Swindon Town Disability Social Inclusion Programme
STFC Community Trust work in conjunction with their local partners to deliver football and sporting opportunities to people with a wide range of disabilities including Special Educational Needs, Mental Health and Physical Disabilities.
These partners are Swindon Borough Council, Aiming High, Mind, DS Active and the RNID who all help to support the respective programmes on offer.
These programmes and activities are funded by the Wembley National Stadium Trust, English Football League, the Dave Turner Memorial Fund and Swindon Borough Council.
- DS Active, Downs Syndrome football sessions, meet Wednesday weekly at the Haydon Centre 5pm-6pm.
- Pan Dis Multi sports sessions (weekly sessions and holiday development courses) meet weekly Thursday at St Joseph’s Catholic College.
- Young Adults with Learning Disabilities, this is for students that attend Horizon College.
- Activate is a session for children with autism that attend St Joseph’s Catholic College. They meet Wednesdays 9-10am for therapeutic and physical activities and football sessions.
- Deaf/Mental Health session for adults with hearing loss and mental health issues, the team compete in the Wiltshire Ability Counts League and train on Tuesdays 7-8pm at Kingsdown school.
- Wheelchair sessions, we support Swindon Rockets with bucket collection and training kit along with a session at the SNUG at Robert le Kyng.
- Mental Health group, this adult session takes place on Wednesdays from 2.30pm – 3.30pm at Grange Leisure Centre and compete in friendly fixtures.
For further information on our Disability Social Inclusion programme please contact Clive Maguire: clive@stfc-fitc.co.uk or 01793 421303/07901570236. Alternatively go to www.officialsoccerschools.co.uk
Kirsty, a parent of a Hayden and Josh, who attended a Multi-Sports Holiday Camp said:
“I am at times very over protective of Hayden. These courses have given him the opportunity to take part in various activities with his younger brother Josh, who is just about to start mainstream school. It has been wonderful to see the excitement in both my boys, and for them to enjoy a wide range of sports together as brothers, as it is something I never thought was going to be possible. Their independence and self-worth, particularly in Hayden, has been a joy to see. When we have tea together Hayden continuously talks about the sessions and the exciting activities they have engaged in during the day.
Hayden said:
“I have made friends with other children from other schools and I can’t wait for the next course. On the last day we have a presentation with our families and we all get presented a goodie bag and a medal, along with a photograph of our group.”
