply students in placements, and we’ve got a visually impaired scholarship scheme so people can play high level visually impaired sport and get a degree.

“We’re just making little inroads because nobody else is doing it.

“You get a chance to do research, we have a range of international speakers, national governing body awards are embedded in the course and it’s all built in so we have students become fit for purpose in disability specific sport settings.”

David and the course don’t just talk a good game, they practice what they

magazine.co.uk

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 SMART TECH

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This Powerball active gyroscope ball arm exerciser, wrist and hand grip strengthener rehabilitates tendonitis, elbow or wrist pain and finger injury. By winding the rotor backwards three turns and releasing the Powerball starts instantly and is an efficient arm exercise machine that improves grip and strength for sports such as golf, tennis climbing, cycling, basketball, cricket and martial arts. It is also beneficial for rehabilitation of all hand, wrist, elbow and arm conditions (sprained wrist, humerus fracture, scaphoid fracture, pain in wrist, numbness in hands, lateral epicondylitis treatment etc).

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 BEET IT SPORT SHOTS RRP £1.70 per 70ml shot.

The Beet It Sport shot is concentrated beetroot juice and has a natural dietary nitrate content of 400mg - the maximum intake of nitrate in the smallest volume of liquid (7cl/70ml) for a quick, easy and palatable hit before exercise. Enjoyed and revered by many elite athletes, Olympic teams and leading Pro Tour cycling teams, Beet It Sport shots are at the centre of worldwide research at many universities into the benefits of natural dietary nitrate supplementation.

Available from Holland & Barrett, many independent sport retailers and online from wiggle.co.uk and beet-it.com

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02/06/2017 14:27

 SHAMPOO BARS AA SKINCARE | £5.95 Bursting with natural ingredients and 100% pure essential oils, AA Skincare’s new range of shampoo bars pack a botanical punch of solid nourishment to give all hair types a natural boost. Perfect for the gym, the naturally effective solid shampoo bars clean without stripping protective oils - leaving hair with body and shine. Each bar is a cocktail of specially blended anti-oxidant, mineral and vitamin rich natural ingredients - from Frankincense, Rose and Argan through to Lavender, Rosemary and Avocado to Cinnamon, Peppermint and Bergamot. The bars are easy to use and long lasting - a 50g bar gives you twice as many washes as a 250ml bottle of liquid shampoo. As well as being your new gym kit bag buddie, the bar is great for festivals or when you’re on the go. Simply wash hair, leave the bar to dry and it’s ready to use again.

www.aaskincare.co.uk 0117 904 7212

 ALPHA-STIM From £662.50 (+VAT) or is available on a buy-to-rent scheme from £60 a month.

The Alpha-Stim® is a clinically proven cranial electrotherapy stimulation device that reduces sports injury pain and speeds up recovery by up to half the time. Used regularly at Everton Football Club, the Alpha-Stim works by provoking a reaction in both the electrical and chemical synapses in the body, to kick-start the healing process, initiated by sending out a variety of electrical frequencies that the body is familiar with.

This portable form of treatment which blocks pain and promotes healing is delivered via electrode pads and ear clips. Nothing is felt during the treatment because it is delivered in a form that the body recognises and absorbs. The Alpha-Stim uses a specific wave form with a 10 second pulse width and enhances the communication between the cells, so that when the body has been traumatised during an injury more blood and oxygen are sent to the area of trauma.

www.alpha-stim.co.uk 01487 208041.

 MULTI-USE GLOVE Glovax | £11.66 ($15US) Glovax is a revolutionary, multi-use glove that adapts to all of your needs. Glovax is made with a revolutionary yarn material that is equipped with abrasion resistance, blade cut resistance, tear strength resistance and puncture resistance. The material is moisture absorbent, skid-resistant, waterresistant and oil-proof. It’s lightweight, comfortable and flexible to all of your needs. Other gloves may be equipped with several of the features, but it is so hard to find one glove with all of them. When you go on outdoor adventures, your hands are very vulnerable. They should be fully protected at all times. Glovax is also super breathable and lightweight, making it perfect for outdoor sports and heavy labour.

www.indiegogo.com/projects/glovax-arevolutionary-adventure-glove

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02/06/2017 13:36

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02/06/2017 12:15

MOTIVATION

“My life has changed with this tricycle...”

Help children like Jashmine and Farhanaz

B

illed as the world’s first fully inclusive and accessible mass participation event, Parallel London returns to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on Sunday 3rd September. For mobility charity Motivation, inclusion is at the heart of everything they do. Its mission? To create a world in which disabled people are fully included in all aspects of everyday life.

Motivation’s specially designed wheelchairs and tricycles are helping disabled people living in some of the world’s poorest countries get to work and school. For sisters Jashmine and Farhanaz (pictured) their Motivation tricycles help them to independently travel the 1km journey to school each day. Could you push or run the same to help children like them get off to the best start in life? Or even 5km or 10km?

Run, push, walk, be pushed – anything goes at Parallel London! With five different track distances to choose from, ranging 100m – 10km, this one-of-a-kind event is open to all ages and abilities which means

that everyone can get involved.

For over 25 years, Motivation’s speciallyfitted wheelchairs and services have been helping to give disabled people living in low-income countries a route from poverty. The charity works to ensure that disabled people in these areas feel empowered to stand up for their rights and have the tools and skills to live fulfilled, healthy and active lives.

If you are passionate about inclusion and want to make a difference to the lives of disabled people in the developing world, join Team Motivation at Parallel London today. By raising just £140 sponsorship, you could turn someone’s life around by helping to provide them with a specially fitted wheelchair that takes into account not only their unique seating needs but also their environment.

To secure your discounted Parallel London place with Motivation, head to: www.motivation.org.uk/parallellondon-2017 Your support can help children like Jashmine and Farhanaz…

“So many things have come with this tricycle!” Jashmine (left) Jashmine,10, and her older sister Farhanaz, 16, live in Lucknow, India.

Both girls were born with underdeveloped lower limbs and, without appropriate wheelchairs, they have been completely dependent on their family members to get around.

When they were younger, their mother could carry to them to school, but as they got bigger and heavier this became impossible so instead, her husband Mohammed would take the sisters to school individually on the back of his bicycle. The short trip would take him over an hour each morning, which meant time away from his busy hand-looming business – time the family couldn’t afford to lose.

Motivation’s hand-powered tricycles are perfect for people who need to travel longer distances independently.

They are designed to cope with rough terrain, like the uneven road surfaces around Jashmine and Farhanaz’s home, and they even have a built in rear carrier for the girls’ school bags.

The tricycles have made a huge difference to family life. The girls are independent, confident and able to go about their lives just like other children their age. Crucially, they have been able to continue their education now that the trip to school is trouble-free.

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02/06/2017 13:37

SPORT

Cerebral Palsy Sport

Words by Niki Tennant

C

erebral Palsy Sport is the country’s leading national disability sports charity supporting people with cerebral palsy to reach their potential through sport, putting people with cerebral palsy and their families at the heart of everything they do. Cerebral palsy affects one in 400 people in the UK.

