Disability Sporting Endeavour

Students from the Centre of Independent Living and Learning (CILL) at the College have been taking part in extra-curricular sporting activities in partnership with local institutions and the college BTEC Sport Diploma students, to encourage young people with disabilities to take part in sports.

22 students from the College and 22 students from Beacon Hill Special school took part in the first of eight one hour activity sessions which are to be held over the next 8 weeks. The first activity was Football, which saw students participate in teams. This first event was held with the support from Ipswich Town Football Club. Sports that the students will take part in will range from Athletics to Cricket and Archery to Sailing on the Levington Marina.

These sessions have been able to take place due to a successful grant application received from Unlimited Sport (part of Sport England) which was received with the support from Team Ipswich who helped with the bid. The College has also gratefully received support from Westbourne School Sports partnership who supplied wheelchair accessible transport.

Danny Thorrington, Course Lecturer said “This is a great opportunity for development, the first day was fantastic, it was not only beneficial for the CILL students but also it gave the BTEC Diploma students experience in coaching young people with disabilities. I hope this will lead to future opportunities for our CILL students in the area of sports.”