The history of the Disability Inclusive Sports Club, Northamptonshire
Through 2007/2008 South Northamptonshire Council funded and organised some monthly taster sessions of sports, at the Towcester Centre for Leisure. These were specifically aimed at people with disabilities and their families.
From those early sessions a committee was formed to look at the possibility of creating a permanent club. To start with monthly sessions were held on the same basis; the South Northants Disability Sports Club was formed and was officially launched.
The committee is run by a dedicated group of volunteers, mainly parents of children with special needs together with an experienced youth worker and the sports development officer at South Northants Council.
From September 2008 after successfully applying for local authority funding, the Club became more active and started meeting on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month.
To celebrate the Club's first birthday there was a very popular outing to Sixfields for a tenpin bowling party and this has been repeated on our later anniversaries.
In the spring of 2010 the Club launched this web site and at the AGM, following a members competition to find a new name, SNDSC became DISC.
The sessions are at a beginners level but cater for all age groups. A variety of professional coaches are hired to run the sports from 3pm-4pm in the hall, initially we were just able to offer one activity but as we have grown so has our programme!
In addition to the sports hour we now offer a dance studio activity on the first Sunday and trampolining on the third Sunday each month. Following the first hour's fun the Club has private hire of both swimming pools from 4pm-5pm.
We were thrilled in 2010 to launch a swimming programme which has already expanded to offering individual short lessons with two experienced coaches during our swimming hour at no extra cost!
In March 2011 we held our first swimming gala which was a terrific achievement and a really enjoyable event.
To date, the sports which have been offered are: archery, boccia, curling, athletics, badminton, basketball skills, cricket, dance, fitness suite, football, indoor golf games, line dancing, martial arts, multi-skills, yoga and swimming lessons.
Currently we are also running separate Zumba party so take a look on What's on page for dates.
Other achievements for DISC include Sporting Excellence nomination in the 2010 Northamptonshire Community Foundation awards and participating in the drive to achieve outstanding disabled changing facilities at Towcester centre for leisure which opened in January 2011.
In February 2011 DISC was awarded the Barclays Community Sports award receiving a fabulous trophy and £1000 donation. DISC strives to achieve high standards in a fun and friendly atmosphere for our members and their families; this has been recognised by our Clubmark accreditation in July 2011, being the first disability specific sports club in Northamptonshire to do so!
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