East Midlands to host Deaf Netball Festival
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Deaf Netball East Midlands is organising an all day Deaf Netball Festival on Saturday, June 8 at Soar Valley Community College, Gleneagles Avenue, Leicester, LE4 7GY.
The club is a non-profit Deaf-focused netball club which was set up in January this year. The club is registered with England Netball and is supported by UK Deaf Sport and Active Together.
Linda Ryan, Chairperson of the club said: "I am the only committee member who has no hearing loss. The rest of the club committee is made up of women who are either Deaf or have hearing-loss. The sole purpose of our club is to provide a safe social environment, where females from the age of 14 to older age can be trained, coached and participate in the sport of netball, on a regular basis. Currently there are no Deaf netball teams within the Midlands, which is either currently active, funded nor registered.
"The main purpose of this club is to remove the current barrier that is present within the sport of netball; namely the lack of inclusion for those that are Deaf or have hearing-loss. In order for this section of the community to participate
specially adapted equipment and methods would be needed plus the service of BSL interpreters. None of these services and adaptions are currently provided. Our club strongly believe that by creating a Deaf focused Netball club that provides all of the required adapted equipment and interpreters, then this will help towards reducing this barrier."
The festival will be held from 10am until 4pm, during which time there will be coaching and training by qualified netball coaches and short timed netball matches. All of the attending umpires and coaches are qualified, registered and members of England Netball and they all hold valid the required Safeguarding qualifications and are First Aid trained.
All attendees to the festival between the ages of 14 years and 15 years are required to be accompanied by either their parents/adult guardian. The club will also have BSL interpreters attending the festival.
Leicester
