Rotary is helping to break the ice

The Olympics are now just a memory but the even more inspiring Paralympics are here! Talented athletes, having trained all hours (determined to overcome some form of disability) will be engaged in fiercely fought competition for Great Britain.

However, you need not travel as far as Rio to see an example of triumph over adversity. Inspire Peterborough’s first Inclusive Ice Skating competition was an incredible success, made possible thanks to a generous donation by Peterborough Werrington Rotary Club.

The inspiration for the event came from Calum Titmus and Emma Hall after they competed in the championship event in Glasgow (Inclusive Skating’s home) in April. Nineteen local people took part in this fully inclusive event at Planet Ice, Peterborough. It provided an opportunity for skaters with all kinds of impairments to compete on a level playing field with other skaters. Head Coach Gail Howard said: “Everybody who took part in the competition worked incredibly hard to learn a complicated routine to music. All participants skated brilliantly and made our team of coaches and themselves very proud.”

Calum and Emma now hope to travel to Iceland in November for a Special Olympic ice skating competition, and again to Glasgow in April 2017 for the Inclusive Skating championships, hopefully joined by other members of the club.

Inspire Peterborough began Inclusive Skating sessions locally in June 2015 thanks to a grant from Comic Relief. Their activities were chosen to open the BBC footage of Sport Relief for the East of England. Sessions in Peterborough are aimed at people with a disability, life limiting condition and/or additional need. Their families and carers can come along and they can all learn to skate together.

Rotarians were a bit shocked to see young ladies with body paint on their faces and backs at last year’s Rotaryswim, but boy could they swim. It was part of Inspire Peterborough’s fund raising activities raising money for a number of projects. Some of the money Werrington Rotary raised from Rotaryswim also was donated to Inspire Peterborough.

You could join yet more young ladies with body paint on 27th November when Rotaryswim 2016 takes place. Inspire Peterborough has included the event in their calendar. The Inspire swimmers will wear their own special swimming caps. Why not come along, enjoy a swim and raise money for Inspire Peterborough or any charity of your choice.

Details and Entry Forms can be obtained from: www.rotary-peterboroughwerrington.org.uk e-mail: secretary@peterborough-werrington-rotary. org.uk or send a SAE to Martin Nash, 15 Greenacres, Werrington, Peterborough. PE4 6LH