Appeal for funds to keep Normanton's Fun-abil8y swim project going

CARERS are appealing to the public for votes to help them win cash to pay for disabled children to go swimming.

They want support to win the biggest possible slice of a £500,000 funding pie which will be split up on the basis of an online poll.

The carers work at the St James Centre in Malcolm Street, Normanton, which has, for five years, provided weekly activities for up to 80 disabled children.

But now the scheme, known as the Fun-abil8y Project, has run out of funds to take them swimming.

Now organisers are hoping to land votes towards a bronze, silver or gold donation from the Norwich Union Community Sports Fund.

Janet Tristram, from the St James Centre, said: “We hope as many people as possible will support this because the children just love to swim and we want to be able to take them.”

Staff used to run weekly sessions at Gayton Swimming Pool in Littleover until its closure and then at Lonsdale Pool at Mickleover.

They provided transport, personal care, help in getting in and out of the pool and support and encouragement in the water to the youngsters.

If their project received enough votes for a bronze award, it would receive £1,000.

That would enable 20 young disabled people to enjoy ten sessions in the water.

A silver award is worth £12,500 (that would pay for 40 young people to have 30 sessions each year for three years) and a gold is worth £50,000 (that would mean a mobile hoist could be bought to help severely disabled children to enjoy the trips).

A total of £500,000 will be given to projects across the country. The number of e-mail votes received by members of the public determines the level of award received by any one group or project.

Sam Sheppard, 13, is one of the youngsters who has enjoyed swimming with the group. The teenager suffers from epilepsy and a severe disability which causes him to function like a five-year-old.

Mum Sharon Sheppard, 44, of Rochester Close, Alvaston, said: “He has been going to the centre for just over a year and he loves it. It helps to give him a sense of responsibility and independence.

“He loves being in the water because it gives him the chance to be like other children who are the same age as him.

“I think it is important for the children to have that sense of independence, it makes them feel normal, almost.

“We just hope people log on to the website and vote for the project so they can start swimming again.”

Tariq Mehboob, 37, of Molineux Street, Normanton, said his 12-year-old son, Usman, who suffers from severe learning difficulties, also loved swimming with the group.

Mr Mehboob said: “I don't always get the chance to take him myself so when he gets to go with the centre, I know he really, really loves it.''

Tanya Veingard, head of sponsorship at Norwich Union, said: “The aim of this scheme is to make it easier for local communities to take control and help increase sporting participation and opportunity across the UK.”

Supporters can register votes until September 14 at www.joinourteam.com.

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