District Disability Games Sunday 30th March at the Barnsley Metrodome

The Games were attended by around 420 athletes. With carers, drivers, event management, families and friends, around 2500 people had a great day.

Sitwell Rotary provided the major part of the lunch refreshments for competitors and carers (water, bananas, sandwiches for 1000) – involving a very early morning drive to Worksop, on the day the hour had changed and we lost an hour’s sleep anyway.

We championed the Archery event, assisting the Barnsley Archery Club – we registered competitors, made them welcome, took them to their stations, and kept the scores. There were 150 entrants, the largest number for any event. They competed in ladies, men’s, girls and boys categories. The winners scored 59, 60,51, 53 respectively, but they were all winners. The Sitwell team was Chris Croker, Mike Frost, Roger Green, Mel Hughes, Howard Hughes, Philip Watson, and Graham and Rona Hudson (yes, I had my glamorous assistant with me).

We also entered a team, managed by Phil Crutchley (with his glamorous assistant, Dot) – from the Multiple Sclerosis Centre at Catcliffe. There were three competitors, entering a variety of events – and Julie Grayshon, who is in a wheelchair, came second in the archery, with the highest score of any wheelchair athlete (58/60).

Our event was outside in a marquee, but this year the weather was kind to us, and we did not need to hold the marquee down to stop it blowing away! Most events were in the main halls at the Metrodome, and the place was full of people, noise, and laughter. The smiles said it all.