Disability Development Plans

Double Paralympic champion Ellie Simmonds has been named ambassador of a new scheme aimed to encourage children to be more active.

With two years two go until the start of the London Paralympics, Simmonds will become the face of Sainsbury’s Active Kids scheme for the next three years.

The 15-year old, who scooped six medals including four golds, at last week’s IPC World Championships in Eindhoven, will appear in advertising and attend Active Kids events nationwide.

Sainsbury's Active Kids Vouchers have helped provide new equipment for schools and clubs all across the UK. From sports kit and equipment to gardening tools and cooking utensils, the vouchers really have made a difference to thousands of children across the UK.

The next SW Disability Swimming Training is on Saturday 4 September 2010 at the usual venue, Tockington Manor School, Wishingpool Road, BS32 4NY. Training will be slightly different, and include Land Training as well as a swim training session.

Land training will start at 10:00am and the pool session will start at 10:45. Please remember to bring appropriate kit for land training, as well plenty of water.

For participation in the coaching session swimmers must:

Chris Holmes, LOCOG Director of Paralympic Integration, will open the British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) annual conference this July at Keele University.

He said: “I’m delighted to be speaking at this year’s BUCS Conference. Higher education sport has a vital role to play in encouraging people of all abilities to participate as well as nurturing the nation’s elite sports men and women of the future.”

Young people across the country are being offered the chance of a lifetime, as the magic of the 2012 Olympics comes to town. The ASA is using the inspiration of the Olympic Games to encourage young disabled people to share their time and talents and make a positive difference in their community.

The ‘mygames’ programme, launched today, calls on young people to undertake exciting volunteering projects in the community that promote and celebrate the values of the 2012 Olympic Games. Values that include friendship, respect, excellence, equality and determination.

As a former medal-winning Paralympic athlete and leader of Britain's disabled swimmers, Tim Reddish OBE is no stranger to challenges. But even the 53-year-old thinks a nine-day tandem bike ride from John O'Groats to Land's End will be gruelling.

Tim will take the rear seat on a tandem bike behind son Paul, 28, for the 1,000 mile ride starting on 12 June 2010. They are hoping to raise £3,000 for the British Paralympic Association, which helps athletes prepare for the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games.

Mr Reddish, who is now the chairman of the charity, was a successful blind swimmer. During his career, he won 22 gold medals, 11 silver and ten bronze in European and World championships and Paralympic Games.

The British Disability Swimming team, powered by British Gas, have been working together for the past week at a national training camp in Majorca which has given them the opportunity to begin their preparations for the IPC Swimming World Championships.

New National Performance Director John Atkinson took charge of the sport on 1 May 2010 and the camp has given him his first opportunity to lead the team. He has spent the past week working alongside support staff and coaches to make sure swimmers achieved their personal goals for the camp.

The athletes enjoyed a week in their home programmes after the World Championships trial event before meeting together as a team to train in Majorca.

Tim Reddish has been announced as the Executive Director for British Disability Swimming and will support the sport as it prepares for London 2012 and beyond.

Former National Performance Director (NPD) Reddish begins his role at the beginning of May and he will work to place British Swimming in a strong position with the Paralympic movement both nationally and internationally.

Salary £27,124 to £31,728 (plus excellent benefits)
Location To be agreed
Contract Type All hours worked

The ASA, the National Governing Body for Swimming, is seeking a Disability Swimming Volunteer Co-ordinator to support 42 young disabled leaders and their mentors to create and implement a personal development plan that will prepare them to volunteer at the Paralympic Trials in 2012 and future ASA events.

British Disability Swimming will appoint John Atkinson to the role of National Performance Director tasked with leading Britain to the 2012 Paralympics.

From May, Atkinson will move into post from his current role within British Swimming as Director for World Class Programmes across daily training and national team environments.

The appointment follows in-depth analysis of the British Swimming Disability Programme and is part of a strategic restructure to help meet the challenge of the London 2012 Paralympics while looking beyond to 2016.