SPLASHING GOOD FUN!

From the Swindon Advertiser, first published Thursday 8th Jun 2000.

DAREDEVIL youngsters from the disabled sports group, Pathfinders, were given the chance to experience the thrills of water skiing.

The group of a dozen teen-agers and helpers spent two days during half-term at the Tony Edge National Centre in Middlesex ­ a specialist centre for the disabled.

Group leader, Jean Clif-ford, said: The weather on the first day was quite warm but the water was freezing cold.

Most of those who took part fell in.

The disabled youngsters, most of whom are wheelchair-bound, used specially adapted skis and had a helper either side to help them out of trouble should the need arise.

The trip, from May 31 to June 1, was made possible thanks to a donation from Burmah Castrol's staff charity fund.

Jean explained: We aim to boost their self confidence and self awareness,

When you see the looks on their faces when they achieve something they thought was impossible, you understand why we do it.

And in a separate trip, on June 3, the youngsters travelled to London to see the Trooping of the Colour.

They were allowed through the security barriers to stand outside 10 Downing Street and spent the rest of the day sightseeing.

Pathfinders was formed in October 1997 by Jean, a Swin-don mother-of-five and support worker for disabled school children.

They tackle the sort of extreme sports that would make able-bodied people think twice, including para-gliding, ice hockey, sailing, parachuting, swimming and shooting.

Many members of the Path-finders group are current or former pupils of Common-weal School, where Jean worked until recently in the unit for physically impaired children. She is helped by former colleagues Danuta Jawicka and Maggie Tyson.

The Pathfinders group aims to show disabled people what they can do through sport activity.

The name stands for People Achieving Thrilling Hobbies Finding Independence Not Dependence Experiencing Risks Safely.

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