Sports organisations

Sport can be practised for therapeutic reasons or simply for pleasure, so it is important that everyone finds an activity which they enjoy and which suits their personal ability. The following information is a basic guide to what sporting opportunities are available for children and young people with hemiplegia throughout the UK. We have focused on the following sports: athletics, football, horse riding, swimming, snow sports, tennis and water sports.

However, this is not an exhaustive guide so please contact us with details of any other sporting organisations that have benefited you or your child in some way. Some of the organisations listed only cater for people with disabilities whereas others include people with disabilities, making sure all their needs are met whilst practising a sport.

The list begins with national organisations, most of which have regional centres, so to find your nearest club contact the national centre and they will provide local contact details.

General sports bodies

Cerebral Palsy Sport (CP Sport), Unit 8 Heathcoat Building, Nottingham Science and Technology Park, University Boulevard, Nottingham NG7 2QJ.
Tel: 0115 925 7027
Fax: 0115 922 4666
Email: info@cpsport.org
Website: www.cpsport.org
This organisation covers England and Wales and caters for children from age 8 through into adulthood, arranging national and regional events in various sports including athletics, boccia, swimming, tennis and many others. In addition, they can help you find sports groups in your local area that will cater for your child’s needs. Call them to find out about events and groups in your area.

Sportability, Laynes House, 526-528 Watford Way, London NW7 4RS
Tel: 020 8959 0089
Email: info@sportability.org
Website: www.sportability.org
Sportability is a charity dedicated to people with disabilities. They arrange year-round activities including archery, canoeing, falconry, fishing etc. They cater for people over the age of 12 and only cover England at present, being particularly active in the Midlands.

Tumble Tots, Bluebird Park, Bromsgrove Road, Hunnington, Halesowen,
West Midlands B62 0TT
Tel: 0121 585 7003
Fax: 0121 585 6891
Email: info@tumbletots.com
Website: www.tumbletots.com
Tumble Tots focuses on children from 0-7 years, encouraging them to play and develop basic skills for life so that they are confident and happy people. This is done with the help of parents/carers and all activities are centred on movement, using brightly coloured Tumble Tots equipment to develop your child’s physical agility, balance, co-ordination and climbing skills. There is a membership fee of £19 a year and a fee charged per session. Go to the Local Groups page of the website to find your nearest Tumble Tots Group or call for more information.

Athletics

Special Olympics Great Britain (SOGB), Jessica Pointon, Ground Floor,
123 Golden Lane, London EC1Y 0RT
Tel: 020 7696 5569
Email: sogbhq@aol.com
Website: www.specialolympicsuk.org
This organisation is a provider of sporting opportunities for people with a learning disability. Their five most popular sports are athletics, swimming, football, gymnastics and bowls, amongst a variety of other activities including winter sports. They have local branches throughout England, Scotland and Wales and accept people of any ability from age 8 upwards. Contact them for more information on activities and clubs in your local area.

Football

The Football Association (FA)
Tel: 020 7745 4545
Email: jeff.davis@thefa.com
Website: www.thefa.com
Contact Jeff Davis, telling him your child’s needs, via email or telephone with your name, details and local area and he will put you in contact with your nearest local football club offering football opportunities for your child.

Horse riding

Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA), Lavinia Norfolk House,
Avenue R, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, CV8 2LY
Tel: 0845 658 1082
Fax: 0845 658 1083
Email: info@rda.org.uk
Website: www.rda.org.uk/groups.htm
This website page provides a list of contact details by region (including Northern Ireland) with a list of links and telephone numbers to some of the county or local groups that provide horse riding opportunities for your child, from simply stroking a horse to having proper riding lessons.

The Pony Club, Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth, Warwickshire CV8 2RW
Tel: 024 7669 8300
Email: enquiries@pcuk.org
Website: www.pcuk.org
This organisation covers all regions in the U.K. including Northern Ireland. Not all branches cater for disabilities but further information about this will be provided on contact.

Handy tips

Using a toggle on the rein of the affected arm to hold onto can help. The toggle is just a piece of smooth wood, much like a coat toggle, with a slit in it for the rein. This can be kept in place with the small rubber rings (for example those used with martingales).

Swimming

Amateur Swimming Association (ASA), Harold Fern House, Derby Square,
Loughborough, Leicester LE11 5AL
Tel: 01509 618 700
Fax: 01509 618 701
Email: carole.barough@swimming.org
Website: www.britishswimming.org
The ASA is the English national governing body for swimming, with 1,600 affiliated swimming clubs which teach swimming and stroke improvement. To find contact details for each region on the website, click on: The ASA ► Links ► County Associations (for English regions) ► British Sites (for Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish regions).

Scottish swimming

National Swimming Academy, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4UA
Tel: 01786 466 520
Fax: 01786 466 521
Email: info@scottishswimming.com
Website: www.scottishswimming.com/clubs - For a list of all Scottish swimming clubs.

