All ability sports and leisure

The sport centre at Mark Hall School has been opened today for an all ability sports and leisure taster day. The event has been organised by a group called All Ability Sports & Leisure, who are linked to Active Harlow. The group is intending to organise multi sport clubs, athletics and pan disability football, as well as some taster sessions for adults with special needs.

It's amazing what's on offer. Particularly popular are the specially adapted cycles available for trying out on the athletics track - there are single user models, side-by-side or tandems, three-wheelers, some powered by hands rather than feet, some by walking rather than pedalling. A team of wheelchair basketball players is going to give a demonstration. There's trampolining and judo.

But it's the videos of wheelchair ballroom dancing that really grab my attention. There are fourteen wheelchair ballroom dancing tutors in the country, and two regular clubs - our nearest being in Southend. I'm introduced to the Southend tutors, who are clearly passionate about what they do - and a newly-interested Harlow couple who have to travel across the county to Southend to take part. The tutor is keen to see a group established in Harlow if he can find a suitable free venue for it; and while we're talking a young dance teacher turns up who is eager to help.

I also find myself chatting to a stallholder who's come all the way from Surrey to promote adaptive fashion for people with disabilities. Coats, track suits, tops and vests that really work for wheelchair users or people with gastrostomy tubes. There are even lovely little shaped patches that you can iron on to vests and tops and then cut out the fabric in the middle without risk of fraying, so that tubes are easy to fit and you can still look the height of fashion.

So whatever your ability or disability, there should be some way in which you can get involved in sport and leisure - sports development officer Helen Offord at Harlow Council can advise.