 The bus featured sport and music taster sessions and exhibitions |
Free access to leisure centres for disabled people has been launched in Conwy as the European Year of the Disabled campaign arrived in north Wales. The campaign's tour bus, which is visiting all European countries this year, made its only appearance in Wales when it rolled into Colwyn Bay.
Conwy council's pilot scheme, launched to coincide with the bus's arrival, could eventually be copied by other local authorities in north Wales.
"It gives access all year round to swimming pools, leisure centres, fitness suites and so on," said Paula Roberts of Conwy council.
"This is a new scheme for Conwy. We were lucky enough to secure funding for the project."
African drumming
The free access scheme was launched in Colwyn Bay by Conwy MP, Betty Williams, whose 30-year-old son has a disability.
She said there were many forms of disability and it was sometimes difficult for people not to be catagorised as "the disabled".
As well giving participants a chance to try their hands at African drumming and percussion workshops, encouraging them to take up sports was a major aim of the day.
Taster sessions were available in a number of activities, including table tennis, cricket, football, tennis and boccia.
 Betty Williams MP launched the free access scheme |
Boccia (pronounced "botcha") is a target sport played on any flat surface with six red balls, six blue balls and a white jack.
It was officially recognised as a Paralympic sport for athletes with cerebral palsy in 1994, but is now played by all disabled athletes across the world.
A boccia tournament was held on Anglesey earlier this year to promote awareness on the island.
Sports for disabled people is being heavily promoted by the Sports Council of Wales who set up the Disability Sport Cymru programme to increase the number of people with disabilities participating in sport.
The slogan of the European Year of the Disabled bus, which set off from Greece in January, is Get On Board.
It is due to finish its journey in Italy in December 2003 after visiting all European member states.
"We had a really good day. Those who took part really enjoyed," said Ms Roberts.
"The idea was to raise awareness of disability issues among the general public and also give disabled groups a taste of what is on offer."
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