01/ Athletics The athletics programme ranges from AthleticStart days (local introductory athletics sessions) through to the Athletics Series (regional competitions to develop athlete skills) and annual National Championships. Events include a variety of track and field disciplines. They also offer RaceRunning opportunities, a new adapted sport using a three-wheeled frame for those who cannot functionally run and rely on sports aids for mobility and balance.

02/ Football The charity has developed excellent partnerships in several regions across England and Wales. It offers KickStart days (local introductory football sessions), KickOff events (fun regional competition events to develop player skills) and the adapted sport of frame football (adapted activities for individuals who use a frame or crutches).

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adults with cerebral palsy and related neurological conditions. Hundreds of participants take part in their events across the country yearly, which are supported by volunteers. They have membership packages that include discount for the charity’s sporting events.

In 2015, the charity hosted the Nottingham 2015 CPISRA World Games, welcoming 13 nations to a memorable multi-sport event in the city.

Cerebral Palsy Sport provides sports opportunities for children, young people and

05/ SportStart

03/ Swimming Cerebral Palsy Sport’s Swim Series includes Development Galas (fun regional competition events to develop swimmers’ skills) through to annual National Championships. The charity works closely with Swim England and other delivery agencies to ensure good quality provision exists locally for everyone to enjoy.

Cerebral Palsy Sport’s SportStart days take place all over the country. The charity works with local sports clubs to deliver a range of fun activities for children and young people and supports them to take their first steps into sport. This includes an adapted sports programme. These sports have been developed to ‘fill the gap’ where current sport provision does not meet the needs of all people with cerebral palsy or physical disabilities, and include table cricket, frame football and RaceRunning.

04/ Table cricket Table cricket is a game for everyone to play and enjoy and it is a great way to teach the basics of cricket on a table top. Cerebral Palsy Sport supports the development of the National Table Cricket Community League. Events include four national performance group events for players and coaches each year.

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SPORT

CasE Studies What’s involved?

Partnerships

The charity is engaging with a number of sporting and nonsporting organisations including Sport England, EFDS, NGBs, CSPs, third sector organisations, NDSOs local sports clubs to enable it to develop and expand opportunities.

Training and development:

Cerebral Palsy Sport works with and advises organisations, healthcare professionals, schools and individuals on how they can deliver more appealing and suitable activities for people with cerebral palsy and associated physical impairments.

It offers cerebral palsy and sport awareness training, adapted sports leader training, sport specific coaching workshops, insight and educational resources. The charity has created resources for the adapted sports programme.

Participants:

Cerebral Palsy Sport is delighted to have been able to introduce sport and provide opportunities to so many people, benefitting from the many social, physical and psychological aspects it can provide.

Some individuals have even gone on to compete at the Paralympic Games, including swimmer Sascha Kindred CBE and athlete Steven Miller MBE.

Ellie Simpson Cerebral Palsy Sport Young Sporting Ambassador

I am 22 years old and currently completing a Sports Development with Coaching degree at Sheffield Hallam University. I have quadriplegic cerebral palsy, which affects all four of my limbs and makes my movements appear shaky and jerky.

In 2012, I watched the London Paralympics on TV. Before then, I did not associate people like myself with sport at all. When I heard that the Paralympics GB Sport Fest was coming to Sheffield I went along and that day changed my life. I fell in love with athletics and joined City of Sheffield AC. I started training and competing in the club throw, which I loved, but I really wanted to be on the track. Neither wheelchair racing or ambulant running suited me so when I saw this ‘thing’ hurtling down the track at a CP Sport competition, with my now best friend Matt on it, I knew I wanted to do it. It

was RaceRunning. I signed up to the next Cerebral Palsy Sport RaceRunning taster day and had a go. I was hooked! I competed at the 2015 CP World Games winning two gold medals and represented England at the 2016 European Championships in Denmark.

Sport has had a major positive impact on my life. Physically, I now find that things in my everyday life are a little easier, e.g. negotiating steps, and my overall coordination has improved. Socially, I have made the best friends through sport.

Academically, sport has opened doors to brand new opportunities. It would have never crossed my mind a few years ago to take a Sports degree!

In the long term, my dream is for RaceRunning to become IPC approved and to reach the Paralympics. I am confident that it’ll happen one day!

Ben Meadows Cerebral Palsy Sport Young Sporting Ambassador I am 16 years old. I was born with hemiplegia which affects my right side.

Since an early age, I have had continual physiotherapy which has helped me understand that exercising and keeping strong is an essential part of my life. I have also been lucky to try many sports at school including boccia, wheelchair basketball and table cricket, but my main passion is football.

In 2007 I underwent surgery on my right leg/foot which changed my life I was able to run and move a lot easier. I joined LFC Ability Counts football and also played for Liverpool County FA pan disability development programme. At the age of 11, I was picked to play for the North West Regional Talent Centre. I went on to join the North West RTC and CP United FC and found my position as

a goalkeeper. The coaches I work with are amazing, motivating me consistently and believing in my abilities. I have also been selected to be in the CP England development squad.

I have completed the FA Junior Football Leaders Award and have my FA Level 1 in coaching football, as well as passing my referee course. I regularly work with younger children at CP United FC as a coaching assistant. I have also enjoyed helping out at some Cerebral Palsy Sport football events too.

Sport has helped me overcome difficulties with my disability, given me confidence, helped my physical development and movement, and I’ve made lifelong friends. My personal ambition is to keep developing as a player and as a person and hopefully play for England and GB in the future.

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02/06/2017 13:39

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02/06/2017 12:15

TECHNOLOGY

Mike pushes the boundaries for fitness enthusiasts Words by Colette Carr

F

aiming for.

or some wheelchair users, fitness technology and advice can seem hard to come by. With an emphasis on daily number of steps taken, it can appear that the sports technology industry is leaving wheelchair users behind.

Through discussions with lecturers and other former Paralympians, Mike found differing opinions on what was the average, how it should be calculated and where they go from there.

So now armed with the tracker on his iWatch he is enlisting volunteers to help set ‘the benchmark’.

But now former Paralympian Mike Hanney has decided to take matters into his own hands and find out just how many pushes wheelchair users should be recording every day - but he needs your help.

It is advised that able-bodied people take 10,000 steps but as Mike notes there is no recommended number of pushes for wheelchair users.

PROJECT OUTLINE

FORMER

PARALYMPIAN

FENCER MIKE HANNEY SAYS THE

IDEA

OF

DISABLED

PEOPLE TRACKING FITNESS

PROGRESS HAS BEEN The former Paralympian fencer and fitness instructor said; “Initially, when O V E R L O O K E D I started looking at wearable fitness devices, I was disappointed to find that While disappointed that he was receiving while awareness of disability has come on automatic reminders to stand up, his leaps and bounds over the last decade, the exercising had to be categorised as ‘other’ idea of disabled people wanting to track on the iWatch and still without a means of their fitness progress seems to have been counting his pushes Mike persisted with overlooked. it, even emailing Apple CEO Tim Cook “In the majority of cases wearable devices pressing for a wheelchair friendly form of were all about tracking steps.” the software.

