Action packed day at Queen Elizabeth's Foundation Development Centre

With the focus on fitness, clients of Queen Elizabeth’s Foundation Development Centre in Leatherhead were certainly put through their paces on Tuesday, 26th February when they took part in a fun packed Activity Day.

Students from Therfield School, Leatherhead were on hand to help staff and clients with a whole range of activities including volley ball, boccia, an obstacle course and beating that personal best which all went to keeping the clients busy throughout the morning. And in the afternoon, clients had the opportunity to see how other disabled people chose to exercise and gain a hobby.

Providing a demonstration of electronic target shooting was Mandy Pankhurst, from Woking. Mandy is fast becoming recognised as one of the country’s budding new disabled shooters. Last year, she came second in the Ladies Air Rifle SH1 Standing competition at the BWS Wheelpower National Shooting Championships, Stoke Mandeville and attended her first international event in Luxemberg achieving the minimum qualification score for a Paralympics Games.

Wayne Evans, paralysed from the chest down, came along to demonstrate Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) Rowing. By using a modified machine, electrodes stimulate the leg muscles allowing movement with each stroke controlled by a computer switch on the pull bar.  FES rowing has not only helped Wayne to exercise his heart but he achieved a gold medal in the 2000m British Indoor Rowing Championships in Birmingham last year and is now looking to try adapted rowing on water, a recognised Olympic sport, targeting the 2010 Games.

Keeping to a regular fitness routine is difficult for any of us but for the clients at the Foundation’s Development Centre, it represents a special challenge. Many are full time wheelchair users or have severely restricted muscle movements greatly limiting their ability for simple exercise.

Commenting on the day, Hilary Clarke, Health Psychologist at the Centre, said: “We decided to organise this event to promote sport and demonstrate to our clients that despite their disabilities they are still able to engage in a variety of activities and fun. The aim is for them to be enabled rather than disabled and we hope that today will motivate them to be more active. The underlying message behind the Day is to emphasise the importance of exercise for health and demonstrate to the clients that despite their disabilities they are able to achieve a great amount and can often find ways around their difficulties. We hope that Wayne and Mandy’s achievements will prove inspirational.”

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For further information, please contact Caroline Barratt, Public Relations Officer, Queen Elizabeth’s Foundation, Leatherhead Court, Woodlands Road, Leatherhead, Surrey KT22 0BN. Email: caroline.barratt@qef.org.uk Tel: 01372 841129. Mobile No: 07910 283352 Registered Charity No. 251051.