In recent weeks, young people from Whitehaven have had the opportunity to learn about and take part in some Wheelchair Basketball sessions. The sessions were organised by Young Cumbria, in partnership with Carlisle Panthers, Cumbria County Council and Whitehaven Harbour Youth Project.

Youth workers from St Peter’s Youth Club spent some time with young people back in November coming up with some ideas for sessions after Christmas. They spoke about the Olympics in 2012 and about the Paralympics that followed.

One of the youth workers mentioned a local Wheelchair Basketball team that they knew of and the young people said they had never heard of it. As a result of this they decided to put a bid into the local Neighbourhood forum to request funding to have the Carlisle Panthers team to come and teach them to play basketball - using modified wheelchairs.

They were successful in their bid and booked two sessions to run in January in the Whitehaven Harbour Youth Project’s sports hall.

The sessions were a massive success with young people learning not only basic basketball skills, but also the added skills of using a wheelchair!

David Wise, one of the Wheelchair Team, covered disability awareness highlighting the many ways young people with disabilities still get involved in sports and activities.

Peter Longworth, the Youth Development Coach, commented that he was ‘really pleased with the maturity of the young people.’

The young people really enjoyed trying something different and thrived on the challenge of learning new skills. The wheelchair sessions gave them all a level playing field and found that young people who were normally quite shy or less confident felt more comfortable and relaxed in the session.

Thank you to the Carlisle Panthers for their skills, expertise and excellent coaching skills, also South Whitehaven neighbourhood forum and Cumbria County Council for giving the young people this opportunity.