Wheelchair rugby star an inspiration

100’s of Devon youngsters headed to Barnstaple on Wednesday, 5th February for a day of friendly sporting competition. They took part in a variety of events including archery, sitting volleyball and new age kurling.

The Devon Ability Games were staged at the Tarka Tennis Centre and gave children from Special Educational Needs (SEN) Schools and Special Schools a fantastic opportunity to show off their skills and come together for a fantastic sporting celebration.

“We love seeing the joy this event brings to the young people
taking part.” said Lisa Alford from Active Devon.

“It’s a real focal point of the sport and activity calendar for SEN schools and we always get fantastic feedback about what the youngsters gain from getting involved. It’s also fantastic to see so many young volunteers giving their time to ensure the day ran so smoothly and we are very grateful to them.”

The special ‘sporting champion’ guest of honour is Devon’s Tilly Robinson who has just been selected for the GB Wheelchair Rugby team.  She started playing in 2013 following a taster session at the Devon School Games!  She met the youngsters and passed on some tips.
The School Games is a nationwide programme funded by the
National Lottery and has been a prominent centrepiece of
competitive school sports in Devon since 2011.

During that time tens of thousands of young people in the county have been involved, in intra and inter-school competitions at local, regional and national level. A focus on leadership and volunteering means that young people have the chance to deliver events, inspire and lead their peers.