About the project
We are pleased to report that golf is now part of the Special Olympics Sports in Peterborough.
England Golf’s Club Support Officer for Cambridgeshire Marc Smith, Golf PGA professional from Thorpe Wood Suzanne Dickens and Kay Greenaway from Inspire Peterborough have shared their story with us on how they have made the project a success.
What changed?
After an initial meeting in November 2017 and with the ambition of making golf a Special Olympics Sport for Inspire Peterborough, a £1000 investment from England Golf kick started the activity to establish golf as part of the local sports offering.
The difference
In February 2018 the Peterborough Disability Sport event, Sporting Saturday, was held and one of the main outreach projects throughout the year was engagement with the colleges.
A total of 44 participants attended initial coaching sessions at Thorpe Wood and regular coaching now takes place every Tuesday, as a multi-impairment opportunity, with 12 regular participants.
The project has seen various individuals who had previously participated in other sports but had since become inactive now regularly take part in golfing activity, with some participants taking part in regional tournaments and becoming volunteers and leaders for the group.
The future
Building on their huge success, there are more exciting plans underway with ideas to create links with Primary Schools and SEN pupils, to engage with Peterborough Regional College and potentially develop links with the Dwarf Sports Association and the Els for Autism Programme.
Work will also be undertaken to look at funding streams to ensure sessions remain at a low cost to participants and there are plans to host a golf tournament and create a Golf Award for the annual Inspire Peterborough Awards.
**UPDATE**
What a fantastic last summer session of golf. Coach Suzanne Dickens once again provided an amazing session of driving range practice and a mini skills set competition on the practice green giving the athletes the chance to show off their chipping, close putting and long range putting skills.
The improvement in the athletes is amazing due to Suzanne’s commitment to the group and also to the regular attendance of the athletes week in week.
The group is now sustainable and has 14 regular attendees. We are taking 8 athletes to compete in the Special Olympics West Midlands Golf competition in Bromsgrove an increase of 6 from last year.
The evening was rounded up with a presentation of flowers and a good luck card to Suzanne who is off to represent Great Britain in a golf competition in Texas.
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