On the advent of the iWatch, Mike maintained a cautious but slightly skeptical outlook as he purchased Apple’s latest must-have upon hearing that the company were researching a number of long-term illnesses in partnership with universities around the world.

Mike’s prayers were finally answered last year when Apple announced they had created an algorithm capable of counting the pushes of a wheelchair in the same way it does steps, but after changing the settings to ‘rolling’ Mike was still none the wiser as to how many pushes he should be

When enough volunteers have been enlisted, Mike explains that he would collate the following information on the participants; their name, age, disability, back wheel size in inches and if it is a day or sports chair. Following this, participants are to email Mike how many pushes they have recorded each day and how active they were to understand how much of a role exercise had to play in the day’s final count.

After a period of time, Mike and his team will look to draw conclusions by determining what the average number of pushes is, whether or not the type of chair has an impact and if the person’s disability also affects the number of pushes taken, to then arrive at a figure that can be deemed the benchmark for daily pushes.

If you are interested in getting involved, visit pushittraining.com or email Mike on mike@pushittraining.com and let OnTrack Magazine know how you get on.

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Image © Woodenspoon

Wild about sport Steve is living the dream Words by Niki Tennant

I

n an interview with his careers advisor at school, an enthusiastic teenage Steve Brown outlined the very clear path he wanted his professional life to follow: He was going to play sport for England and be at one with wildlife like David Attenborough.

Dismissing both aspirations as ‘pie in the sky,’ the advisor patiently and gently suggested Steve pursue a more realistic career direction, such as Media Studies.

Today, that wide-of-the-mark careers advisor must surely be eating his hat… because Paralympics GB wheelchair rugby captain, radio and television sports commentator, and presenter of the BBC’s flagship wildlife programme Steve Brown is living his dream.

On the day Steve spoke to OnTrack

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Magazine, he’d spent the morning in a Medieval tent learning how to make longbows and arrows during filming for the BBC’s Countryfile. Not a mundane start to the working day in anyone’s book.

in the South of France aged 18, he used his planning skills to organise sporting activities for guests.

Steve is adamant. There is one aspect of his life that’s been the catalyst for the outstanding success he has enjoyed in every other, and that’s sport.

Getting a real buzz from seeing families’ enjoyment of sport, Steve’s enthusiasm was rewarded with a promotion and, by the age of 24, he was area manager, overseeing 11 resorts in Spain and the South of France.

A keen cross country runner who represented his school and played football for Kent, super-fit Steve lived for sport.

In his words, he “got himself a nice girlfriend and a summer abroad turned into a lifestyle.”

Following his career advisor’s words of wisdom, he embarked on a Media Studies course at university, hoping it would lead to a career as a sports photographer or even a documentary cameraman.

Taking a summer job at a holiday resort

But all that was to change dramatically when, after cooking dinner for his girlfriend, he tripped and fell off her first floor balcony, snapping his neck and trapping his spinal cord, leaving him with no movement from his chest downwards for the rest of his life.

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02/06/2017 13:41

STEVE BROWN

“That moment changed everything. I had to quit my job, I ended up separating from my girlfriend. A million and a half things changed. I was told I was never going to walk again,” remembers Steve.

“In hospital, it was like going back to college: learning lessons about how to hold a knife and fork, getting dressed and getting in and out of the bath.

For five months, I did not go out. I was embarrassed about what people might think.”

Then came the defining moment when he realised he had a choice and his destiny was in his hands.

It was on a trip to the local sports centre at which a wheelchair rugby team was in training.

“I looked at these people playing, trying to knock each other out of their wheelchairs.

Some of them didn’t even have hands to move. It was inspiring. A lot of them had similar injuries to me, some of them had worse. I wanted to be like them, to have their motivation and drive,” recalls Steve, who took part in his first wheelchair rugby training session eight months after his accident.

“Watching them made me wonder why I was scared and worried about my future.

They were fantastic athletes, fantastic people. They taught me not just about the sport, but also little ways of doing things quicker and more easily that I hadn’t thought about before.”

Nine months later, he took part in his first competition – which is when a GB coach spotted him and led him to the Nationals in 2005.

Steve didn’t look back. He held the 2012 captaincy at London 2012 for the GB rugby team when the highlight for him was not the crowds, the media of the title ‘Captain,’ but the fact that the people in the team who had inspired him after his injury had trusted him enough to give him that role.

He explained: “They made me realise I could do more than I thought I could.

They showed me what I am capable of.

Without sport when I was working abroad, I wouldn’t have been promoted. Without sport, and without those people on the team, I would still have been sitting watching daytime TV, feeling sorry for myself.

“Every sport has its own level of risk. It’s just a question of assessing whether it’s one you’re willing to take. When you play rugby, wheelchair or otherwise, players get knocked about and 99 times out of 100,

Every sport has its own level of risk.

It’s just a question of assessing whether it’s one you’re willing to take. you get up again.”

After Steve cut his teeth in broadcasting during London 2012 and the Invictus Games in 2014, an impressed producer commented: “You’re quite good at this talking malarkey, aren’t you?” and inquired about Steve’s other hobbies and interests outside sport.

Steve explained how, as a young boy, his dad would take him across fields and countryside, telling him about the sights and sounds of wildlife. That, and watching wildlife documentaries, instilled a passion in Steve from a young age. And like the skills he learned though participation in sport, he insists the skills he acquired through this deep interest could be transferred to television presenting.

The revelation resulted in an approach from the BBC’s Springwatch show and, just before nephew Louis’ fourth birthday, the pair packed binoculars and a bird watching book and set out to drive country lanes while on camera.

“Springwatch said: ‘Let’s take a punt on Steve.’ They believed in me. It was lovely to give my nephew that opportunity. When Countryfile got in touch, that was the pinnacle. You should have seen the smile on my dad’s face when he realised I’d be

working alongside John Craven and Matt Baker.

“My family and friends were very proud of me with London 2012 and being captain.

But when I spent time away training with team GB, they could not visualise it or get the enthusiasm.

“But when I come home and say I was up at 3am to listen out for nightingales or boxing hares, they know what I’m talking about and it brings another level of excitement for them,” added 5 Live presenter Steve, who has also made appearances on The One Show.

“I’m so pleased to get that text or call from Countryfile saying they loved the last piece and want more. Within a week, to be at both ends of the spectrum and to be taken seriously in wildlife and sports – the two things I grew up loving the most – is amazing.”

Steve, who provided commentary on this year’s London Marathon, is currently working on Wheelchair Tennis World Cup coverage and will be in the commentary box during Wimbledon.

“It’s giving me the chance to show that I know more about sport than just rugby.”

And he jibed: “If only my careers advisor could see me now!”

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| 31 02/06/2017 13:42

SPORTS FOCUS

Words by Niki Tennant

ACCESSIBLE S ANGLING teep and unmade banks surrounding many of the UK’s reservoirs, lakes, ponds and rivers means the opportunity to fish the water effectively can be limited for wheelchair users and anglers with mobility problems. With their fluctuating water levels, access for disabled anglers is further hindered at most reservoirs.

