A Bonny Day Out by Kate Stanforth

My job takes me to some incredible places and this trip was certainly one of those!  I was lucky enough to be invited to an adapted skiing lesson with Disability Snowsport UK in Glasgow to try out BundleBean’s new wheelchair covers on the slopes.  We took my friend Emily (you might know her as ‘Emswheellife’ on socials) with us and ventured on our trip up to Bonny Scotland!

Adapted Skiing Lesson

I’ve been skiing before, but pre-disability.  The one thing I was pretty determined to do was ski down part of the slope on my feet like I used to, just because I wanted to feel like I did when I was 12 again.  Well, I did it, but it soon became apparent that I don’t have my 12-year-old body anymore, more of a 120-year-old who’d just been put on skis, so I transferred into a sit-ski after a rest.  It was definitely worth it though!  Emily started on a mono-ski which, as you’ve probably guessed, is where you sit in a sled-type system with one ski underneath.  We then both got into a different sled with two skis and an instructor skied us down the slope at top speed (backwards!) to finish which was pretty exciting!

Welcoming Sport Back

I was such a sporty person pre-illness and it’s only now, 10+ years later, that I’m starting to welcome sport back into my life.  With my variable and fragile conditions, I still have to be careful but I’m enjoying seeing what’s out there for disabled people.  The more I’m getting back into sports, the more I’m seeing the incredible adaptations that there are and it fills me with such hope.  On the ski slope, you could control the direction of your ski with your voice, head movements, or arms.  There really was something for everyone there and I’d thoroughly recommend it!

Funding For New Activities in Scotland

If you like the sound of what you’ve read, you might even be able to get funding for it too.  If you have a disability and are aged 15 to 25, you can apply to the Transition Fund for money to help you take part in a new activity or learn a skill.  They give grants of up to £4000 to enable disabled people to do things like joining a new club, learning a new sport, or even learning to drive!  Keep in mind however, if you are wanting to get back into sports/activities, please do seek medical advice first.  Every condition, and body, is different.

If you live in Scotland and would like more information on the ILF Scotland Transition Fund, head online at: mygov.scot/independent-living-fund