A wheelchair football club has received a £15,000 grant to buy four specialist, powered chairs to continue supporting children and adults who are disabled playing.
Solent Powerchair Football Club, based at Swanmore College in New Road, is Hampshire’s only powerchair football club, attended by children living across the county with severe restrictive, life-limiting disabilities, such as Cerebral Palsy, SMA, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
For many children playing a sport with other young people experiencing similar life challenges gives individuals meaning and purpose, a club spokesperson said.
As part of the Hampshire County Council community grant fund, the organisation has received a grant of £15,000 for the purchase of four brand new specialist-powered sports wheelchairs, a decision that was received by players with a “huge cheer” and “big smiles”.
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A spokesperson from Solent Powerchair Football Club said the club was “delighted” by the council’s decision to award an “incredibly generous” grant that will allow the club to welcome new players and play “to the best” of their abilities in the South East Powerchair Football League.
They said: “In spite of poor and dated equipment, the club has recently been doing well within the world of powerchair football, with the team recently achieving promotion to Division 1 of the South East Powerchair Football League.
“However, with the lack of up-to-date equipment, there is a limit to how much the club can achieve […], which has been holding the club back for some time, as we have been unable to welcome new players and also unable to play to the best of our abilities.
“The club members are thrilled that we can buy some new chairs with the generous Hampshire County Council grant. It means that we can hopefully train and play more effectively in our League, maintain our Division position, and climb higher up the Division. More importantly, it means we can offer spaces for new people to join the club.
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Powerchair football is played by children and adults who are disabled and unable to play other forms of football, the club said.
“It’s a lifeline to many players who find it’s often the only sport they can play on a level playing field with others. If they try to join in with other sports, it’s often not possible since the play needs to be so significantly adapted that the game/sport just doesn’t work.
“Sport should be for everyone, and powerchair football means that those who play it can also benefit from all the things that sport can bring to everyone, such as team play, learning new skills of communication, strategy and anticipation, and so many other things.”
Powerchair football was first played in France in the 1970s. It then spread around Europe, allowing players to meet other wheelchair users and socialise when often they feel isolated because of life-limiting conditions.
The club said that with the purchase, they can now reach out to more players to join Hampshire’s only powerchair football club.
“We are very grateful to Hampshire County Council for their thoughtful grant, it is very much appreciated by all the club members and their families.”
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