The problem is further compounded by the design of standard boats. After the cumbersome process of boarding, a wheelchair user is usually totally reliant on a partner while on board a standard vessel.

Not anymore. Cue Wheelyboats. They overcome all the difficulties to make the entire water accessible. They are simple to board and the level floor provides access throughout, giving the disabled user the dignity of their own independence.

Wheelyboats also enable disabled people to participate in waterborne activities on equal terms with and alongside their able-bodied counterparts.

At a long-established trout fishery in Warwickshire, a proud Andy Beadsley recently had the pleasure of witnessing the launch of the 100th Wheelboat during his 15-year tenure as director of registered charity The Wheelyboat Trust.

The Trust’s role is to help and encourage venues open to the public to acquire Wheelyboats for their disabled visitors and to help groups and organisations acquire the vessels for their own use. It also promotes the crafts’ use for recreation and sporting pursuits for disabled, elderly and infirm people, families and community groups.

The 19th Coulam 16 Wheelyboat’s maiden sail was in April on Draycote Reservoir – a

600-acre lowland reservoir near Rugby famous for its buzzer hatches and large, grown-on brown and rainbow trout.

Designed and developed by The Wheelboat Trust and JM Coulam Boatbuilders, the Coulam 16 Wheelyboat stems from the fundamental desire of disabled anglers and wheelchair users to have the same opportunities to fish as nondisabled people.

The boat is based on Jim Coulam’s 16ft reservoir fishing boat design and has been adapted to provide wheelchair users with step-free access on board. With an open cockpit and level floor throughout, the disabled angler can choose to sit at the bow or stern and is able to drive and operate the boat independently.

The unique design features of the boat are not immediately obvious, making it a thoroughly enjoyable experience for disabled anglers. Wheelchair users board the Coulam 16 Wheelboat via a ramp from a pontoon on to a hydraulic platform that lowers to floor level. Removable hand rails around the platform help keep the angler secure and simplify the boarding and disembarking procedure, which means that only one able-bodied helper is required for assistance. The boat has a 6ft beam, low centre of gravity and is very stable. In normal conditions, wheelchair brakes are sufficient to hold the angler in place, but D-rings on the floor provide secure strapping points should conditions demand.

Over the last two years, Andy Beadsley has watched the fundraising drive to finance the £9200 project gain momentum and

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reach its pinnacle: the launch on Draycote Reservoir that will open up a new world on water for disabled anglers. Andy was in his late teens when, in 1982, he became paraplegic after a devastating motorcycling accident. At the time of the accident, Andy was on a gamekeeping course at Hampshire College of Agriculture – a module which included river management on the Rivers Itchen and Test.

Although he had flirted with the idea of fly-fishing since the age of 10, Andy did not fully delve into the sport until he became a wheelchair user.

“I learned from a children’s book how to fly cast,” he reflects. “I remember many hours sitting outside with a fly rod, learning how to cast.”

A few of his friends who were fly fishing enthusiasts accompanied him on riverbank trips and a young Andy was soon smitten.

Fly fishing is a unique way of catching fish, mainly trout, and fly anglers need to be mobile in order to find where the fish are feeding – quite a problem if you are mobility impaired. On board a Wheelyboat on the popular competition venue of Draycote, though, an angler is able to drift

magazine.co.uk

02/06/2017 14:27

SPORTS FOCUS

...the boat is the same boat everybody else will be using and wheelchair users do not have to feel any different to other people

The project was funded by the Janet Nash Charitable Settlement, Draycote Fly-Fishers Association and their members, along with Fishery Management (UK) Ltd which has been running the fishery on Draycote since 2011.The Wheelyboat Trust currently supplies four models – two purpose-built fishing boats and two multi-purpose models including a two-seater inshore powerboat.

the length of the reservoir and cover the water in search of fish which can be spread or shoaling together and at different depths.

Continued Andy: “Angling is an activity that most disabled people can participate in very successfully given the right access and equipment. Our Wheelyboats overcome all the difficulties of accessing waters like Draycote and we are delighted that Ifor Jones and his team at Fishery Management (UK) have become the latest fishery to operate a Wheelyboat.

“This is the 180th Wheelyboat to be launched and is a particularly proud moment for me being the 100th Wheelyboat launched since I took over as director in 2002.”

A hundred and eighty Wheelyboats have been supplied across the UK, Ireland and Denmark at around 150 sites. Six boats are currently on order and 10 projects are at the fundraising stage.

Anyone who wishes to give the Wheelyboats experience a try should visit www.wheelyboats.org to find their nearest Wheelyboat venue and discover the type of activities available to them. Each will have facilities to provide instruction and an onthe-water companion.

Andy’s advice for the novice fly fisher who has a disability? “Get out there and have some fun!” www.flyfishdraycote.co.uk

“It means the boat is the same boat everybody else will be using and wheelchair users do not have to feel any different to other people. It gives you a great amount of confidence on the water and a feeling of inclusivity,” explained Andy.

“From a competition point of view, everyone is in the same boat – quite literally, as the Wheelyboat has the same size of engine and drifting capabilities as those WHEELYBOAT of other competitors.

ATTENDESS

“When lowered to floor level, the GETTING hydraulic platform does not get in the TAKE TO way, so the fishery can let the boat out to WATERS anybody, not just disabled people. That means the Wheelyboat is a dual-purpose craft for the fishery to have in their fleet.

It means they can take it out and generate income for the fishery and hopefully subsidise angling for disabled people.”

READY THE

TO

OPEN

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02/06/2017 14:38

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02/06/2017 12:15

WEIR-ARCHER ACADEMY

Words by Mark Davidson

M

athletics club.

any coaches scream and shout, many wave their arms in frustration, but not Jenny Archer, the cool, coach of the six times Paralympic gold medal winner David Weir.

They offer the opportunity for expert coaching in all wheelchair racing events from the 100metres on the track to the full marathon.

These training sessions happen each Monday and Wednesday at Kingsmeadow athletics club, every morning in Richmond Park and specifically on Saturday when it’s open to all members.

She first met David when he was just eight years old.

Officials were looking for athletes to take part in the London Youth Games and they approached Jenny who first saw David when he was training at Tooting Bec Athletics Club.

In the years since, they have developed a formidable partnership which culminated in London with David winning four gold medals at the 2012 Paralympics.

DAVID

AND

JENNY

PROUDLY

SHOWING

OFF

FOUR

HIS

GOLD

MEDALS

As a result of their enduring friendship, both Jenny and David decided to form the Weir-Archer Academy in April 2013, although it was an idea that they both had back after the 2008 Beijing Paralympics had just finished. After seeing the likes of Australia and Canada with almost double the amount of wheelchair athletes competing in comparison to Great Britain, it was then that David knew there needed to be a way of getting more disabled athletes competing at future events.

They both came up with the idea to offer

a range of activities to children and adults alike. David and Jenny decided that after the 2012 Paralympic Games in London, the pair would open their own academy to provide opportunities for those with various disabilities to become involved in sport.

