St Andrews students net new racing wheelchair for Callum
Callum with his wheelchair and members of the netball club.
st Andrews University students have netted a special chair for an up-and-coming future Paralympian.
The university’s Netball Club have provided a racing wheelchair for nine-year-old Callum Sloan, from Dunfermline, who loves speed and one day wants to represent Great Britain and follow in the footsteps of his hero Paralympian David Weir.
the club is a major supporter of Disability Sport Fife (DSF).
Two years ago, club members raised funds to support two DSF members who had been selected to compete in the World Special Olympics Games in Athens.
In the last academic year, the members raised an impressive £2246.81 for young DSF member, Callum.
He and his mum, Gayle, met with the students at the University Sports Centre after their Wednesday training session to thank the girls for their support.
Callum presented the girls with a picture he had drawn of himself in his new racing chair which was manufactured in Loughborough by Bromakin.
The Sloan family travelled south for a chair fitting and then to collect the racing wheelchair on return from the Paralympic Games in London.
DSF president, Richard Brickley, MBE, paid tribute to the girls for raising such an incredible sum.
He added: ‘‘The money was raised from cake sales which lasted all day with endless supplies and goodies baked by club members.
‘‘Students also organised two evening events where they charged an entrance fee to their fellow students and on one of these evening raised £900.
‘‘The netball club is one of the smaller university clubs but the enthusiasm of the girls to reach their target figure and consequently purchase a chair for Callum was very special.’’
Callum competed in his first ever athletics meet last Saturday at the First Perth Open for athletes with a disability.
He completed 100 metres in 59.2 and 60 metres in 25.5 - excellent performances for his first athletics competition. Next season he expects these initial times to drop significantly.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Kirkcaldy
Sunday 26 May 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 8 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 8 C to 12 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: South
