Cookies help our website to remember you and your preferences. For more information or to update your cookie settings, please go to our privacy policy.

Accept Decline
Skip to content.

The national charity and leading voice for disabled people in sport and activity

Menu. Open and close this menu with the ENTER key.

Blog: “Being active makes me really happy!”

The English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS) website features a blog post every Friday through the year. In 2017, we'll be sharing the experiences of disabled people, and those who support disabled people, on their journey to being more active. This week, 13-year-old Alexandra (known as Sasha) tells us about bouncing herself all the way to National Schools' Trampoline Finals. 

Sasha Burrell by the trampoline

I started trampolining in September 2016, at the beginning of the school year. At first I used my ordinary prosthetic legs, but now I wear my new activity blades, which are much lighter and make it easier for me to move around. They are an important part of my PE kit now, and I carry them around in my blade bag, just like my friends carry their trainers.

Trampolining is my main activity but I also like going swimming with my friends, playing football and cycling in the summer.

Being active makes me really happy! It helps me to keep fit and supple, so I can walk, run, cycle and play. I really like seeing what I can achieve and it’s fun being with other people doing the same thing.

Having support from my family, friends and school is really important to me. If it hadn’t been for my PE teacher, I would never have even tried trampolining. I feel more confident to give things a go when my friends are taking part with me.

My trampolining has been going really well. In October last year I came first (category two) at our inter-school regional trampolining competition and qualified to compete at the Central Zonal Trampoline Competition. Then last month (February) I surprised myself and came second at Zonals and got through to the National Schools Trampoline Finals.

I’m really excited about taking part in the National Finals. So much so that I bought myself a new glittery leotard to wear, but unfortunately I have to wear my school one for competition.

Go for it! That’s just my advice to anyone who is thinking about trying a new activity or sport. Take me for example, I didn’t know how easy it would be to jump on a trampoline with blades, and now I am going to Nationals!

Sasha’s new activity blades were provided by the NHS, as part of the Department of Health’s funding initiative to support young people with limb impairments to be more active. National charity, LimbPower supported Sasha and her family to access this funding and provided them with advice and guidance through the application process.

Find out more about Department of Health’s Children's Prosthetics Fund, visit the Government website. Or contact Carly Bauert, Children’s Prosthetics Coordinator at LimbPower for more information, email Carly or call 07502 276858.