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Leonard Cheshire launches volunteering programme in Liverpool

Young disabled people in Merseyside will be offered new, sport related volunteering opportunities through Leonard Cheshire’s volunteering programme, Can Do Sport.

Simon Coates Photography EFDS 1848

The initiative launches on Wednesday 13 June with ‘The Fortis Games’, a mini Olympics organised by 14 students from Thornton College. The students are organising the games as part of their ‘Building Communities Project’. They will be coordinating the games on the day and each will have their own role to ensure the event is a success.

The event will take place at Crosby Leisure Centre, part of the Parkwood Leisure group.

Five students from each of the following four feeder schools will be taking part in the games: Crosby High, Merefield, Bluebell Park and Rowan Park. A further five from each school will be coming along as spectators to cheer on their school team.

Kay Angeluk, one of  three specialist tutors working with the students on the Can Do project at Thornton College, said:

“Our group of students on the Can Do programme considered lots of possibilities around helping their local communities, but wanted to focus on special educational needs and disability (SEND) They also wanted to do something sporty, thus it seemed an obvious choice of theirs to organise a mini-Olympic games event with local SEND schools. During the programme so far, they have bonded, found leadership skills, organised communication about the event, and logistics around the big day. They have found a passion within themselves.”

Jamie Hiscock from Crosby Leisure Centre said:

“Parkwood Leisure is happy to support the event and the Can Do programme, understanding the benefits to all involved through events of this nature.”

The increased capacity and skills gained through this Can Do project in Merseyside will encourage participants to take-up further volunteering, training, and/or employment opportunities, depending on their age. The City & Guilds qualification that ‘Can Doers’ will gain through this project, will be an additional item to include on CVs and further applications for training, employment or volunteering.

Can Do is Leonard Cheshire’s life skills and volunteering programme that supports disabled people aged between 10 and 35 across locations in England (13) Northern Ireland (1) Scotland (4) and Wales (4): Birmingham, Gloucester, London North, London South*, Manchester*, Merseyside*, Oxford, Portsmouth, Essex*, Surrey, Southampton, West Yorkshire*, Newcastle, Belfast, Dumfries, Edinburgh, Fife, Glasgow, Cardiff, Newport, Swansea, Wrexham.

For further information and interview requests, please contact: Danielle Mendel on Danielle.mendel@leonardcheshire.org or 020 3242 0204. Visit: www.leonardcheshire.org