Disabled football club in Cornwall proposes new sports centre

Wednesday 27 Nov 2013
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An ambitious plan to create a new sports centre for Cornwall’s disabled has been put forward.

Bodmin Dragons dis-Ability FC is behind the proposals to build the hub at the town’s leisure centre due to a lack of sporting opportunities for the disabled across Cornwall.

Although plans are at an early stage, the club’s chairman June Jay, whose son plays in the team, is delighted Bodmin Town Council has backed the project – and hopes to garner further support from both Cornwall Council and the general public.

“Two months ago our football committee met to discuss the need of an indoor venue for the team but as we all sat around the table we came up with a proposal for a multisport facility because there is nothing in Cornwall that offers that,” Mrs Jay said.

“There are currently limited opportunities for the disabled around Cornwall and the creation of a disabled sports centre in a central location, such as Bodmin, offering multiple different sports, would be phenomenal.”

During the winter months football often has to be cancelled due to the wet conditions affecting the health of participants and Mrs Jay explained this has a negative knock-on effect for many families.

“For four or five months we have nowhere to go, and as a parent with a disabled child I can tell you that the knock-on effect of this is huge,” she said.

“When they find out football is off they are devastated because these teenagers need structure in their lives.”

The Bodmin Dragons dis-Ability club, founded in 2005, currently consists of five different five-a-side teams with 36 participants aged between 7 and 39.

The club, which is currently the biggest in Cornwall, has just been accepted into the FA Disability Cup and coach Steve Borlase believes this is a major step forward.

“This is a great achievement and it can put Bodmin on the map but we still need a bit more support because when it’s wet we cannot play because the facilities aren’t in place for that,” Mr Borlase said.

“A disability sport centre would have a huge impact on the minds of the disabled, their social communication skills, their fitness and health and a chance for people to make new friends and to try new sports.”

Mrs Jay and her fellow committee members hope to gather the support of Cornwall Council and she is also appealing to the public to support the plans.

“The support of the public would be a huge boost and if people can help in any way that would be fantastic, because if this became a reality it would mean so much to so many people.”

For information about Bodmin Dragons dis-Ability FC or to support the plans call 01208 813539 or e-mail junejay1@icloud.com

From This Is Cornwall

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