Blog Archives
- Summer Para Sport and Activity Festival
- Free Gym Memberships for Young People during Summer Holidays
- Summer Holiday Activities
- FREE Wheelchair Sports Festival coming to Liverpool this March
- Open Day - Access to Exercise and Wellbeing programme
Archive for July 2024
Summer Para Sport and Activity Festival
Free Gym Memberships for Young People during Summer Holidays
Summer Holiday Activities
The Summer HAF programme starts on the 22ndJuly and there are lots of great activities happening over the school holidays. Children and young people, from reception to age 16, who are eligible for benefits related free school meals, will be able to access hundreds of activities throughout the Summer holidays including specific provision available for children with SEND or additional needs, at no cost. There’s a great range of activities across the city including zorbing, garden fun, bubble football, nerf wars, mindfulness, swimming, football, music, dance, cycling, gymnastics, theatre tech, cooking, discos, podcasting, arts and crafts, drama, basketball, trips out and nature walks! A meal will be provided for every child attending.
We have introduced a new central booking system to make it easier to find and book the activities. You can find out where the nearest scheme is by clicking on this link https://eequ.org/liverpoolhaf which will take you to the Liverpool HAF page and the easy to fill in booking system. You can search by age, provider or date. There is a handy booking help video here – How to make a booking
- If you are struggling with the cost of living then please click: https://www.liverpool.gov.uk/cost-of-living/
- If you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4, you may be entitled to get help to buy healthy food and milk. Click on the link to find out how to register https://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/
Liverpool City Council is working with Mersey Play Action Council, the local schools, voluntary and community organisations, and childcare providers to deliver the Summer HAF programme. This programme is funded by the Department for Education.
The Family Information and SEND Directory also provides a wealth of useful information and support for families – FISD.
If you have any queries regarding the HAF programme then please email Haf@merseyplay.comor shaf@liverpool.gov.uk.
FREE Wheelchair Sports Festival coming to Liverpool this March
On Thursday 14 March the Greenbank Sports Academy in Liverpool will be hosting the very first Merseyside Sports Festival. Organised by WheelPower, the national charity for wheelchair sport, the FREE event will provide local disabled people with a life changing opportunity to experience a number of different sports, whilst learning from a brilliant team of local sport coaches.
The event is open to anyone over the age of 5 with a physical disability and a great introduction to the many benefits of wheelchair sport. As well as enjoying the sports on offer, the WheelPower Sports Festivals are mostly about having fun, making new friends and discovering what’s on offer nearer to where you live. Confirmed sports include: badminton, para laser run, table tennis, boccia and powerchair football. In addition, all participants will receive a free WheelPower t-shirt and packed lunch will be provided too!
“We are really excited to bringing our life changing event to Liverpool for the first time! The sports festivals have been taking place across the UK since 2022 and provide a fantastic opportunity for local people to play and enjoy the many benefits of sport. We hope that by attending the festival and increasing your knowledge of what’s available to you locally you will feel more confident to continue your sporting journey in your own communities. We know that being active and playing sport really does have the power to transform lives, so whether you are a first timer or returning after a break then we would absolutely love to see you in Merseyside next month.” Emily Weller, WheelPower Head of Sport.
The event is suitable for disabled people of all ages, and in 2023 welcomed 9 year old Teddy from Buckinghamshire. His mum Chloe said, “Teddy has spina bifida and is completely obsessed with sport! It’s been so good seeing him with people of a similar ages and abilities and I would absolutely recommend these festivals to other parents. Teddy hasn’t stopped talking about how it was “the best day ever” and I can’t put into words how lovely that is.”
Another one of the participants last year was Lottie from Sheffield, who said; “I’ve really enjoyed my day with WheelPower and I would definitely recommend these festivals to other disabled people. Playing sport is very important for my mental health and it’s a great way of meeting new people. The sport I enjoyed the most last year was badminton, and that’s now something I would really like to take up locally.”
Finally, we hear from Nigel, 44 from Oxford who sustained a spinal injury in 2023 and enjoys sport as part of his rehabilitation. “These events are very important as you get to meet new people, and do stuff that you wouldn’t normally do. Sport gives you that bit of freedom to actually know you are able to do things you could do before injury. I am so grateful to WheelPower for offering these opportunities out to me and other patients, keeping us progressing and making us better.”
The Merseyside Wheelchair Sports Festival from WheelPower is open to both groups and individuals, and a free booking can be made online https://www.wheelpower.org.uk/activities/merseyside-sports-festival/
For more information about this event please email sport@wheelpower.org.uk or call the WheelPower sports team on 01296 395995.
-ENDS-
Note to Editors:
About WheelPower
WheelPower have been providing opportunities for people with physical impairments to take part in sport for over 75 years. Based at Stoke Mandeville Stadium in Buckinghamshire, the Birthplace of the Paralympic movement, WheelPower is at the heart of wheelchair sport. From first-timers to Paralympic medallists, we support and promote participation at all levels. We have seen how playing sport can enrich lives, offering tremendous physical and psychological benefits, whatever your age or ability. Following on from the challenges of the Covid pandemic WheelPower has now returned to in-person events that include the Inter Spinal Unit Games, the National Junior Games and a series of inclusive Wheelchair Sports Festivals throughout the United Kingdom. In 2024 the Sports Festival will be visiting Yorkshire, Wiltshire, Merseyside, Glasgow, London and Buckinghamshire.
