More than 40 children with various disabilities took part in the annual Disability Football Festival for all secondary special educational needs (SEN) units recently.
The Department of Community, Culture and Leisure's Sports Development Unit, supported by Barclays Wealth, is working to develop and increase the number of sporting opportunities available for all children with disabilities across the Island.
Through the ongoing work of the disability sports development officer Zoe Carney and from a donation of £7,500 from Barclays Wealth, another year of sporting festivals and training sessions has been secured.
Zoe explained: "The Sports Development Unit in conjunction with the Isle of Man Football Association facilitated a series of weekly football training sessions to all secondary SEN units across the Island.
"These weekly training sessions were facilitated and adapted for a wide range of disabilities in a fun and inclusive environment.
‘The money from Barclays Wealth helped to purchase new specialised equipment to ensure all children are made fully inclusive within the weekly training sessions.
"During the festival children had the opportunity to take part in a variety of football activities followed by a series of football matches where schools competed and socialised with other children from across the Island."
Disability football is part of the yearly disability sports programme that is being rolled out with all primary and secondary SEN units across the Island.
A total of four sports are made available to all children with disabilities - football, kwik cricket, gymnastics and athletics.
Children have the opportunity to take part in weekly training sessions and sporting festivals for all of the sports.
The donation from Barclays Wealth helps to support the cost of the weekly training sessions for all four sports, the purchasing of specialised sporting equipment, medals and certificates as well as the booking costs of all venues to ensure the festivals can take place.
Head of community affairs at Barclays Wealth Stuart Nelson said: "We look to encourage staff to get involved in community projects wherever possible and we have already undertaken over 500 working days this year.
"The disability sports programme is one of the most popular events and we are delighted to assist Manx Sport and Recreation with this really worthwhile initiative."
