PULSE


St Francis School host some very special guests


St Francis School in Maidstone like to celebrate their diversity in many different ways. Last academic year they held a very special event, entitled ‘Diversity Week’. As part of this they invited a Paralympic coach (Tom Middleton) to the school, who shared his life story and then led the children in some very enjoyable sessions of Sitting Volleyball, followed by a meaningful discussion on disability, tolerance and inclusion.


Tom was accompanied by several Sitting Volleyball players, former Gurkha soldiers, who had suffered some terrible injuries whilst serving this country. Not only did the Gurkhas join the children in playing Sitting Volleyball but they also spoke to the children in a whole school assembly and later on in individual classrooms, giving a moving account of how sport and discipline can help people overcome challenges, especially when living with a physical disability.


These former soldiers had lost limbs or suffered near fatal injuries so to see how upbeat they were was truly humbling for the children as well as the staff. Some of these soldiers had also competed at the Invictus Games where Tom helped to coach some of the Sitting Volleyball teams.


St Francis children found the encounter with Tom Middleton's world both fascinating and enriching and implored him to come back after the Diversity Week to run more sessions. Sitting Volleyball is a really fun and exciting game which offers both disabled and non-disabled children the opportunity to compete both with and against each other and is fully inclusive.


The Kent & Medway School Sports Magazine 11


If your school would like to try a fully inclusive,


Paralympic sport such as Sitting Volleyball, please contact Tom Middleton on 07710 772533 or email middly@icloud.com


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