Aiming to create a centre of excellence for disabled athletes and working very closely with different partners to provide access to other sports and improved facilities, the Weir Archer Academy was formed as a registered charity and

The coaches, athletes and trustees go to different schools, speaking to the children, raising awareness of Paralympic sport, along with many of the parents who help with the day-to-day running of the academy.

What about the future? Jenny and David want to build up the club to bring through more children interested in wheelchair racing.

Jenny says: “There are limited facilities currently out there to bring through talented youngsters who want to get into wheelchair racing. Along with David Weir and Jane Emmerson at Get Kids Going! who are providing all the wheelchairs, we are continuing to get more athletes involved.”

For more information, the Weir-Archer can be contacted via their website: www.weirarcher.co.uk Get Kids Going! Can be contacted via: www.getkidsgoing.com

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02/06/2017 13:45

DEAFLYMPICS

Danii Joyce

Deaflympics swimmer Words by Colette Carr

F

or 21-year-old student Danii Joyce, finishing her exams didn’t signal a period of freedom of lie ins and celebrations with her friends, but shifting her attention and focusing all her energy on preparing for “the pinnacle of deaf athletes’ careers”. And she’s hoping her second bite at the Deaflympics cherry will be sweet. 

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magazine.co.uk

Image © Neil Hanna for Scottish Swimming

02/06/2017 13:46

DEAFLYMPICS

The swimmer from Stevenston in North Ayrshire will fly out to Samsun in Turkey for the 23rd Summer Deaflympics from 18-30 July and will compete in the 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke, 50m and 100m freestyle and every relay. And four years on from her Deaflympics debut in Sofia, Bulgaria, Danii is gearing up to make a splash in Turkey.

“This is my second Deaflympics, but I am much more excited for this one as I am a strong medal contender this time round and feel I’m in a more positive place,” she began.

drum up and cover the costs themselves to make it to the starting line regardless of qualification.

DANII A

JOYCE

STRONG

CONTENDER THE

IS

MEDAL FOR

UPCOMING

DEAFLYMPICS

“I’ve done ok in my career so far, however this is the pinnacle of any deaf athlete’s sporting career so I’m really hoping to perform to the best of my abilities. I recently won six golds at the Deaf Nationals a few months ago which was a good point to be at before going away.”

Currently holding nine world records, to say she has done “ok” is somewhat of an understatement.

Having broken multiple world records, Danii really caused ripples at the 2014 European Championships in Russia, spearheading GB to success picking up double gold and finishing as the most successful swimmer in Saransk before winning gold at the World Championships in Texas in 2015.

At her last Deaflympics outing at the tender age of 17 she, despite not medalling, broke four Scottish deaf records, four British deaf records, four British youth records, three British youth and two British records.

And on top of her success in the water she has racked up a number of other impressive gongs including Deaf Sports Personality of the Year, Scottish Women in Sport’s 2015 Sportswoman of the Year and a Rising Star Award. And to add, she is an ambassador for the National Deaf Children’s Society and UK Deaf Sport.

It seems to only be the tip of the iceberg for the young swimmer too.

The University of Stirling swimmer splits her time training and studying Sport and Exercise Science and has spent most of the last month juggling the two unable to pay Turkey her undivided attention.

She said: “Preparation has been ok.

“I’ve been studying for exams the last month so have been mainly focusing on that. I’m now exam free so can solely focus on my swimming and training for the next two months.”

But while Danii’s family found themselves endlessly fundraising online, she was preparing to face Eastern European swimmers who train in fully funded programmes and even have the incentive of cash prizes for winning, highlighting the gulf in the money involved.

“Being an athlete on the Deaflympics team is an honour, however we don’t get any funding from the government at all.

“We have to raise all the funds ourselves or from our parents’ pockets, which gives the added pressure of performing well as your family has had to donate all this money for you to go.

“It would be nice to be recognised on the same level as both Olympic and Paralympic athletes as the recognition and funding they get can be unfair to us deaf athletes,” she conceded.

We have to raise all the funds ourselves or from our parent’s pockets, which gives the added pressure of performing...

But with a big push and the generosity of the public, companies and the Realising Dreams Foundation digging deep the funds were raised, but it only highlighted the ways that deaf sport has to go if there is a reliance on charities and others.

Nevertheless, Danii is now booked on that prized flight and it is all systems go for the medal hopeful who trains on campus at Stirling Uni. “Between now and heading out is just training up at the University of Stirling and trying to get stronger in the gym.

I also really need to start eating healthily!” she joked.

While the Deaflympics are “the pinnacle”, the world record holder also has her sights set on the Commonwealth Games and maybe even the Olympics – a world away from the young girl who quit swimming and has a chlorine allergy.

And with great form propping her up going into the games, it’s no wonder she’s tipped for the podium, something she’s quietly hopeful for.

Preparation for Danii and other deaf swimmers isn’t just in the pool and gym though.

“I’ve won European and World golds, so a Deaflympics gold medal is the dream, but really my aim is just to try and swim personal bests and to possibly come away with any colour of medal.

Despite being IOC approved, UK Deaflympics athletes receive no government funding meaning athletes must

“To say I’ve won an Olympic medal would be the highlight of my swimming career and quite possibly life!”

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02/06/2017 13:47

HAVE YOU TRIED?

Have you trieD

RAMBLING? Words by Colette Carr

As the summer (hopefully) creeps in and the warmer weather is upon us and the days begin to stretch many of us itch to get out into the fresh air and take new inspiration from the changing season.

R

ambling can be a great way of getting out and active whether you’re particularly sporty or not and allow you to take in some stunning scenery and breath-taking landscapes.

Defined as a type of walking usually in the countryside, rambling is a cheap way of keeping active that doesn’t generally require a great deal of exertion and can help you connect with nature.

“Personally, I just love being in the countryside and I used to be a rambler – there’s nothing quite like it.”

The UK Ramblers’ Association has around 140,000 members, but is it more accessible than what maybe first meets the eye?

Valerie Rawlings of Disabled Ramblers tells us of how rambling helped reignite her great passion for the great outdoors.

“I was looking for a way to get into the countryside about nine years ago, so I Googled disabled walking and came across another group that were having a talk by a gentleman from Disabled Ramblers,” she began.

“So, I went along to the meeting and

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that’s how I got involved and the gentleman who was giving the talk was very nice and introduced me to it and I’ve never looked back.”

Valerie, from Hampshire, previously rambled and lucked in when she happened upon the Disabled Ramblers.

And after testing the waters resulted in a successful experience for her, she immersed herself straight into the world of disabled rambling.

“As soon as I could I got my own scooter and changed my car,” she explained.

“We formed a local group belonging to Disabled Ramblers because the Disabled Ramblers organise rambles which go all over the country, but what happens is they go to certain areas for a week and you go away and stay in a hotel and spend a week there, so you have a trip away and lots of company, but at that time there weren’t any local groups in different counties, but nowadays Disabled Ramblers have people like myself and my

magazine.co.uk

02/06/2017 14:30

40+

Sites around the UK that provide the trampers (off-road wheelchairs)

partner Bob who ramble and stay here in Hampshire and over towards Worthing and Brighton.”

