JULY 2011 - Stoke-on-Trent City Council

24 Our City <strong>JULY</strong> <strong>2011</strong>Sports coaching sessionsbreak down prejudiceWHEELCHAIR athletes are coachingnon-disabled youngsters in a rangeof paralympic sports to help fightprejudice towards people withdisabilities.Members of <strong>Stoke</strong> SpitfiresWheelchair Basketball Team areworking with <strong>Stoke</strong>-on-Trent CityCouncil to raise awareness among 11to 16-year-olds through ProjectSpitfire made possible by a £23,717Big Lottery Fund award to the council.Two day-long events will be heldeach year over the next five years atDimensions Leisure Centre with theaim of attracting around 50 youngpeople.Lindsay Leighton, <strong>Stoke</strong> Spitfires DevelopmentOfficer, lines up a shot at the hoop on court atDimensions Leisure Centre.They will have the opportunity toparticipate in sports for disabledpeople – such as wheelchairbasketball, new age curling andsitting volleyball.Lesley Brownsill, of the citycouncil’s Access Team, who is workingin partnership with the <strong>Stoke</strong>Spitfires, said:“The idea is to showthat sports for people withdisabilities are just as tough andchallenging as those for non-disabledpeople. Project Spitfire aims to dispelmyths and break down barriers byshowing youngsters what peoplewith disabilities can do instead ofwhat they can’t do.”Young people whoattend the activity dayswill also have theopportunity to betrained in areas such asdeaf awareness, Britishsign language andvisual awareness – skillsthey will have for life.Lindsay Leighton,Development Officerfor <strong>Stoke</strong> SpitfiresWheelchair BasketballTeam, said:“We areexcited about thisproject as we are acommunity-basedorganisation. We lookforward to sharing ourexperiences as disabledpeople and as sportsmen and women.”● The first activityday will be onWednesday 3 Augustfollowed by anotheron Thursday 25August. For moreinformation contactthe Access Team on01782 232236 or01782 236667 oremail spitfire@stoke.gov.ukNo excuse to be bored as councillays on packed events programmePACKED programmes of summerevents will keep the school holidaysbuzzing for youngsters in <strong>2011</strong>.A host of free events meanchildren and young people have noexcuse to be bored over thesix-week break.A huge range of events andactivities will be staged at parks,recreation grounds, sports facilities,libraries, youth centres andchildren’s centres across the city.Art Brasil will run lively dance anddrumming workshops, while theaptly named Circusology will stageplate spinning, juggling and stiltwalking workshops. Otherattractions include a roller disco,trampolining, basketball, football,archery, street dance mini beast bughunts, pond dipping, art and crafts,bush crafts and cycle training.And one of the highlights will bea set of oversized board games,featuring Connect 4 and Twister.The summer of fun will end with abig finale event at NorthwoodStadium on Friday 2 Septemberfrom 3-7pm.For more information check outthe city council’s website atstoke.gov.uk/summereventsPEOPLE are being urged tonominate their local sportingand community heroes for thechance to be an Olympic Torchbearerduring the exciting build up to nextyear’s London Games.The iconic Torch will be paraded in<strong>Stoke</strong>-on-Trent on Wednesday, 30 May 2012as part of a UK-wide relay.Now the search is on to find inspirationalpeople of all ages for a “once in a lifetime”opportunity to bear the famous symbol of theGames during the 70-day nationwide parade.<strong>Stoke</strong>-on-Trent Olympics Co-ordinatorVanessa Darlington said: “This is a wonderfulopportunity to put someone’s name forward tomark their achievements.Contribution to community“Nominees have to be aged 12 or over andhave to demonstrate they have made acontribution to their community. This could bea coach for their dedication supporting youngathletes, a neighbour who is always helpingothers or a young person achieving theirpersonal best.“Although many nominations have beensubmitted there is still time throughout thesummer to put someone’s name forward.”Among those who have already beennominated locally are archer Rebecca Martin,local historian Fred Hughes, STAR AnglingTeam member Sonia Bee, athletics coach<strong>Stoke</strong>-on-Trentarcher RebeccaMartin, who hopes torepresent Great Britain inthe 2012 Olympic Games,pictured in the City Centrewith a prototype of theTorch which will beused in next year’srelay.Local heroesneeded to bearOlympic Torchthrough cityGeorge Cooper and Chair of Lads and Dadsfootball Clive Dean.A total of 8,000 people are due to carry theOlympic Torch around the UK before it headsto London on 21 July ahead of the Games’Opening Ceremony on 27 July.Up to half of the places will go to those agedbetween 12 and 24 years and judging panelswill be set up in each region to select thesuccessful Torchbearers.People can nominate through schemes set upby the official Torch Relay partners Coca-Cola,Lloyds TSB and Samsung.Coca-Cola have launched a national searchto find the UK’s Future Flames which islooking for young people with a passion forsport, physical activity, music and dance,community and the environment. Nominationscan be made by logging ontowww.cokezone.co.uk. The deadline is 5September <strong>2011</strong>.Lloyds TSB have also launched their nationalcampaign to find 800 Torchbearers to carry theFlame.The organisation is looking for people whohave made a difference in their localcommunity and whose story will inspire others.Nominations can be made atwww.lloydstsblondon2012.co.uk/carrytheflame until 12 September <strong>2011</strong>.Samsung has also launched their campaign andpeople can nominate online by logging ontowww.samsung.com/london2012.Nominations close on 30 September <strong>2011</strong>.Our City is published by a partnership of<strong>Stoke</strong>-on-Trent City Council, NHS <strong>Stoke</strong> on Trent, StaffordshirePolice, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue and Jobcentre PlusContact us by mail at FREEPOST Our City or by email at ourcity@stoke.gov.uk or telephone 01782 236703