F - CLINICAL ASPECTS OF SPINAL CORD INJURIES
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paraplegic sports clubs, and paraplegics take part during the week in table-tennis and
indoor rink bowling league matches with the able-bodied. Twice a week, patients from
the nearby mental hospital, at Stone, have swimming sessions and twice a week mentally
retarded young adults from two residential schools also have swimming sessions. Once
a week, patients from the National Spinal Injuries Centre, who are in the later stages
of their in-patient treatment, come to the stadium with their physical instructor and
physiotherapists, to receive training in various sports. Three times a week, an organized
play group of physically handicapped and mentally retarded children under 5, with their
mothers, have a morning session at the stadium. Last, but not least, every fortnight a
group of elderly physically handicapped from Aylesbury also take part in games. This
survey gives an idea of the sporting activities of the disabled at Stoke Mandeville
Stadium, in concert with the able-bodied, which has fundamentally changed the whole
concept of sport.
The B.S.A.D. has been recognized by the Government and the Sports Council as the
governing body for all disabled in this country and receives financial support from the
Government as any other governing body of sports organizations for the able-bodied.
This applies to the financial support of coaching and administration as well as to sending
teams abroad to international games. The B.S.A.D. was also represented on a working
group of the new Sports Council, set up by the British Government for dealing with
sport for the community.
Sports participation in general is booming in Britain but demand for facilities has
overtaken supply. It is estimated that up to £350 million needs to be spent by 1981
to meet the deficit in facilities in England and Wales. With the introduction of the
Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act by the British Government in 1971 it is
hoped that full facilities will also be given to the disabled for their sporting activities.