The Disabled Ramblers have a network of local and regional groups and run about 30 national rambles a year. But despite strong connections internally, Valerie admits it can be difficult to get the word out.

Connotations of rambling may not initially lend themselves to a particularly accessible activity, but Disabled Ramblers do what they can try to help break down some of the barriers including equipment.

“It’s quite hard to get publicity and make people aware of accessible rambling.

“People have to make a commitment to get to a place because we can’t offer transport and you have to make a big effort to get your own scooter and the means to transport it.

“Disabled Ramblers do have loan scooters for these blocks of trips and we have a fleet of six and people can hire them for the week but normally most go on to get their own.

“Personally, I just love being in the countryside and I used to be a rambler – there’s nothing quite like it.”

Rambling has enabled Valerie to enjoy and experience many of the great sights that the country has to offer all year round, as she explains that it isn’t as seasonal or weather permitting as you may think and mother nature doesn’t completely keep them off the beaten track.

“Anywhere we go is lovely, we ramble in the New Forrest a lot and we go over to Worthing as well and Devon which are all

lovely places.

“One of our very favourite places is Cissbury Ring which is an old iron age fort near Worthing and the scenery and wild flowers are absolutely fascinating and there are loads of butterflies.

“I don’t think you can really choose a favourite place, everywhere is nice especially in the spring!”

“Obviously in the winter you are governed more by the weather, but we still try to go out, about once a week in the winter as lots of routes are very muddy.”

Aside from the obvious physical and mental health benefits associated with connecting with the outdoors through rambling, it also presents an incredible social horizon for those who get involved.

Sharing the experience and beauty of the countryside with others is incredible for good mental health and the socialising ingrained in rambles can serve as a great confidence booster for many people with disabilities.

“People are allowed to come along once or twice and try it out on one of the loan scooters and then if they like it, they can either buy their own or rent a scooter for the rambles they’d like to do.

“I would tell anybody to just do it, it’s worth the effort.

“You get tremendous enjoyment, it’s very uplifting and you meet some super people both in the group and from wider ramblings because where we attract a lot of interest is from the public. They’re always stopping us and asking us where we’re going and what we’re doing, so it’s quite nice.”

For more information visit disabledramblers.co.uk.

£15

a GO

The cost of renting a tramper

30+

RAMBLES a year in England and Wales

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02/06/2017 13:47

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02/06/2017 12:16

AZEEM AMIR

losing makes me better athlete

Why a

This month Azeem tells us about how losing has its advantages for success

My team, Merseyside Blind FC, clashed with RNC Shrews in the long-awaited FA Disability Cup Final in early May at St George’s Park, the home of the England national team.

AZEEM AMIR Talented blind footballer Azeem Amir is an 18-yearold man whose ambition, motivation and positivity knows no bounds. Here, the OnTrack columnist is reflective but driven in Cup Final defeat and shares his aspirations for a summer of sporting challenges and ambitious personal goals.

It was an amazing final in which we lost 3-2.

We went into the match as League Champions and all in all, it has been a really good season.

This particular defeat has given me more incentive to train harder and develop into a stronger and better player for the season ahead and the return to St George’s next year.

As I write this, I am preparing to take part in the Great Manchester Run, with my former PE teacher, Sam Hinchliffe, as my guide. I’m hoping to beat last year’s time of 56 minutes. The training has been intense but enjoyable, thanks to the great bond Sam and I share.

I’m joining a quarter of a million people to run the 10K to raise awareness of the great work done by the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, having been extremely touched and inspired by their Rainbow Room Appeal.

I’ve had experiences, I’ve met people and I’ve faced challenges which I wouldn’t otherwise have had if I had sight.

The Rainbow Room is a space for parents and families to go after a baby is delivered stillborn, or has died during labour or in the immediate hours afterwards. The room allows them to spend precious time with their child.

It’s a great charity that exists to enhance the experience of the 240,000 children cared for each year by the RMCH and to support excellence in treatment, research and care it provides to young people.

While I await the results of three A-levels, I’m

looking forward to working with Rochdalebased SunSport Coaching – an organisation run by a dedicated team of sports enthusiasts and expert coaches who offer a holiday activity programme of sports to young people with learning disabilities.

It’s great to see the participants smiling and enjoying themselves but more importantly it’s my way of giving something back to the local community. I’m also really looking forward to undertaking an array of ambassador duties for Link4Life and All4Sport.

Over the football season, I’ve learned as an athlete to appreciate those around me, especially friends and family and in particular, coaches and personal trainers.

An injury during training back in February left me with torn ankle ligaments and a torn foot tendon. I was told I would be out for six to eight weeks and had to undergo excruciating physio sessions. I know now that had I ignored advice and gone ahead and played when the injury was not fully healed, it could have been the end of my career.

At a recent course, a fellow participant who was a wheelchair user asked me: “Do you think you’d be where you are today if you didn’t have a disability?”

Not a chance! It’s shaped how I work in life. I’ve adapted myself to it and I’m very much aware that those around me - especially family and friends – have had to change for me.

I’ve had experiences, I’ve met people and I’ve faced challenges which I wouldn’t otherwise have had if I had sight.

It makes me unique, but ultimately, in comparison to others, I’m lucky to be so active and to have lost just my sight alone.

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K s’ Keep the kids entertained and active during the long summer holidays and make use of the good weather by finding an accessible and inclusive sports group, event or camp near you.

MONDAY 10 -

WEDNESDAY Falkirk Community 12 JULY Trust Disability Multi-Sport

Grangemouth Sports Complex, Falkirk, 1-3pm

Kids in the Falkirk area can try their hand at a wide range of sports this summer in sessions adapted for children with physical, learning or sensory disabilities.

Sessions are for primary ones all the way up to sixth years and cost £3.50. Falkirk Community Trust are also running adapted swimming lessons for children with disabilities or impairments. Children aged between five and 12 can learn to swim on the five-day programme at either Grangemouth Sports Centre (Monday 17 to Friday 21 July), Denny High (Monday 24 to Friday 28 July), Larbert High (Monday 31 to Friday 4 August) or Bo’ness Recreation Centre (Monday 7 to Friday 11 August).

For more information on costs or times visit falkirkcommunitytrust.org.

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02/06/2017 13:49

KIDS’ SPORT WEDNESDAY

5 - FRIDAY 7 Scottish JULY Disability Sports’ Summer Sports Camp

Inverclyde Centre, Largs, Scotland

Scottish Disability Sports’ 2017 Summer Sports Camp presents the perfect opportunity for kids in Scotland to get active and fill the long summer holidays. Young people with a physical or sensory disability aged 10-18 years can join in on the 17th annual Summer Sports Camp and are supported

by Better Breaks, Celtic FC Foundation and sportscotland. The sport sessions are supplemented by social events in the evening allowing children to gain even more confidence and social skills on top of physical activity. They describe the camp as “introducing children to a range of sport and physical activity and empowering them to become more independent and responsible whilst increasing their confidence alongside an opportunity to participate in adapted, inclusive sport with their peers.”

