Paralympic Adventure By Cathy Sharp, Chairman TYCP (and Mum)
A grant this year from ‘Aiming High for Disabled Children Small Grants Scheme’ helped to fund three life-changing trips to the 2012 London Paralympics in September.
When I pressed the ‘send’
button way back in September 2011, I wasn’t expecting to get any tickets let alone 70! Three lots of group tickets for our special needs families in and around Tavistock - what a once in a lifetime opportunity. It took some organising and pulling my hair out especially to fill last minute spaces but it was so worth it. The build-up to the trips was fuelled by such a great Olympics and the Tavi Specials and TYCP appearing on ITV Westcountry News, talking about the Paralympics and disabled football.
Day 1
28 disabled young people, parents, siblings, carers and volunteers from TYCP set their alarms very early and boarded the Holman’s coach to London ExCel at 5am. Six hours later we’d survived the long journey helped by much excitement at the famous London sights we passed en route. For some of the younger members of the group it was their first trip to London. We had open access tickets to sit-
ting volleyball, judo, table tennis and power lifting. Everyone was left in awe by the athletes and how much they achieved regardless of their disabilities. All 28 of us had something to say about the day; the
Tavistock Youth Café Plus
overwhelming comments being: amazing, inspiring and life changing.
Marnie aged 15 “I didn’t know about blind judo but I do now” Helen (carer) “Thank you for including us in an amazing day, my two charges haven’t stopped talking about it” Jess “Thank you I was so excited to meet a table tennis player who has the same disability as me and to watch them compete. I will never forget today”
Highlights of the day included Jessica hurtling down the main concourse to ask Sebastian Coe for his autograph, Liam in his wheel chair with mum Davina ringside at the power lifting chatting to ex-paralympians, Graham (volunteer) popping up on TV whenever possible and staying on to party with the paralympic table tennis competitors . All of us dressed in red white and blue, cheering and flag waving for GB competitors. It was a very long, exciting day and a challenging one for some of
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our young people. We all piled on- to the coach home at 8pm, tired but very aware that we had been part of something really special.
Day 2
22 members of TYCP and Tavi Specials braved the early morning and long coach journey, this time heading for the Olympic Park, to see the Blind Football. Entering the Olympic Park we were struck with how big it was and how many people were there. Some of us had stayed in London overnight and got to the park early, managing to catch some goalball, sitting volley ball and wheelchair tennis - some sports we had never heard of before - so much to see and learn.
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