Disabled trampolining leaps forward with Rotary

The Rotary Club of Middleton presented the Middleton Trampolining Club with £1540 toward the purchase of specialist soft pay equipment for use in their sessions with main stream and additional needs children and young people

3 More Image(s) In Gallery

The Rotary Club of Middleton has presented the Middleton Trampolining Club (MTC) with £1540 toward the purchase of specialist soft pay equipment for use in their sessions with main stream and additional needs children and young people. This equipment will allow children to improve their strength and agility.

The special equipment is vital to children with poor mobility, posture and muscle control. The equipment will allow coaches to work on specific areas of the body and build strength, improve flexibility and posture.

This helps children to gain greater independence by allowing them to move more freely without personal support. The equipment will ensure core muscles are developed in every lesson.

Weight is a major issue for some of the wheel chair bound participants and having the donut style equipment allows children to sit up and engage with their peers whilst being bounced on the trampoline by others.

For some children with disability this new equipment means the difference between having to lie down and view the ceiling and being able to sit up and participate in activities.

“The Rotary Club of Middleton is all about serving others and making a difference in our community. Middleton Trampolining Club provide a brilliant service for those that come along, all of those that attend work so very well together and all are there to assist.

"The less able are made to feel part of the trampolining family and receive excellent attention that gives them such an enjoyable and therapeutic experience.

"This is a brilliant club and the Rotary Club of Middleton is really pleased to be helping the club with the provision of this soft play equipment,” said Keith Trinnaman Rotary Treasurer.

“The Rotary Club of Middleton is pleased we could play a small part in helping Lisa and her team deliver an outstanding service to the children of Middleton. It was wonderful to see the smiles on the children's faces as they used the new equipment and especially to see the pleasure and the smiles of the children with disabilities as they were gently bounced on the trampoline,” said John Brooker, Rotary’s Community Service Chairman.

Lisa Lee Head Coach of MTC said: “Since first becoming aware of Middleton Rotary Club about 12 months ago, I can’t describe the kindness and understanding from the members, it is amazing to know that there are people like this in our community.

"Without their help Middleton Trampolining Club would not be able to deliver high class inclusive classes. Thanks to their support and very kind donations and help with funding applications we have been able to purchase soft play equipment which will change the whole set up of our club and recreational classes.

"We can now think even more outside the box in enabling those with additional needs to really get the benefits from the actual trampoline fitness side of things, these toys will open up a range of moves that have not previously been possible due to complexity of some of the additional needs we work with."

Lisa Lee the Head Coach and Founder of the non profit organisation, Middleton Trampolining Club would like to thank all the Rotary Members for bringing her dreams another step closer. "Thank you so much.”

The benefits of trampolining exercise for both physical and mental health are well documented.

"However, MTC is different from other clubs because they run fully inclusive classes so the anxiety and fear surrounding interacting with all types of disabilities are addressed in each class. This provides all the children an opportunity to learn, understand and empathise with their peers. Parents and carers see improvements to their children’s physical, mental and social abilities after attending MTC.

Head Coach, Lisa Lee said, “Anecdotal evidence received from our parents’ and carers show our children demonstrate a striking improvement in their behaviour and self esteem which makes the task of caring for the more challenging children easier.

"In addition, our coaches can see great developments in their students balance and muscle strength too. So it’s a real win-win result for the children with additional needs and those without. I am convinced trampolining can improve the health of every child.”

The Middleton Trampolining Club was formed in May 2011 and is based at St Annes Academy and Oulder Hill Leisure Complex. The club provides access to trampolining classes for children of all ages with any type of additional need. Classes are fully integrated and children are encouraged to support one another. MTC cater for children aged 3-16 and in some instances for young people over 16 years. MTC also run adult classes. For more information on classes go to:

www.wix.com/middletontrampoline/clubsite.

MTC provides five fully trained coaches, eight award scheme coaches and seven volunteers who adhere to legal requirements on equity and diversity and health and safety and child safeguarding. The Head Coach, Lisa Lee is Level 3 British Gymnastics qualified and is qualified in REBOUND (a specific trampolining qualification for the disabled). Other coaches and support staff have attended the Coaching Disabled People in Sport Course. MTC uses the Winstrada development and award programmes recognised by British Gymnastics. Winstrada badge and certificate scheme cater for every kind of disability and sits alongside the British Gymnastics (BG) badge scheme.

“All our children participate in these schemes and are proud of their successes. Our children have fun while they are learning,” said Lisa Lee, Head Coach at MTC.