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| 17 October 2012 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | ||
UK DISABLED GOLF UNITES AT THE SHIRE LONDON
BARNET, NORTH LONDON – One of London’s most prominent golf clubs has announced a series of measures to attract more golfers with disabilities, after a demonstration event in which able-bodied golfers competed equally against golfers with both physical and intellectual disabilities. On Monday 8th October, 140 Hertfordshire schoolchildren and members of The Shire London joined golfers representing Special Olympics GB and the Disabled Golf Society, for a unique nine-hole golf event. While the children played SNAG Golf on The Shire’s beginner-level Ballesteros Challenge Course, a 40-person, 10-team golf tournament took place on the back nine of the championship-quality Ballesteros Masters Course. In each team were golfers with a variety of disabilities representing SOGB and DGS, as well as able-bodied golf club members. “We wanted to bring together some of the inspirational people involved in disabled golf in the UK” said event organiser Cae Menai Davis, a professional golfer based at The Shire London who has set up The Golf Trust as a vehicle to promote inclusivity in the sport. “We created The Golf Trust Unity Day, hosted by The Shire London, to get these key people together,” he said. “There are a lot of shared objectives across the organisations involved in UK disabled golf, and it was good to see our guests on the day find areas of common ground which they can work on together. We hope that this will inspire other UK golf clubs to run similar all-ability events in the future.” The Shire London has subsequently announced a package of measures to encourage golfers with disabilities to play its Seve Ballesteros-designed golf course, including:
The event was won by a team headed by Disabled Golf Society campaigner Stan Bembenek, who lost a leg to cancer. “The Special Olympics GB athletes and The Shire London members and staff were all ultra-cooperative, and joined in with the inclusive spirit of the day. We hope to establish a London Disabled Open golf tournament in 2013, and The Shire would be the perfect venue.” Bembenek, a 21-handicap golfer who balances on one leg to swing the club, also won the individual event with 22 points for the nine holes. His organisation the Disabled Golf Society runs dozens of events each year across the UK events for golfers with all types of disability. The global Special Olympics golf programme began in 1988, with the assistance of the PGA of America and the USGA, and golf has been a featured sport within Special Olympics GB for over a decade. The programme, which offers five levels of play for athletes with different golf abilities, is for both children and adults with intellectual disabilities. It has grown to include over 30,000 athletes in 25 international programmes. “It was a great day for Special Olympics Great Britain athletes,” said Emily Onley, Sport and Services Manager at Special Olympics GB. “Not only did they have the chance to play on such a prestigious golf course, but they were also welcomed into the golf club community with open arms. We made many new contacts at this event and we hope that, moving forward, we can build on the ideas and continue to develop more golfing opportunities for individuals with an intellectual disability within Special Olympics GB.” Bobbie Wright, a Special Olympics GB golfer who played in the winning team, said: “I enjoyed all of it! It was great, the golf course was lovely, the views were nice and the people in general were all really friendly and we had a good laugh." “The day reminded me to appreciate some of the little things in life,” said Shire London member Floyd Johnson. “From playing with golfers with disabilities today, I can see that the right attitude and focus can enable you to overcome most situations and challenges if you really want to. The experience was humbling and educational, and something I will treasure always.” ComGolf founder and The Golf Trust co-founder Frank Harrington also represents entry-level golf training scheme SNAG (Start New At Golf). He said: “Today was a superb celebration of the often forgotten inclusive values of golf, at the most welcoming course we’ve ever worked with. Coaching 140 kids on one fairway of the Ballesteros Challenge Course should show others the potential of SNAG as a tool for growing the game, and hopefully The Shire London's enthusiastic support of community outreach will encourage other courses to do the same – and to get more people into golf.” Also represented on the day was Hertfordshire County Council, which sent a film crew to take footage to promote the work of its Health & Wellbeing Board, which will encourage the county’s communities to take up a healthier lifestyle in 2013. Richard Roberts, Lead Member for Children’s Services at Hertfordshire CC said: “The filming we did at The Shire London will be used to help to inspire others, as we try to encourage the sporting and not so sporting to get involved and stay active!” “Golf is growing as a sporting discipline for people with intellectual disabilities,” said Nadine Morris, Golf Consultant to Special Olympics GB. “We were honoured to be invited to this event at The Shire London, and hope that it will open up more opportunities for more people all of abilities to take up golf” “We will definitely be doing this again at The Shire London,” concluded Cae Menai Davis. “It is vital that work continues to promote inclusivity throughout golf in the UK.” Ends. |
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If you’d like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview, please call or email Andy Hiseman on +44 (0)1226 781000 / andy@hiseman.com |
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| Media Contact: | Andy Hiseman, Hiseman
Limited |
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| At The Shire London / The Golf Trust | Cae Menai Davis, cae@theshirelondon.com, +44 (0)20
8441 7649 |
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| At ComGolf / SNAG Golf: | Frank Harrington, Nigel
Lawrence Email: frank.harrington@comgolf.org |
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| At Special Olympics GB: | Emily Onley, Sport and Services Manager |
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| At The Disabled Golf Society: | Stanley Bembenek Email: stanbembenek@hotmail.co.uk Web: www.disabledgolfsociety.com |
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| At Hertfordshire County Council: | Dee de Bruin, Senior
Communications Officer |
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| EXTENDED COMMENTS FROM PARTICIPANTS AND OFFICIALS
" Awesome to play on such a great course, and to get a birdie on a par
3!" "
Enjoyed going in the buggy! It was good fun and I’d like to
come back any time." " It was good, I played well and enjoyed it. I liked it all!" “ I enjoyed all of it! It was great, the golf course was lovely, the
views were nice and the people in general were all really friendly
and we had a good laugh." " I played well, and enjoyed meeting new people. I would like to play
here again soon. Good to be part of a team!" “
I just wanted to thank Cae and The Shire London team for such a fantastic
and inspirational day on Monday. Getting the opportunity to make, meet
and spend such quality time with some new friends and acquaintances
was a pleasure, humbling and educational and something I'll treasure
always. Seeing and listening to Cae talk and act with so much passion/commitment
for the cause, makes me truly believe that The Golf Trust will be a
great success, and will make a big difference to the lives of a number
of people who may otherwise be or feel excluded – or worse still
not even considered ‘mainstream’ due to their disabilities.
