• scoutwithprosthesis1This young Scout was born without a left hand.  When he took an interest in shooting, which is very popular in the Scout movement, Hampshire Scouts helped his local club to find a solution. 
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  • MattSkelhon1Matt Skelhon shot to fame when he grabbed gold at the Bejiing Paralympic Games and proved it was no fluke by claiming silver and bronze at London 2012.

    Read More
  • peterbreheny1Peter Breheny from Derbyshire shoots benchrest rifle.  He has Kennedy's Disease, a progressive wasting condition that has weakened his limbs. 
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  • vicmorris1Vic Morris lives in south Wales and is paralysed from the neck down as the result of an accident.  With the aid of an 'equaliser' device invented by his coach, John Kelman, Vic shoots pistol and rifle. 
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  • michaelwhapples1Michael Whapples from Leicestershire is blind and shoots air rifle.  In 2011 he was the first British shooter ever to compete at the Open European Shooting Championships for the Vision Impaired, held at Nitra, Slovakia. 

    Read More
  • Di CoatesDeanna (Di) Coates lives in Hampshire, shoots air rifle from a wheelchair, and is one of our most successful disabled international athletes. 
    Read More

  • stewartnangle1Stewart Nangle, a Lancastrian, is pictured shooting .22 pistol.  What the photograph does not show is that at the time one of his legs was fitted with a metal frame that was bolted into the bones. 
    Read More

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Disability Awareness

Disability icons

For those who are not used to working and socialising with people who have various types of disabilities, we offer a round-up of some on-line advice and videos that may help to put everyone at their ease.

If anyone is aware of any similar items that we could add in here, please let the DSP Co-ordinator know. 

 

How to talk with me

This video, made to help Hampshire County Council staff, flags up social problems often experienced by people who have difficulty with speech due to cerebral palsy, stroke, Down’s syndrome, autistic spectrum disorders, etc.  It then advises on how to put such people at ease and communicate effectively with them. 

Video: how to talk to meThe film’s producers say: "The film is sometimes challenging to watch as there are no subtitles, but people do not speak in subtitles - patience and listening carefully with respect will provide the answers. The film will be used as a training aid by Hampshire County Council, but with the agreement of the group who made the film it is freely available to all organisations and individuals, particularly those who come into everyday contact with people who sometimes struggle to be heard and get their point across."

 

Meeting, greeting and guiding

Information and videos from the RNIB on helping people who are blind or partially sighted. 

RNIB video 1 

 

Open University advice

Aimed at people working with disabled students, there is a very comprehensive website section on all sorts of disabilities, with lots of helpful video clips.  The most useful menu sections are “Understanding and awareness”, and “Communicating with disabled students”.

 

Top tips

  1. Speak directly to a disabled person, rather than through a companion, guide or interpreter who may be present.

  2. Offer to shake hands when introduced.  People with limited hand use or an artificial limb can usually shake hands and offering the left hand is an acceptable greeting.  When meeting a blind person ask if you can shake hands with them.

  3. Be relaxed with the person and maintain good eye contact even if you see their eyes jerking away or they have uncontrollable movements.

  4. Remember that for those with a visual disability, names take the place of faces in recognising people and knowing who is speaking.  Always identify yourself and others who may be with you when meeting someone with a visual disability.  When conversing in a group, remember to identify the person to whom you are speaking.  When dining with a friend who has a visual disability, ask if you can describe what is on his or her plate.

  5. When talking to a wheelchair user, ensure you are comfortably within their field of view, and if your height may seem dominating, stand back from them. 

  6. If you offer assistance, wait until the offer is accepted.  Then listen or ask for instructions.

  7. Treat adults as adults.  Address people with disabilities by their first names only when extending that same familiarity to all others.  Never patronize people in wheelchairs by patting them on the head or shoulder.

  8. Respect disabled people’s personal space.  Do not lean against or hang on someone’s wheelchair; people with disabilities treat their chairs as extensions of their bodies.   The same principle applies to guide dogs and other assistance dogs; never distract a work animal from its job without the owner’s permission.  Ask permission before moving anything that belongs to a disabled person, especially key aids like crutches or a white stick.

  9. Listen attentively when talking with people who have difficulty speaking and wait for them to finish.  It is often helpful to ask short questions that require short answers, or a nod of the head. Never pretend to understand; instead repeat what you have understood and allow the person to respond.

  10. Whenever possible, sit down when speaking with a dwarf, or someone in a wheelchair, so that you are at their eye level, which is much more comfortable for both of you. 

  11. Touch a person who has a hearing disability on the shoulder or wave your hand to get his or her attention.  Look directly at the person and speak clearly, slowly, and expressively to establish if the person can read your lips. If so, try to face the light source and keep hands, cigarettes and food away from your mouth when speaking.  If a person is wearing a hearing aid, don’t assume that they have the ability to discriminate your speaking voice.  Never shout; just use a normal tone of voice, and don’t speak in an exaggerated manner, which is embarrassing – just speak more carefully.  When in a group, avoid speaking at the same time as someone else. 

  12. Relax. Don’t be embarrassed if you happen to use common expressions such as “See you later” or “Did you hear about this?” that seems to relate to a person’s disability.

Hot News!

DSP Videos

Videos on disabled target shooting now on Vimeo and YouTube. You are invited to contribute your videos.

Please Do Our Surveys!

survey Information about people and facilities is vital to our work (and funding). YOU can help by completing our People and Clubs/Grounds Surveys.

£250,000 for Clubs!

Chequebook and pen

Read about the huge increase in Sport England investment in grass-roots target shooting. 

International Development

Image of Earth superimposed on a wheelchair wheel

Read about how we are hoping to expand the range of international competitions open to disabled shooters, and let us know if you can help.  

Helpful Stuff

Vision for Shooters

For most shooters, being able to see well enough to aim accurately is the key to our sport. Our Vision Section has lots of information to help all shooters who have vision problems, great or small.

Funding Guidance & Information

Union Jack moneybox

Need information on funding for any aspect of disabled target shooting?  Check out the extensive Funding section on this site. 

Advice for Clubs

EFDS Inclusion Hub is a free on-line resource created by the English Federation of Disability Sport for clubs that wish to become more disabled-friendly and include more disabled people in their activities.
More information

Disability Awareness

For those encountering people who have various types of disabilities, we offer a round-up of some on-line advice and videos that may help to put everyone at their ease.