Handy tips

Most local pools offer either one-to-one swimming lessons or small group lessons. Also look out for the Swim 21 logo as this means the pool caters for disabled swimmers. For those of you in West London, Teddington Swimming Pool comes highly recommended. You can access their website following the links from the ASA website.

Snow sports

British Ski Club for the Disabled
Tel: 01582 793518
Email: e.philpott@grm.co.uk
This organisation caters for people of any age or ability who wish to ski. For details of regions and local clubs contact Elizabeth Philpott.

Disability Snowsport UK, Cairngorm Mountain, Via Aviemore, Inverness-shire PH22 1RB
Tel: 01479 861272
Website: www.disabilitysnowsport.org.uk
This organisation caters for people of any age or ability who wish to practice snow sports including skiing and snowboarding. For local groups contact them by phone or email them via the website ► contact us.

The Ski 2 Freedom Foundation
Haselbury House, Haselbury Plucknett, Somerset, TA18 7RA
Tel: 0844 855 2303
Web: www.ski2freedom.com
The Ski 2 Freedom Foundation is non-profit making organisation launched to help people with disabilities enjoy access to all winter sports, where previously they may have found it difficult or impossible to pursue their interests.

Tennis

The British Tennis Foundation, The Queen’s Club, West Kensington,
London W14 9EG
Tel: 020 7381 7140
Fax: 020 7381 6507
Website: www.btf.org.uk
This is a charity that works in association with the Lawn Tennis Association, helping to develop the game. They also provide information on various disability tennis programmes and can help you to find a club in your area.

Water sports

British Disabled Water Ski Association (BDWSA), The Tony Edge National Centre, Heron Lake, Hythe End Road, Wraysbury, Middlesex TW19 6HW
Tel: 01784 483 664
Fax: 01784 482 747
Email: heron.lake@ukonline.co.uk
Website: www.bdwsa.org.uk/Regions.htm - for a list of contact details by region

(Scotland and England only):

Heron Lake also has a residential block for longer stays at the lake.

Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Sailability, RYA House, Ensign Way,
Hamble, Southampton SO31 4YA
Tel: 0845 345 0400
Fax: 0845 345 0329
Or
Tel: 023 8060 4100
Fax: 023 8060 4299
Email: info@rya.org.uk
Website: www.rya.org.uk/sailability/wheretosail - This page provide links to details of clubs in your area.
Sailability is a volunteer based organisation (part of a world-wide network) which covers England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. They have particularly good facilities at Frensham Ponds in Surrey.

Hints and tips from members

The following information has kindly been provided by our members. We would like to add to this so please do let us know of any other facilities you would like to recommend.

John Spence Community College, North Shields – North Tyneside
Bobby Graham, Head of PE
Tel: 0191 200 5220 (term time only)
The college runs a sports session on Tuesday evenings for children and young people with a disability. They organise a variety of sports including football, tennis and trampolining.

Churchill Community College, Wallsend – North Tyneside
Tel: 0191 200 7620
This college organises a VIP sports club for children and adults with a disability, practising a variety of sports including bowls, darts and occasionally taking part in national sports events. For further information contact the college.

North Tyneside Disability Forum (NTDF), Shiremoor Centre, Earsdon Road, Shire Moor NE27 0HJ
Tel: 0191 200 8570
The centre organises a range of activities for all ages including yoga, art classes, youth club and social events.

Newcastle United Football in the Community
Tel: 0191 263 6585
This is part of Newcastle United Football Club. They provide training in football skills for children (both boys and girls) from 5-14 years of age and cater for all abilities. They run football skills and training sessions during most holidays.

Healthy Living Centres (North Tyneside)
Battlehill Tel: 0191 200 1317
Dudley Tel: 0191 200 8015
Meadowell Tel: 0191 200 6730
All three centres have a free gym for young people aged 14+ providing equipment that is suitable for people with disabilities. Some of the centres also organise sports activities for younger children during school holiday periods; to find out more contact the centres on the numbers above.

Runnymede Rascals Cricket Club (Surrey)
Meets at the Abbeyfit Sports Centre, Addlestone, Surrey
Contact Susan Harrison (Secretary)
Tel: 01483 771 553
Website: www.runnymede-rascals.org.uk
This club is for children, young people and adults with physical or learning disabilities. The Youth Team provides cricket training for 8-18 year olds and the adult team caters for the over 18s.

Gymnastics Factory (Surrey), Pew Corner, Old Portsmouth Road, Guilford, Surrey, GU3 1LP
Tel/Fax: 01483 455 060
Email: info@gymnasticsfactory.co.uk
Website: www.gymnasticsfactory.co.uk
This organisation provides gymnastics classes for all ages (from babies to adults) and abilities. There is an annual membership fee of £25, plus termly tuition fees starting at £90. For more information on prices and classes see their website.

