10/10/2003
Disability need not be a barrier to sport says Minister
Disability Minister, John Spellar today highlighted the way in which sports training could benefit young people with disabilities.
The Minister was speaking during a visit to a football skills training programme for children and young people with physical disabilities, as part of the ‘Foyle Fit for Life’ European Year of People with Disabilities project organised by Derry Healthy Cities.
The Minister said: “This football skills programme affords young people with disabilities the opportunity to enhance and develop their sporting skills and assists them to participate fully in their local community.
“People with disabilities have an important role to play within society and a right to participate fully.
"I very much hope that this project will have a lasting effect on the lives of these young people in the years ahead. It proves quite emphatically that disability need not be a barrier to participation."
A total of 34 organisations from Northern Ireland have collectively received £320,000 awards from the Department for Work and Pensions and NI Grant Schemes for projects falling within the UK Theme ‘Promote Rights and Participation’ for the European Year of People with Disabilities 2003.
Derry Healthy Cities received an award of £5,000 for their ‘Foyle Fit for Life’ project from the NI Grant Scheme.
The ‘Foyle Fit for Life’ project, which is targeted at people with disabilities aims to plan, develop, promote and deliver a range of physical activities/lifestyle awareness/health promotion activities in a range of venues in the Derry, Limavady and Foyle District Council areas.
(MB)
The Minister was speaking during a visit to a football skills training programme for children and young people with physical disabilities, as part of the ‘Foyle Fit for Life’ European Year of People with Disabilities project organised by Derry Healthy Cities.
The Minister said: “This football skills programme affords young people with disabilities the opportunity to enhance and develop their sporting skills and assists them to participate fully in their local community.
“People with disabilities have an important role to play within society and a right to participate fully.
"I very much hope that this project will have a lasting effect on the lives of these young people in the years ahead. It proves quite emphatically that disability need not be a barrier to participation."
A total of 34 organisations from Northern Ireland have collectively received £320,000 awards from the Department for Work and Pensions and NI Grant Schemes for projects falling within the UK Theme ‘Promote Rights and Participation’ for the European Year of People with Disabilities 2003.
Derry Healthy Cities received an award of £5,000 for their ‘Foyle Fit for Life’ project from the NI Grant Scheme.
The ‘Foyle Fit for Life’ project, which is targeted at people with disabilities aims to plan, develop, promote and deliver a range of physical activities/lifestyle awareness/health promotion activities in a range of venues in the Derry, Limavady and Foyle District Council areas.
(MB)
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A sunny but frosty start for many. However cloud increases by midday with a few showers reaching the north coast, these mostly light but spreading inland this afternoon. Chilly. Maximum temperature 8 °C.Tonight:A rather cloudy evening with scattered showers. Becoming drier through the night with some good clear spells developing and a patchy frost away from coasts. Minimum temperature 0 °C.