The UK’s Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work Chloe
Smith has called on more Welsh sporting clubs and organisations
to include disabled people in their activities.
On a two-day visit to North West Wales with Ynys Môn MP Virginia
Crosbie, the minister urged local organisations to look at ways
to make themselves more accessible to the disabled community,
after seeing inclusive sports clubs in Anglesey.
During her time in Wales, the minister took part in a training
session with the Anglesey Hawks Wheelchair Basketball Club in
Holyhead and visited the Anglesey Group of Ynys Mon Riding For
The Disabled, meeting one of their blind dressage riders.
The Minister made her visit as the figures show there
are 1.3 million more disabled
people in employment since 2017, with employers across the UK
creating more inclusive and diverse workforces through government
schemes like Access to Work and Disability Confident. The
minister spoke to the organisations she met about how including
people with disabilities in work and leisure benefits the wider
community.
Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work said:
Disabled people deserve the same opportunities as everyone else
and I urge all Welsh sporting organisations and clubs, big or
small, to be more inclusive of everyone in their wider community.
Both the Anglesey Hawks and Anglesey Riding Centre are two
wonderful examples of inclusive organisations and it was a
delight to see how they are harnessing the power of sport and
physical activity, excluding no one.
Exercise can have a transformative effect on both your physical
and mental health and it is imperative there is equal access for
everyone.
said:
I am really pleased the minister was able to visit these two
excellent Ynys Môn sports organisations.
It is vital our communities are active whatever their age, skill
level or disability and that there is access for all.
Being active helps with general health, it prevents a host of
illnesses as well as keeping people fit.
These two organisations are beacons on the island for inclusive
sporting activities and I thank them for allowing myself and the
minister to visit and meet staff and members.
The Anglesey Hawks Wheelchair Basketball Club was set up in
2014 and train weekly at Holyhead Leisure Centre. The club
has players of all ages and both disabled and able bodied,
playing equally together. The club also supports players who
aspire to play at a national level, with some current members
having represented Wales and multiple members playing for
Wheelchair Basketball North Wales.
Anglesey Hawks Head Coach Charlie MacPherson said:
We were excited to welcome the Minister for Disabled People to
our club, to meet some of our members and have a go at sport that
really does change lives.
The Anglesey group of Ynys Mon Riding for the Disabled is
celebrating its official 50th birthday in October. The charity
provides therapeutic and learning opportunities for both children
and adults with physical and learning challenges. It also
supports many riders who have competitive aspirations, with one
of their riders representing Wales at the British Dressage Para
Home International.
Sara Jones-Williams, chair of Ynys Môn RDA (Anglesey) Group said:
As a lifelong volunteer with the Ynys Môn RDA (Anglesey) Group, I
am inspired by the riders, volunteers and local people who assist
the group to achieve the RDA UK strapline
#itswhatyoucandothatcounts.
Providing physical, social and life skills to riders whilst
engaging with the bigger community, has helped many of the riders
we support in many aspects of their daily life as well as
achieving some impressive results within their competitive
aspirations. Every rider has a journey and that journey is
equally important to them and the group.
As part of her two-day visit to Wales, the minister also visited
Tyddyn Môn in Brynrefail.
The charity employs 60 local people and supports 50 adults with a
learning disability on Anglesey. It provides 24-hour care
and support for 24 of these people in seven supported living
houses across Anglesey. Another group attend the day and work
opportunities service based at Tyddyn Môn farm, where the charity
provides work-based training and work experience through a number
of social enterprises, in addition to wellbeing activities.
During her visit, the minister attended a practice of the
charity’s music group, as well as separate cooking and pottery
sessions.
Dr Michelle Freeman, CEO of Tyddyn Môn said:
It was a pleasure to welcome the Minister for Disabled
People, Health and Work, , to the charity farm.
The people supported by the charity enjoyed showcasing the good
work they are doing in the social enterprises on the farm
and in the local community.
