IFI accredited Ferndown Leisure Centre launches disability ambassador’s role
Andrew Sill, a 16-year-old student from Ferndown Upper School, has spent his summer holiday working in a new role as ambassador at his local leisure centre to promote disability sports.
The Centre, which is IFI Mark accredited, provides easy access specialist fitness equipment and has implemented staff training to ensure fitness is accessible for all.
Andrew, who has Cerebral Palsy, said:
“I am aware through struggling to find local disability sports how difficult this is. My aim is to make it easier for the disabled to get the information by creating a communication network to signpost these sporting activities and how to access them.”
He will be doing this at the Ferndown Leisure Centre, which is a hub site catering for disabled people in East Dorset. The centre aims to provide disability activities to get more disabled people involved in sports and leisure.
Andrew added:
“I currently use the gym twice a week, and play cricket at the leisure centre. I find the sessions very beneficial as they have helped me to improve my balance. Cerebral palsy restricts me from doing day-to-day things, so imagine my delight when I found I could take part in fitness training in the gym amongst non-disabled people. Rob the fitness manager and his team are my personal training instructors, they provide me with programmes to follow, and due to their assistance I can use the more complicated machines, for example, the treadmill and the rower.”
Rob said:
“We would like to build a personal relationship with disabled people in the community and to find out more about what they want from their leisure centre. Our job is to provide a valuable community service and understanding the needs of disabled residents is absolutely core to this.”
The Inclusive Fitness Initiative (IFI) leads the way in providing accessible physical activity and in increasing disabled people's participation.
IFI has been established for over 10 years, with a national coverage of 400 IFI Mark accredited gym facilities. It is recognised that the IFI Mark is fundamental in addressing inequality in physical activity.
Inclusive Fitness addresses inclusion to encourage a cultural change within IFI facilities in the following elements- fitness equipment, staff training, marketing and engagement, sports development and accessible facilities.
- If you are a disabled person looking for an inclusive gym nearby, you can visit our facility search here.
- If you are a facility or equipment supplier looking to find out more about the IFI Mark, visit out IFI Mark accreditation section here.
