Every child has the right to enjoy the fun of playing sports, to experience the challenges and joy of teamwork, to revel in the fulfilment of hitting a ball or scoring a goal or crossing the finish line. Whilst there are some children with special needs in the Buckinghamshire area who are unable to participate in mainstream sporting activities, they can really benefit from all that sport has to offer young people through the Horizon Sports Club.

The Horizon Sports Club was formed in 1998 by Anita Templar and is a registered charity that provides a unique and highly needed after-school sports club for the Buckinghamshire area. It offers an opportunity for children with special needs to develop both physically and socially through the enjoyment of sport. Horizon provides new opportunities that are not otherwise readily available, in a safe and familiar environment where the children can have fun and learn new skills with their peers.

Sports

Horizon Sports Club offers the following sports at different venues within the Buckinghamshire area:

• Gymnastic Skills
• Indoor Athletic Skills
• Swimming
• Tennis
• Youth Football

Children

Each junior athlete has a one-to-one assistant and all of the sports activities provided at Horizon are headed by coaches from the relevant governing body.

Horizon takes athletes from aged 6 years right through to youth. It is highly popular and the children can stay with the club as long as they like; indeed many have been with Horizon for 10 years! Since its inception, the Horizon Sports Club has coached over 300 children helping them to work through their difficulties with their one-to-one assistants and to develop "sporting life skills" in a fun and safe environment. It has been shown that the development of gross and fine motor skills through sport assists special needs children in their overall educational development.

Assistants

Horizon is also unique as it trains students from local schools to work with special needs children from a very early age. Horizon also has assistants that attended the sports club and have developed their skills to such a high level they are able to coach other children that have joined the club.

Before starting each assistant will undertake a number of external courses that introduces them to disability training. Thereafter, they continue to receive ongoing in-house support and training helping to develop their skills of working with the children. Over the last 13 years Horizon has trained over 500 students providing each with the invaluable experience of working with disabled and challenging children. This enables them to feel comfortable and confident when encountering disability in all walks of life.

Parents

It is not just the children who benefit. Through Horizon, parents have the chance to relax knowing that their children are accepted and taught physical as well as social skills in a safe and nurturing environment. It gives them the opportunity to meet other parents in the same situation and to make new friends with people who have a direct understanding.

The Horizon Mission

Horizon is dedicated to encouraging all Special Needs and Disabled young people to express themselves through sport and recreation through providing professional coaching opportunities at all levels.

Its aim is to help them discover the pleasures of being involved in all aspects of sport, ranging from the enjoyment of learning new skills, to ongoing social involvement and friendship.

If you have a child who you feel would benefit from attending the Horizon Sports Club, please call Anita Templar on 01844 345 432.

Fundraising and volunteers

The Horizon Sports Club is self-supporting and generates its income through a number of means including membership and course fees, donations and occasional sponsorship. It always needs help with raising funds to support this desperately needed, well loved and enthusiastically received service.

Supporting a charity such as the Horizon Sports Club offers businesses the chance to gain huge benefits including helping them to:

• raise their profile within the local community
• create media attention with the added benefits of free local advertising and PR
• fulfil their corporate and personal social responsibilities
• build their business brand.

If you are considering working with a charity and want to know how working with Horizon Sports Club can help you and your business or if you are interested in helping the club through volunteering please contact Anita Templar on 01844 345 432.

It is to your advantage to mention thebestof Beaconsfield when contacting the Horizon Sports Club so that they can give you the best of service!

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