Prosper finally got to meet Judith of Disability Sport Yorkshire and Kate, the new centre manager at Denhale ARC (Active Recreation Centre).
DSY took over the Denhale Active Recreation Centre in August 2014, at that time the Centre was poorly used, open for only a few hours a week, for a handful of people. Over the intervening years, through consultation with the local community, they have helped to bring in a range of activities and groups through the process of developing new services and activities.
The centre is now open every day with events including wheelchair rugby, karate, burlesque dance, and a friendship group for disabled people. The greatest increase in service use has been with disabled people, women, and girls.
Disability Sport Yorkshire aims to promote and deliver recreational and sporting facilities and activities for disadvantaged and disabled people. They also undertake outreach work with schools and other community groups to not only help with including disabled people with exercise but to also help them plan and promote an active events programme of 6 festivals at each ½ term including a Paralympic star visit. Eventually they are hoping to develop a ‘kite’ mark of excellence.
Judith and Kate and their staff and volunteers are building up their offer and they have recently started 2 programmes with Frickley Athletic FC and Featherstone Rovers. This programme is for 19-26 year olds and it isn’t purely about exercise or playing sport, they are sharing opportunities for all aspects of related work i.e. grounds work, kit or catering. They are also committed to the integration of sport into the local communities.
Prosper awarded a grant towards the running costs of the centre and a contribution to salary costs. Like many they had been hit pretty hard through the covid and it was taking time to get things up and running again, especially for their more vulnerable groups. Judith said that without the grant, it might have been impossible and the sheer relief of receiving the grant can’t be explained. Knowing the centre was safe, at least for a while, gave her the breathing room to focus on applying for longer term grants and building up their offer with new and existing groups both within the centre and out in the community.
They also take part in the Happy Healthy Holiday schemes to great success.
To find out more about Disability Sport Yorkshire or Denhale ARC, please visit: Click here
Email: staff@disabilitysportyorkshire.org
or call:01924 372382