Foundation Meeting for the week commencing 15th November by Jill Johnston

The 31^st English Disabled Sports Team Championships was held over the weekend of 10^th/11^th November, in Coventry.  Started in 1982 by the 5 Rotary Clubs in Coventry, this year the event drew 10 teams, from Avon, Essex, Rugby,  Coventry, Gloucestershire, South Yorks + Lincs Leicestershire, Hucknall, Warwickshire and Wakefield.  The image shows Glyn + Victoria from the Avon team (orange T shirts) playing Kurling.

There are 12 events, which call for very different physical or mental abilities; they range from swimming, rifle shooting, weight-lifting (male + female events), table-tennis, darts + slalom, to pit-stop (based on an F1 idea), triathlon rowing + cycling, and boccia (team + individual events).  Boccia is played primarily by wheelchair users (mostly those with cerebal palsy), and is based on bowls.

The image shows Paul (Gloucestershire team) at the Weightlifting.

We in District 1100 send 2 teams to the games each year: the Avon team (supported by Bristol Breakfast RC) and the Gloucestershire team (supported by Cirencester RC).

It costs about £2,000 to send one team to the games, most of which is for:  a) the specialist transport (a coach with a lift), and b) the overnight hotel accommodation for the team, their carers and supporters.

The image shows 2 Rotarians lifting an Avon team athlete + wheelchair, whilst 2 others remove the wheels in Pit Stop; they run around some bollards before replacing the wheels; the athlete then races to the finish.

The £4,000 yearly cost is raised when our D1100 Clubs contribute generously to Disabled Sports, when sending the subscription to the District Treasurer.

This image shows Craig of the Gloucestershire team playing Individual Boccia, which event he won.  Craig does not have the physical ability to throw the ball, so delivers it using a pointer and a ramp.  Boccia is a very tactical, thinking game