As well as the in-person events WheelPower also delivers a substantial online programme, including live exercise classes and videos for disabled people to stay active from their homes. In addition the charity also gifts resistance bands and can support disabled people through the funding of exercise equipment.
Website: www.wheelpower.org.uk
To find out more about the full calendar of WheelPower Events please visit https://www.wheelpower.org.uk/sport-events
Open Day – Access to Exercise and Wellbeing programme
Are you living with a neurological condition? Do you want to get involved in exercise and activity to improve your wellbeing?
A range of emotional and physical therapies and support is available through the Access to Exercise and Wellbeing programme run in Liverpool through Greenbank Sports Academy and The Brain Charity and online and in Chester through the Neuro Therapy Centre.
Find out more and give sessions a go at our Open Day on Friday 8th March, 11am – 3pm at Greenbank Sports Academy, Greenbank Lane, Liverpool, L17 1AG.
All welcome
Activities on the day include:
- Tour the accessible gym
- Hear about the emotional support available
- Try out power football, boccia or table tennis and more
- Experience virtual and live exercise classes and sign up for future access.
- Find out about rebound therapy
- See how our specialist bike can help
- Meet the team and make connections
Drop in on the day, or sign-up for a free place.
Open Day – 8th March |
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Holiday camps with Edstart
Every child deserves an Edstart.
Spot the Edstart banner outside of Greenbank Sports Academy!
Our collaboration with Edstart Liverpool, bringing the HAF programme during school holidays. A real focus on sport and physical activity with Greenbank able to provide a range of inclusive sports and equipment e.g Wheelchair Basketball and adapted cycling.
This partnership enables us to extend a fully inclusive experience to children aged 4-16. We’ve doubled our daily capacity, meaning twice as many youngsters can engage in diverse sporting activities and enjoy nutritious meals. Edstart coaches offer expertise in a range of activities and this is complimented by Greenbank’s youthful team of sport leaders and coaches. We also provide opportunities for students and volunteers to gain essential experience.
Together, we’re making a difference!
Greenbank Membership Update – 2024
To enable Greenbank to grow as a business and invest in your gym facility we have decided that we need to closely monitor our member numbers. We cannot do this effectively at present and have therefore made the decision to migrate our memberships structure onto a Direct Debit based agreement as of January 2024, meaning we are unable to take payment over the phone or on reception for monthly fees. This will coincide with an increase in some Gym Membership fees.
Direct Debit
Customers will need to provide their email address as part of there membership record so that you can be invited to Join the direct debit scheme. Please speak with reception who will assist you with this, along with updating any further membership details. The process to follow for setting up the direct debit is outlined below:
- Invite – Customers will be invited by email to set up their authorisation.
- Authorise – Customer sets up a mandate, giving approval for payments to be collected
- Create – A payment is set up to be collected from the customer
- Notify – An advance payment notification is sent to the customer via an invoice.
- Request – Payment is requested from the customers bank
- Received – The funds are received into Go Cardless ring-fenced client monies account
- Updated – The payment status is updated to confirmed or failed
- Paid out – The collected funds are paid out to Greenbank
Fee Changes
We have taken the decision to increase our membership fees from January 2024.
- General Membership payable by Direct Debit – £25 per month
- Concessionary Membership payable by Direct Debit* – £17 per month
- Day Pass – £15
- Exercise for Health Membership will be £10 induction then £5 per session for 12 week period
New members will also be required to pay a non refundable £10 signing on fee.
Summer Holiday Programme 2023 – Places still available
Places are still available for our HAF funded Summer 2023 Programme. We are experiencing a high number of people cancelling of just not turning up for places that have been booked. Please consider this when booking.
Free places available for young people aged 8-16 who are eligible for benefits related free school meals .Please call 01512807757 and speak with camp coordinator – Nigel Mosaid.
Places can also be booked online at:
www.eventbrite.com/e/august-2023-young-persons-holiday-club-tickets-662618548917
Greenbank Summer Camp – August 2023
We are offering holiday activities during the Summer for children aged 8 – 16) who receive benefits-related free school meals.
There will be a range of activities available including: Sport and Physical Activity, Football, basketball, badminton, table tennis, Boccia, wheelchair sports, cycling, walking, keep fit, Activity Bingo, Gaming, Art and Crafts, Gardening, Music, Healthy Eating (Learn how to prepare simple foods such as sandwiches), and fun days out.
Sessions at Greenbank
10-2pm 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 7th, 9th, 10th , 14th, 16th 17th, 21st, 23rd, 24th August
External trips – Fun Days Out
10-3pm 4th,11th , 18th , 25th August
We pride ourselves on having small group sizes so that the young people access the support they require, and we can undertake individual centred programmes and support. The main aim of the camps is fun, enjoyment and peer interaction. We take bookings online using Eventbrite. Please email us if you require us to call you to take a booking over the phone.GreenbankHAF@greenbank.org.uk
Book online at: Eventbrite Booking Link
