The inclusive athletics club shaping future stars

Morgan, 14, is hoping to compete in more wheelchair races next year as he undertakes his first winter training with Orwell Panthers

Offering equal opportunities to people with disabilities is crucial - and one athletics club is going above and beyond while shaping rising sports stars.

Orwell Panthers Athletics Club in Ipswich was set up 20 years ago to offer a group for those with physical and mental disabilities.

The club, which today has 19 athletes, meets on Wednesday evenings at Northgate Sports Centre.

There is no pressure on the athletes to compete, but for 14-year-old Morgan, he is hoping to take on more wheelchair races next year.

'Like a community'

Several members of the club gathered at the Northgate Sports Centre during a recent training session

Morgan joined just three months ago and works hard during each training session.

"I joined because I wanted to get back into wheelchair racing and what I've done over the last three months is fantastic," he explained.

"What the club has given me as well is fantastic. I'm looking forward to spending more time here.

"I've improved in racing wheelchair, I've improved in some other sports they do here and when I came here I couldn't do most of that, so I've got to say thank you to the club."

Morgan said the group was like a community and had helped him make new friends.

'The club is helping lives'

Ian Ling said the club was open for anyone from the age of eight upwards with disabilities regardless of if they wanted to compete or not

Ian Ling has been the lead coach at the club for the past six years and said every athlete had their own personal reason for attending.

"Some will come here because they want to do athletics, some will come because it's another social event to do," he said.

"[There's] loads and loads of enjoyment and hopefully smiles on their faces while they're doing it and smiles when they leave.

"That then puts a smile on my face and if they come back week after week then obviously I'm doing something right."

Mr Ling said finding inclusive clubs was often difficult locally.

However he believed Orwell Panthers was "helping lives" and encouraged anyone to come along, even if they did not want to compete.

"We're hopefully making their lives more enjoyable and giving them something fun to do," he added.

'We all have laughs'

Rhys Ford said he was nervous when he first joined the club but the coaches had helped him improve

Rhys Ford, 21, travels from Leiston to join the club's training sessions.

He has been with the club for a couple of years and enjoys competing in the long jump, 200m sprint and the relay race.

Asked why he liked coming to the club, he said: "[It's] just the atmosphere and getting to see new people, making new friends and just enjoying it.

"[Everybody] is very friendly and very caring. We all have laughs."

Mr Ford said the coaching team were "really supportive" and he had seen great improvement in himself - leading to several competition wins.

'I love the jumping'

Fabienne found huge enjoyment in being a part of the club and loved the training on the track

Fabienne, 10, has just started with the club and her favourite thing is the new friends she had already made.

She enjoyed the running element and said she liked to run "really far".

"I love the jumping," she added.

"I've done one competition. It was a really big competition with lots of people, I won three gold medals in running, throwing and jumping."

She thanked the coaching staff and wider team for their support since she joined.

'Different opportunities'

Matthew Foulger specialises in disability throwing and also helps to officiate at competitions

Matthew Foulger, 30, is one of the assistant coaches.

He has been in the role for four and a half years and a member of Orwell Panthers for 20 years.

He specialises in disability throwing and has coached the athletes through other track events like shot put. Mr Foulger also helps officiates at competitions.

What kept him coming back was "seeing all the athletes progress and having different opportunities to compete in abled body competitions, disabled body competitions, and worldwide".

'I can switch off'

Hamish Crawford was inspired to join the club in 2012

Hamish Crawford, 20, has been coming to the Orwell Panthers for 12 years after he was inspired by the London 2012 Paralympic Games - and British wheelchair racer Hannah Cockroft.

"Hannah Cockroft got me thinking, 'I want to do that', and I've competed at Lee Valley and a few other places," he explained.

"It gives me a bit of down time from college work because college work is quite busy.

"It's one of the things where I can just switch off, talk to my friends, coaches and talk about football as well."

He said the club was brilliant at helping get "people with disabilities active".