Leisure

There are a number of organisations and services both locally and nationally who can provide information and advice on anything from sports clubs for people with disabilities to where to go on holiday. Many of these organisations are listed on the GUiDE database. The Key Co-ordinator will be able to give you the names and numbers of any groups known to GUiDE, which are associated with your particular interest. A few of these organisations are listed below:

Sports Organisations for Disabled People:

Cool2Care

Cool2Care are an innovative, youthful, agency-style social enterprise which supplies skilled and cool carers or buddies to disabled children. All their carers are screened, CRB checked and trained before placement. They liaise closely with families to fully understand their needs before introducing them to a choice of suitable care-workers. The family interviews the care worker before employing him/her. Cool2Care support families before, during and after the recruitment process. Families can choose to recruit a carer through direct payments/ personal budgets, with their own income/benefits or by combining the two. The care-workers can be very flexible about what they do - they can work in the home or take kids & young people out and about.

For more information please phone or email - Tel: 0845 – 123 – 5484 info@cool2care.co.uk

Alternatively please contact Agy Pasek, Family Liaison Manager for Gloucestershire, agy.pasek@cool2care.co.uk or telephone 07595 607736.

Active Gloucestershire

C/o School of Sport & Leisure
University of Gloucestershire,
Oxstalls Campus,
Glos.
Tel: 01242 715190

Sport England

3rd Floor,
Victoria House,
Bloomsbury Square,
London,
WC1B 4SE
Telephone: 08458 508 508
Web Page: Disability Sport England

British Paralympic Association

40 Bernard Street,
London
WC1N 1ST
Tel: 020 7211 522

English Federation of Disability Sport South West

Filton College
Filton Avenue,
Filton,
Bristol
BS34 7AT
Tel: 0117 909 2302

Information on sporting activities in the South West, (including Gloucestershire)

Scuba Trust Bloomsbury - for disabled people interested in learning to Scuba Dive.

13 Lade Fort Crescent
LYDD ON SEA
Romney Marsh
Kent TN29 9YG
Telephone: 07985 025385

GB Wheelchair Basketball Association

Suite B
Technology Centre
Epinal Way
Loughborough
Leicestershire.
Telephone: 01509 631671

National Association of Swimming Clubs for the Handicapped

The Willows
Mayles Lane
WICKHAM
Hampshire PO17 5ND
Telephone: 01329 833689

Holidays:

The Key Co-ordinator also has access to information about holidays in the UK and abroad, which are suitable for people with learning or physical disabilities. There are several organisations who can give travel advice and more specific information about holiday destinations which can cater for people who need dialysis, wheelchair access etc. Phone The Key Co-ordinator on 08456 583857 or E-mail her via our contact form.

Local Leisure Centres:

Cascades, Tewkesbury - 01684 293740.

There are sessions for people with disabilities held twice a week, phone for details of days and times as these may vary. Access to the centre is via a ramp from the car park, and there are no steps from the entrance to the poolside. There is a hoist to help people into the water and if you need help with changing, the staff are happy to help. Appropriate toilets and changing area are available on request.

Cotswold Leisure Centre, Cirencester - 01285 654057.

Good disabled access to the pool. There is on changing room set aside for a disabled user and a toilet for a wheelchair user. There is a poolside hoist and very helpful staff who have regular disabled users who they are willing and able to assist. There are no specific sessions for disabled users, but everyone is welcome to the usual public sessions.

Dursley Pool - 01453 546441.

The pool here is equipped with a hoist, which is operational at all public swimming sessions. Sessions for people with Special Needs are held on Tuesday mornings and Wednesday afternoons (phone pool to confirm), the water temperature is a comfortable 30°c/86°f and the depth of the pool starts and half a metre. Access from the car park to the poolside is good with no steps en route. The changing rooms are large and there are poolside showers. Remedial and Sports Massage therapy is also available at the centre.

Heywood Leisure Centre, Cinderford - 01594 824008.

There is an organised session on a Sunday evening specifically for people of all ages with special needs. Ring the centre for more details as the session times can change. A pool lift is available.

Other useful websites

A great website which you might like to look at can be found at www.focusondisability.co.uk This site gives all sorts of information on leisure activities, hobbies and holidays for anyone with a disability.

Another great website can be found at www.clynfyw.co.uk, displaying the respite care holiday facilities on offer at the newly established Clynfyw Countryside Centre.

If you have visited anywhere that has particularly good access and services for people with disabilities, please let me know and I will put details on this page. Key co-ordinator: 08456 583857 or email us via our contact form.