British Blind Sport takes its First Steps into Yorkshire
The leading national charity for sport and activity for visually impaired people in the UK, British Blind Sport, is delighted to announce an exciting project in Yorkshire called First Steps, thanks to funding from Children in Need.
Some visually impaired (VI) children can struggle to engage in and enjoy being active due to lack of accessible and inclusive PE and school sport and a personal fear of failure or low confidence. This can leave them feeling isolated when it comes to taking part in sport and exercise. With over 25,000 visually impaired children living in England, a large number may be at risk of childhood obesity and inactivity.
British Blind Sport’s (BBS) First Steps project aims to solve this problem by providing a First Steps pack to blind and visually impaired children, aged three to eleven years old. The pack includes a bright inflatable sound ball and activity booklet that has been developed with specialists in visually impaired sport. The pack enables children and their families to play a wide variety of games to develop skills and increase their activity levels and confidence. In addition, each child receives a reward chart with stickers to encourage them to achieve their goals.
Chief Executive of British Blind Sport, Alaina MacGregor said:
"BBS is tremendously proud and passionate about our First Steps programme which will often give visually impaired children their first opportunity to try sport or physical activity specifically adapted for them. The team at BBS know first-hand what a difference participating in physical activities and playing sport can make to a blind or VI child’s life.
"As a rolling programme across the country, successful pilots of 'First Steps' have already benefited over 100 children in Scotland and the Midlands. The response from participants has been consistently positive. It can build confidence, encourage communication, improve health and develop relationships. Put simply, First Steps will empower young visually impaired children and their families to have a healthier, more active and fun lifestyle."
British Blind Sport is now inviting families across Yorkshire to take part in the project.
