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Ski centre treat for young people

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It was downhill all the way for a group of fun-seeking youngsters from a New Forest sports club.

 

The 12 young people from the New Forest Multi-Sports Club, who all have special needs, enjoyed a thrilling day of skiing bobbing and ringo riding, as well as a picnic and a visit to the New Forest deer sanctuary and reptile centre.

 

The trip was paid for with a £250 grant from Esso and ExxonMobil Chemical at Fawley in recognition of the time and effort one employee and his family have put into volunteering with the club.

 

The money has been donated under a special scheme designed to recognise the efforts of ExxonMobil employees and their families who contribute their time, talent and energy to schools, charities and non-profit making organisations.

 

The scheme not only helps local organisations, but also improves the links between ExxonMobil and the local community.

 

The grant applicant was Ian Brown, who works as a health and safety officer at the refinery at Fawley.

 

His wife Stephanie is the chair of the club committee and their son Peter is a member of the club, which meets during term-time at Applemore Health and Leisure Centre.

 

The club caters for a range of young people with physical and learning difficulties between the ages of 11 and 20 and is organised by Hampshire Youth Service.

 

Stephanie said: “This activity day has given our youngsters the chance to experience some exciting new sports which other teenagers often take for granted.

 

It was an important opportunity for them to enjoy together without their parents being present. Participating as a group gave them the extra confidence they needed to try new things. ”

 

Sarah Schlesinger of Hampshire County Council Youth Team said: “For many of these youngsters going off on their own and experiencing activities such as these just isn’t an option.

 

This was a great way of enabling them to try new sports, as well as getting out and about in the community and interacting with the public.”

 

The ExxonMobil Volunteer Involvement Programme at Fawley, together with its sister scheme for school governors, has so far contributed more than £462,000 to local community projects, since it was started six years ago.

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