What we’ve done – Part 1
In 2014 we have run over 20 golf sessions for disability groups in Kirklees. They include Enfield Down a resident and rehabilitation centre for people with mental health issues and Highfields Day care centre that provides day care for people with disabilities, for example down syndrome. The sessions have been well attended and supported however we are looking at obtaining further funding to start regular sessions at both groups.
Enfield Down secured funding for 6 sessions where the taster session users have learnt how to Putt and Chip as well as hitting the soft balls at targets. Each individual who attended has improved their skills, mobility and concentration over time. The final sessions will be held on December 12th at Stadium Driving Range where afterwards the taster session users have requested we end 2014 with a lunch time get together, just showing how far we have come in a few months!
We have approached other disability groups such as Stroke survivor groups, Parkinson’s UK, and other local residential centres. We have also approached community centre’s to run the sessions and these will hopefully attract individuals that are not part of a larger organisations to participate in our workshops.
In 2014 we have worked with 67 regular taster session users, of which over 20 now attend sessions or events that we hold, which equates to a 30% success rate of getting people with a disability or impairment active by using golf as the medium. By getting and keeping them active, we improve their mobility, concentration and confidence as well as helping them make a new circle of friends.
We have introduced golf buggies to Longley Park Golf Club our base, where we have buggies on long term lease and another that we have purchased. These have been instrumental in getting people with mobility problems onto the golf course. We have also encouraged many senior citizens to continue golf long after they would have otherwise stopped playing. We have also encouraged 3 out of the 67 taster session users to join a golf club for the very first time because of the facilities we provide and helping them to make new friends.
We have attended several open days at Batley Sports Centre, Crow Nest Park in Dewsbury and Nostell Priory in Wakefield to support the Federation of Disability Sports open days the organisation that gave us our first grant. We have also attend a Charity golf event at Moor Allerton that was raising money for a number of different charities, we had a stand that showed the visitors what our Charity was all about.
We have had a £500 donation from The Stewarts Law Foundation based in London. This was a nice surprise as someone must have recommend us to receive this award. The money has gone towards some more sessions in the Kirklees are.