Contact 0131 317 1130, 0131 625 4417 or admin@scottishdisabilitysport.com or mark.gaffney@scottishdisabilitysport.com.

Jam Packed Summer Calderdale

MONDAY 24 JULY FRIDAY 18 AUGUST

Ravenscliffe High School and Sports College, Skircoat Green, Halifax, 10am-3pm Monday to Thursday and from 9am-4pm on Fridays

Disabled young people aged eight to 19 can make the most of Calderdale Council’s ‘Jam Packed Summer’ with a wide range of sports and activities on offer. Co-ordinated and delivered by Calderdale Sport Services’ coaches, it is aimed at young disabled people offering both adapted mainstream sport and disability specific sports.

Kids can choose from sessions in: sports specific and small sided games, horse riding, trampolining, aerobics and dance, athletics, boxercise, ten pin bowling, adapted cycling, York maze, activities at Ogden Water, Shibden park, Rebound therapy, fun games at manor health as well as arts and crafts.

Contact Debbie Greenwood on debbie.greenwood@calderdale.gov.uk.

FRIDAY

Get Yourself 28 JULY Active Summer Festival Westway Sports Centre, Kensington, 10am-2pm

Get Yourself Active are inviting disabled people of all ages to enjoy their free Summer Festival and try new and exciting sports. With 20 sports and activities, special guests, performances, raffles, live music, giveaways and face painting you are sure to find something to entertain your little one. Attendees can simply turn up on the day but groups should get in touch beforehand to let organisers know.

Contact louis@disabilitysportscoach.co.uk ahead of the day. More Get Yourself Active events can be found on getyourselfactive.org.

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-

02/06/2017 14:01

DISABILITY SPORT

Sitting fit yoga This issue Mark talks about yoga classes for wheelchair users in the Bristol area

MARK BULLOCK Mark has 25 years’ experience in Paralympic/disability sport, sports development and the broader social impact of sport. He has travelled to more than 80 countries developing wheelchair tennis and attended four Paralympic Games and two Olympics in various capacities from coach to technical delegate.

He is a member of the International Paralympic Games Committee.

N

ina Boswell Brown has been using a wheelchair for 28 years following a car accident that led to her becoming a permanent wheelchair user.

Keeping healthy and active has always been important to her but noticing the lack of opportunity for wheelchair users to attend yoga, fitness or wellbeing classes she has decided to start up her own.

Having completed the Advanced Chair Yoga Teaching Training Programme with Yoga Vista Academy, she is delighted to be able to share the many benefits of yoga with other wheelchair users.

Yoga is a great way to maintain flexibility, posture and strength without putting too much strain on your joints. Wheelchair users tend to overwork their shoulders and arms which also impacts the neck and back and due to sitting, the joints in the lower body such as hips and knees can get very tight and circulation can be restricted. Gentle stretching through yoga can help all these issues and help to maintain general health and mobility for wheelchair users.

Yoga is a great way to maintain flexibility, posture and strength without putting too much strain on your joints.

Nina’s aim with Sitting Fit Yoga is to create a friendly and welcoming environment for wheelchair users to come together and practise yoga that is adapted to their needs and can be done in or out of the wheelchair.

Sitting Fit Yoga already has an avid following

and some of the patrons of Nina’s classes feel they have been given a new lease of life by partaking in the yoga exercises. Some of her class came forward to commend Nina and Sitting Fit Yoga: “I have always been keen to try yoga but have been too nervous to join a big class.

Nina instantly put me at ease and is flexible in making sure that the stretches and movements work for everyone in the class, whatever ability. It really has made a difference in easing my upper back pain and also made me aware of the importance of keeping my neck, shoulders and arms flexible.”

Nicki, T7 paraplegic “I have always been keen to try yoga but have been too nervous to join a big class.

Nina instantly put me at ease and is flexible in making sure that the stretches and movements work for everyone in the class, whatever ability. It really has made a difference in easing my upper back pain and also made me aware of the importance of keeping my neck, shoulders and arms flexible.”

Sean, T12 paraplegic “I highly recommend wheelchair yoga as it has enabled me to increase my flexibility through various exercises and safe in the knowledge that I am not over doing it and causing my body harm. It has also helped focus the mind through breathing exercises. On another note, my spinal injury is relatively new so to meet and talk with people with similar injuries to myself but with a lot of experience has been great.”

Mike, T12 paraplegic www.sittingfityoga.com

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02/06/2017 13:50

BEACH ROLLER

Wandering free with the Nomad Words by Lisa Mitchell

I

t’s a family affair for businessman Philip Pugh and his son, Rod, whose brainchild was inspired by Rod’s disabled brother’s love of adventure and the great outdoors.

Older brother Tom has cerebral palsy and is a wheelchair user – but that has never stopped the Pughs from ensuring that he had every opportunity to enjoy family excursions to the full, even if it meant being carried over dad Philip’s shoulder.

Tom’s parents and brothers ensured he shares their zest for life, in a range of environments - from snow, to beaches and even mountain tops.

But as Tom got older, that became more difficult to achieve – which is why, in January 2015, Adventure Mobility was conceived.

Together, Philip and Rod designed and brought to market the NOMAD Tundra, which enables wheelchair users to gain greater access to soft or rough terrain.

As Philip knows, equipment can be expensive for people living with cerebral palsy and their families. That is why the product was designed to be a fraction of the cost of buying an off-road wheelchair.

Adventure Mobility’s NOMAD Desert is a cost-effective, innovative product that enables wheelchair users to gain greater access to the beach. It allows a user to remain in their own wheelchair which is then pushed onto the NOMAD Desert without the need to transfer from or adapt their own wheelchair.

The cornerstone of the Adventure Mobility ethos is to expand the limits of wheelchair users and help them realise their potential in any territory they want to explore.

The father and son team are injecting a £20,000 investment to motorise Desert to

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enable paraplegic people to have fun on the beach as well as the countryside. The pair aim to bring the new version to the market next year.

As Philip, of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, explained: “Our mission is to help people with mobility issues to come closer to their world, whether that be sand, snow, mud or just the outdoors in general.

“It enables people to access all terrain, whereas before, they wouldn’t have had access, therefore giving them a new lease and quality of life they would not have thought at all possible in the past.”

The units’ first beach test was at Longsands Beach in Tynemouth. They are also in use at North Berwick, home to one of the first wheelchair beach schemes in the UK. “We are pleased with how Adventure

Mobility can change people’s lives for the better. For example, we had a demonstration day where we enabled seven-year-old Harry, who had never before been on the beach, to enjoy the experience of a day on the sand, close to the waves. We were also able to help 55-year-old Ed, who had not been on a beach for over 30 years,” explained Philip.

“There is a big market and a growing need and demand for helping people with special needs and mobility issues fulfil all their wants and dreams, without being denied by bulky or inappropriate terrain wheelchairs.

