Badminton sessions are improving the physical and mental health of children with severe learning disabilities in Hertfordshire.
Everyone Active, in partnership with Stevenage Borough Council, has joined forces with Greenside School in Stevenage to enable disabled students to participate in team sports and physical activity.
The sessions at Stevenage Arts and Leisure Centre provide an essential space for the students to play a wide range of badminton activities and games to help improve their physical and mental wellbeing.
The sessions are run by Dave Brown, a Level 2 Badminton Coach at Everyone Active, who adapts the activities to suit the student’s needs with support from Joh Maher, a tutor from Greenside School who has worked at the school for 26 years.
“It’s so important to us that our students are given opportunities to build their skillsets and relationships with their peers,” said Joh.
“When the sessions first began, our students were very quiet but now we are a little team – they are a group of mixed ability but are helping each other, and we have even introduced new children to the group who have slotted in so well.
“We have a deaf and blind student who has just a tiny bit of vision and the impact these sessions have had on him is incredible. He is now able to get out in the community and join in with everything the other guys are doing in a safe environment.”
Funded by Badminton England and Stevenage Borough Council, the project has secured funding for another year, with aspirations to offer a timetable of different activities including badminton, golf and athletics.
Source: living with disability