Donegal Sports Partnership hosted their Annual Sports Ability Day on Saturday 24th of September in Aura Leisure Complex, Letterkenny and it proved a huge success.
The event which this year runs as part of Social Inclusion week and is also supported by Donegal County Council is a “Come and Try” event for people with disabilities and offers them the opportunity to try sports which they may not have previously tried.
Donegal Sports Ability Day is part of the overall Sport Inclusion Disability Officer (SIDO) Programme which runs under the umbrella of Donegal Sports Partnership. The initiative which was launched in 2008 is supported by the Irish Sports Council has seen many positive developments to-date in Donegal with approximately 700 individuals with disabilities having participated in sports participation programmes or events with similar numbers having participated in education and training programmes.
Speaking after the event SIDO with Donegal Sports Partnership Thérèse Laverty said people of all abilities came along to the Aura Leisure Complex and join in on the day. “The event is hosted on an annual basis and gives people the opportunity to try new sports. It was a very successful day for everyone involved and it broke down a number of barriers and preconceptions that people had about disabled people and sport,” she said.
Among the bodies represented was the GAA, FAI, Badminton Ireland and Atheltics Ireland.
Further information on the event can obtained from www.activedonegal.com or by contacting Donegal Sports Partnership on 074(91)16078/79 or by email on sidoactivedonegal@gmail.com.