Something I'll strive to not fall foul of again! The day helped
me remember to appreciate some of the simple/little things in life.
When faced with challenges, the right attitude and focus can enable
you
to overcome most situations (if you really want to). This really
came across from all the disabled participants on the day! Once
again,
thanks
for giving me the opportunity to participate and share in such
a fantastic and important day. Best wishes for the future and please
pass on my
sincere thanks to all.” FROM OFFICIALS “ It was a great day for Special Olympics Great Britain Athletes to have
the chance to not only play on such a prestigious course, but to
be welcomed into The Shire community with open arms. We were all looked
after extremely well throughout the day, and despite buckets of rain,
everyone still had a great time and it was in general just an amazing
opportunity for the Athletes who took part. Special Olympics GB is
very privileged to have been invited take part in this event. The
organisers as well as the volunteers on the day did a brilliant job in pulling
the event together, so our thanks goes out to them! Many new contacts
were also made at this event and we hope that moving forward, we
can
build on the ideas and continue to develop more golfing opportunities
for individuals with an intellectual disability within Special Olympics
GB” “ We are enjoying the growth of golf as a sporting discipline for people
with intellectual disabilities. We were honoured to be invited to
this event at The Shire London, and see Special Olympics golfers taking
part. It is also excellent to be part of the introduction of SNAG,
which will open up more opportunities for more people all of abilities
to take up golf” “
The Shire hosted an amazing day which brought together many inspirational
people. The day involved golfers from The Special Olympics, Disabled
Golf Society and The Shire London playing in teams together which showcased
the inclusive nature of golf. At The Shire London we are proud to be
a venue which is very welcoming to players and families. The golf course
held great through the weather and all golfers thoroughly enjoyed the
challenge provided. Peoples’ eyes were opened to the world outside
the norm, and the day had an impact on a lot of people. The game of
golf can bring together people from all walks of life to enjoy together.
The Shire London is all about breaking barriers and moving the game
forward – this event in conjunction with The Golf Trust, Special
Olympics and The Disabled Golf Society proved to be a benchmark for
future events and we hope to work together more in the future to
grow the game of golf and bring people together.” “ The day was brilliant despite the rain. Organisation was excellent
and The Shire London is one of the most friendly golf clubs l have
ever been to. The Shire London members who accompanied DGS and Special
Olympics players were ultra-friendly and quick to support us. Cae
planned the day exceptionally well, and I look forward to staging the first
London Disabled Open tournament there next year! Three cheers to
Cae, his family and The Shire London club members for their dedicated support
today.” “
Today was a superb celebration of the often forgotten inclusive values
of golf. The Shire London is the most welcoming golf course we've yet
worked with. The club made everybody feel welcome – especially
the school children, many of whom had never seen a golf course before
and wouldn't have got the opportunity to do so otherwise. I think the
day really opened peoples’ eyes to how we can get everyone
involved in the sport. Coaching over 120 kids on a single fairway
of the Ballesteros
Challenge Course should show others the potential of SNAG as a tool
for growing the game. Hopefully The Shire London's enthusiastic support
of community outreach will encourage other golf courses to do the
same and get more people into golf.” “ Hertfordshire was delighted to be able to film some of the Shire London
Golfers representing Special Olympics GB and the Disabled Golf Society.
During this great sporting year for able and disabled athletes, Hertfordshire
has been pulling together the priorities for Health and Wellbeing:
not surprisingly, enjoyable physical activity is right up there.
The filming we did on the day will help to inspire others as we try to
encourage the sporting and not-so-sporting to get involved and stay
active." “ The Health and Wellbeing priorities for Hertfordshire are currently
being agreed and we aim to develop some brief film footage for web
and presentation purposes, to profile the work of the Board and encourage
communities to take up a healthier lifestyle. The golf event was
well timed for us to highlight current activities taking place that support
the disabled in participating in physical activity, which alongside
healthy lifestyles, is one of the Board's key priorities.” |
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| NOTES FOR EDITORS
About The Shire London About The Golf Trust About Special Olympics GB About The Disabled Golf Society About ComGolf About SNAG Golf About Hertfordshire County Council’s Health & Wellbeing
Board The NHS White Paper 'Liberating the NHS' first outlined the Government's plans to increase democratic accountability and the public voice in health. It proposed the creation of statutory Health and Wellbeing Boards, a duty on councils to commission Local Healthwatch in each local authority area, and the strengthening of scrutiny powers in relation to health services. The aim of the Hertfordshire Health & Wellbeing Board is to make health and social care planning and decision making everyone's business. Its aims include:
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