THE International Day of People with a Disability will be celebrated with an all-abilities sports day in Mornington next week.
It will be Mornington Peninsula Shire’s inaugural “All-abilities come and try sports day” and will be held at Civic Reserve Recreation Centre off Dunns Rd.
People with disabilities, their carers, families and friends have been invited to attend the free event.
Sports and activities will include tennis, gymnastics, soccer, netball, Australian rules football, cricket, table tennis, yoga, and Pilates.
Swish, a version of table tennis for people who are blind or vision impaired, is likely to attract interest. It is played with a tennis ball-sized plastic ball containing bells. Players have to hit the ball under a net along the surface of a table tennis table and it is played at a rapid pace.
Cr Antonella Celi – the council’s representative on the shire all-abilities consultative committee – said one in five people in Australia have a disability, which “equates to more than 30,000 people on the peninsula living with some form of disability. If you include mental illness, the figure is even higher”.
She said the shire was “dedicated to promoting community awareness of disability access and equity issues. The event will celebrate people of all abilities, and offer an opportunity for people with a disability and their carers to participate in a range of different sports and enjoy a great day out”.
The day is supported by the state government and would “make the most of facilities at the shire’s Civic Reserve Leisure Centre and feature a range of accessible activities”.
Cr Celi said many organisations supported and would help run the sports day including peninsula sports clubs, Cricket Victoria, Focus, Karingal, Scope, Special Olympics Victoria, Mornington Youth Club Gymnastics, Elite Tennis Academy and Mornington Peninsula Table Tennis Association.
“The theme of this year’s international day is ‘Inclusion matters: access and empowerment for people of all abilities’,” she said.
A “mini expo” will have information from disability-inclusive recreation groups. There will be a free sausage sizzle and the centre’s cafeteria will sell food and drinks.
The shire has hired a “Marveloo” to provide fully accessible toilet facilities with an adjustable change table and hoist.
- All-abilities come and try sports day, 9.30am-2pm, Wednesday 2 December, Civic Reserve Recreation Centre, 350 Dunns Rd, Mornington.
Details: Virginia Richardson, shire MetroAccess officer, 0437 104 956
or email virginia.richardson@mornpen.vic.gov.au
To register visit: allabilitiesday.eventbrite.com.au
First published in the Mornington News – 24 November 2015