“Tom has never been happier because he can go on the beach and is no longer stranded in unpredictable winter weather.” www.adventuremobility.co.uk

magazine.co.uk

02/06/2017 13:51

HAY FEVER

Don’t let hay fever stop you in your tracks Words by Niki Tennant

J

ust when the warm weather arrives and you can start enjoying outdoor training again, along comes pollen to stop you in your tracks, seriously hampering both your training and your performance.

Running with hay fever is not a walk in the park. Steaming and sore eyes, a blocked nose and an itchy, irritated throat can make training a real misery and can interfere with your fitness schedule.

A major problem for runners with hay fever is that their training involves breathing more deeply, taking in more air, and inevitably taking in more pollen and spores that will aggravate their symptoms.

Don’t be defeated. There are steps runners can take to reduce their hay fever symptoms. Airborne allergies expert Max Wiseberg, creator of organic allergen barrier balm HayMax, shares with OnTrack his drug-free practical tips for athletes and runners...

Reducing the amount of pollen getting into your body can help reduce or prevent symptoms of hay fever.

Everyone can tolerate a certain amount of pollen without reaction. But once this amount is exceeded – called the trigger level – hay fever symptoms will start to kick in. The key is to stay below this level.

Pollen is out in force in the mornings and evenings, so it’s best not to go out

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running or training at these times.

Before venturing out, apply an organic drug-free allergen barrier balm around the nostrils and the bones of the eyes.

Tie your hair up and wear a hat when running outside to prevent pollen particles being caught in your hair, and wear wraparound sunglasses to stop particles coming into contact with your eyes.

Wash your face as soon as you get back indoors; this will wash away allergens so that they can’t cause a reaction, and a cool compress will help soothe sore eyes.

It’s important to get a good night’s sleep. Reduce the chances of hay fever affecting you at night with a nightly routine before bed. Shower before sleeping to remove pollen particles and pet hair from your hair and body.

Clear the nasal passages; either sniff up water and blow it out again through the nostrils, or use a saline nasal spray to clear pollen from the nose. Then apply an organic allergen barrier balm to the nostrils and around the bones of the eyes.

There are no drowsy side-effects from using HayMax, so it is ideal for when running or cycling, for people with active lifestyles and when driving or preparing for and taking exams. haymax.biz asthma.org.uk/hay-fever/season

02/06/2017 13:52

CLUB FOCUS

Club Focus: Peterborough Special Olympics Swimming Group Words by Niki Tennant

“Let me win, but if I cannot win then let me be brave in the attempt.”

T

hat’s the motto and fighting spirit behind the success of the Peterborough Special Olympics Swimming Group (PSOSG), which promotes lifelong fitness, social skills and independence among people with learning disabilities of all ages and abilities – all through the sport of swimming.

The group started in 1986, when an athletics and swimming group was set up for pupils at St George’s, a former city

‘special school’. In 1990, the swimming moved to Bretton Wood School pool and was run by the parents of Andrew Popple, a champion disability swimmer.

Four years later, a lack of interest made the athletics part of the group no longer viable, but the swimming continued and in 2007, when the Bretton Wood School was closed, the group moved to the Jack Hunt Pool.

“In August 2014, we were very lucky to become affiliated to the City of

Peterborough Swimming Club (COPS) and were allocated two training sessions at the Peterborough Regional Pool and a stable training base,” explains PSOSG chairperson, Johanna (Joh) Roberts. “Over the past two years the group has grown from around 10 swimmers to 21, all of whom have an intellectual (learning) disability. Some have a physical disability as well.”

Aside from simply being great fun, the group has four important roles. Firstly, it gives the swimmers a chance to be part of a team, to feel a sense of pride and achievement, to enjoy the success of winning, to learn to support each other in times of disappointment, and have aspirations to improve, develop and succeed. It helps them to be fit, healthy and prevent weight problems. The group helps them foster friendships, improve their communication and develop social skills. And lastly, it is a support network for the parents, sharing information and problem-solving the many issues they face.

“Our group aim is to help swimmers develop their swimming technique and train towards whatever goals they wish to try to achieve,” continued Joh. “The swimmers range from those recently joining us who may only just be able to swim the basic 25m unaided,

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CLUB FOCUS

to those who just like to come and train but do not feel ready to compete, to those who compete in local and regional galas, to those competing at national level and now also to our first swimmer to compete at international level.

“Apart from our Level 2 lead coach, all our committee members, Level 1 coaches and other helpers are volunteers and we rely entirely on our fundraising efforts throughout the year and on donations to fund the coaching costs, attend galas and to buy equipment for training as we want every swimmer to have the opportunity to take part. We also now have our own mascot, Susie the mermaid who will soon

be joining in on one of our swimming sessions to add something a little different to a training session.

“We welcome new members with all kinds of learning disabilities – we have swimmers with Down’s syndrome, autism, global delay etc. and we’d love to hear from anyone interested in becoming a volunteer coach; we can fund their training.”

For more information on the group and to see their video, ‘PSOSG – This is us!’ and how you can get involved either as a swimmer or in a supporting role, log on to www.peterboroughsoswimminggp. wordpress.com or email joh.sydenham@btinternet.com

We welcome new members with all kinds of learning disabilities – we have swimmers with Down’s syndrome, autism, global delay etc. and we’d love to hear from anyone interested...

Meet the team William Roberts (17)

Shaun Jones (45)

Chloe Burford (12)

William, who has Down’s syndrome, learned to swim at the age of four with the Oundle Otters. He found out about PSOSG by chance three years ago and is competing in the GB National Special Olympic Summer Games in Sheffield in August. He recently took part in the Down’s Syndrome Foundation European Open Competition, winning five medals. Since January he has been training with the Down’s Syndrome GB swimming team and he hopes to be selected to go to Paris later this year for the DSISO European Championships.

Shaun has a learning disability, cerebral palsy and epilepsy and is PSOSG’s oldest member, having been with the group since its inception in 1986. “He’s known as ‘Torpedo’ because although quite sedate in his training sessions, Shaun can amaze everyone during his races,” says Joh. “The highlight for Shaun and all of us last year was when, with the help of two coaches each holding his hands, he finally learned to jump into the pool!”

Chloe has a learning disability, cerebral palsy and visual problems and was put into water at a very early age, including hydrotherapy.

She attended disability swimming lessons and in 2013 joined PSOSG. “To date she has won three bronze, three silver and two gold medals at various competitions around the country,” says Joh. “Her greatest achievement has been to learn how to do tumble turns in the past couple of months.”

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02/06/2017 13:53

Subscribe for free

OnTrack Magazine is out every two months and is available completely free of charge.

EVERY ISSUE INCLUDES:  Info on getting involved in different sports  Sports club focus  Tips for getting fit  Activities for the whole family  Interviews with Paralympic athletes  Sports news If you would like OnTrack Magazine delivered to your door every issue free of charge, simply fill in the form below and post it back to the address provided, call us on the number below or drop us an email.

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02/06/2017 14:36

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02/06/2017 12:17