The Watermill Wheelers is a cycling club for cyclists with a disability. We established a club for children, young adults and their carers in the Highlands and Moray using cycles.
Both adapted and ordinary cycles at the Highland Cycle Ability Centre (Riding for the Disabled using cycles!).
We worked with 9 young people with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder, involving them in outdoor activity breaks (camps).
The length of the breaks depended on the needs of each young person but included short sessions of up to half a day. A day’s activity, overnight stay and activities, weekend breaks and for one young person a five day camp.
We provided grants directly to carers who care for a child or adult with profound and multiple learning disabilities, and live in Scotland.
We provided grants directly to carers who care for a child who has Down’s Syndrome and who live with them.
We provided grants directly to carers who care for a child or adult with learning disabilities.
Our aim was to provide more opportunities for children and young adults with disabilities to participate in sport and physical exercise across the Highlands.
We did this by offering a number of taster sessions which included outdoor pursuits. We also purchased running bikes to enable us to run regular sessions in this and gymnastics was our other chosen regular sessions.
To support the continuation of an annual multi-sport, pan disability residential sports camp held at Largs National Sports Centre in July 2014.
Demand for the camps is growing and we cannot expand places or provide additional equipment. The camps are three days long, very positive and intensive for participants and a great chance for carer respite.
We provided 1 and 2 night weekend breaks, as well as Saturday or Sunday outings/activities for young people aged 8 – 18 with additional support needs.
These weekends and outings provided a fantastic opportunity for our young people to socialise with their friends, have fun trying out new things and help develop life skills. Carers benefited from a much needed break from their caring role
SOAR Holiday clubs provided independent social activity groups for young people of school age with significant/multiple support needs in Easter Ross.
The clubs provided young people with independent opportunities to meet up with peers, whilst also providing their carers with regular planned periods of respite throughout the school holidays.
Our project enabled 5 Scottish children, who have OI (Osteogenesis Imperfecta) , to attend our Family Weekend Conference, by covering the travel and accommodation costs for them and their family carers. The event was held in London in August 2014.