The Diamond Centre for Disabled Riders (Surrey), Woodmansterne Road, Carshalton, Surrey, SM5 4DT
Tel: 020 8643 7764
Fax: 020 8643 8720
Email: riding@diamondcentre.org.uk
Website: www.diamondcentre.org.uk
This riding club comes highly recommended but they do have a long waiting list so it is best to contact them as soon as possible.

Hampshire County Council Sports
Contact Peter Hull – Hampshire Disability Sports Development Officer
Tel: 01962 846021
Email: peter.hull@hants.gov.uk
Peter Hull is very helpful in providing information on sports facilities for people with a disability in Hampshire, so if you are not sure where to begin looking, contact him.

Portsmouth City Council Sports
Contact Gil Robertson – Sports Development Officer
Tel: 023 9283 4170
Mob: 07960 180 243
Contact Gil for more information on a variety of sports facilities in the Portsmouth area.

Springfield Swim Club (Southampton)
Learn to Swim Co-ordinator, Southern Water, Southern House, Sparrowgrove, Otterbourne, SO21 2SW
This club arranges weekly group swimming lessons after school hours and on Saturdays at a small fee. They are supportive of swimmers with disabilities and can even provide one-to-one attention if necessary. The club is also part of the ASA.

Admiral Lord Nelson School & Warriors Table Tennis Club (Portsmouth), 40 St Matthews Road, Cosham, Portsmouth, PO6 2DL
Alternatively contact the school on 023 9236 4536 for further details.
This is an English Table Tennis Association (ETTA) Advanced Premier Club and is part of a very active table tennis scene. The Warriors team caters for children with disabilities and coaching sessions are held on the first Saturday of the month at a small charge. For further information please contact the Club Chairman, Brian Hall.

Partnership for Active Leisure (PALS) – Portsmouth, Trospacc Early Years Centre, Stockheath Lane, Leigh Park, Havant, Hants, PO9 3BD
Tel: 023 9249 8377
Email: info@wearepals.org.uk
Website: www.wearepals.org.uk
PALS is a charity based in Havant & Portsmouth which organises a wide range of sports, activities and outings for young people with disabilities aged 6-18, at a small fee. They have a good team of supporting volunteers and training coaches who organise three or four regular sporting activities each week including amongst others ten-pin bowling, boccia, archery, air-rifle shooting, horse riding and cricket.

Actionnaires Youth Group (Portsmouth)
C/o Action for Blind People (AFBP), 14-16 Verney Road, London SE16 3DZ
Tel: 020 7635 4800
Fax: 020 7635 4900
Email: info@afbp.org
Website: www.afbp.org
Actionnaires Youth Group is part of Action for Blind People, a national charity providing support to partially sighted and blind people. The Youth Group has been meeting monthly in Portsmouth at HMS Temeraire and hope to go fortnightly soon. They schedule a three hour session free of charge; the first half is a gym-based activity such as martial arts or athletics followed by a swimming session.

Southampton Sunday Soccer for the Disabled
Mike Harvey – Coach
Tel: 023 8025 5034
This football group is sponsored by Southampton Football Club and meets at Oaklands School in Lordshill, just off the M27. The first session starts at 8.45am and runs until 10.15am, consisting of 5 minute 5-a-side games so people with low stamina will be able to have a break after playing only two matches back-to-back. There are also later sessions for people with more stamina.

South West Swimming School (South West London), 28 Tooting High Street, London SW17 0RG
Tel: 020 8767 2723
Email: Southwestswim@btconnect.com
This organisation hires school/college swimming pools in South West London and organises one-to-one swimming sessions and swimming courses for children and young people with disabilities at a charge usually payable on a termly basis (prices depend on term length and courses taken but start at £48). Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons are dedicated to special needs sessions as the pools are quieter at these times.

Littledown Centre (Bournemouth), Chaseside, Bournemouth BH7 7DX
Tel: 01202 417600
Email: littledowncentre@bournemouth.gov.uk
Website: www.littledowncentre.co.uk
This centre organises mainstream swimming lessons but can integrate people with mild disabilities. By arrangement with the swimming co-ordinator it is possible for your child to have an additional helper in the pool if needed.

Wirral Borough Council (Merseyside)
Dawn Tolcher – Disability Sport Development Officer, Hamilton Building, Conway Street, Birkenhead CH41 4FD
Tel: 0151 666 4315
Mob: 07799 477 965
Email: dawntolcher@wirral.gov.uk
Website: www.wirral.gov.uk/outandabout then click on the Sport & Leisure drop-down menu.
Each half-term or main holiday, the council organises events for children of all abilities, including swimming, dance, football, tennis and boccia.

London Sports Forum (LSF), Ground Floor, Leroy House, 436 Essex Road, London N1 3QP
Tel: 020 7354 8666
Fax: 020 7354 8787
Email: info@londonsportsforum.org.uk
Website: www.londonsportsforum.org.uk
The LSF promotes the development of sporting opportunities for people of any age with disabilities in the London area, and has a broad network of clubs, voluntary organisations etc. You can contact them for advice and information on clubs or organisations close to you.