Sport must be for all

LOCAL people with a disability should have every opportunity to take part in sporting activities now that Annette Fontaine is working for Fenland District Council and East Cambridgeshire District Council as a sports inclusion officer.

Her role is to promote and create opportunities for people with disabilities of all ages to take part in sporting activity. She is working alongside FENDIS, the Fenland Sports Disability Forum, to help people with learning difficulties as well as those with a hearing, physical or visual impairment, to take part in sport.

Annette works three days a week with Fenland District Council and two days a week with East Cambridgeshire District Council.

In Fenland there have been a number of successes since she took on the role. On behalf of Fenland she has helped FENDIS gain an £8,000 Awards For All Grant to work with bowls clubs and even set up new bowls clubs where residents with disabilities can enjoy the sport.

She is also involved in delivering a Global Grants award to provide training for sports club representatives and volunteers on how to make sport more inclusive to people with disabilities.

Annette is currently working with the County Sports Partnership, Living Sport, and schools to put together the Youth Games+ event for children with disabilities to take part in competitive sports, as well as in taster sessions with a wide variety of sports. The event will take place at St Ivo School, St Ives on June 13.

She has also been busy organising the FENDIS golf day, a successful annual fixture that is enjoyed by disabled people and volunteers.

Councillor Steve Garratt, portfolio holder for health and wellbeing, said: "We are committed to sport for all. The sports inclusion officer post has been created specifically to ensure that people of all ages and those with disabilities have equal access to sport.