About this Issue
Inside this issue:
A lot has happened at No Limits since the last newsletter was
published. Even though the previous year was phenomenal, the
youngsters have surpassed themselves during the last twelve months.
This edition of the newsletter illustrates some of the activities and
successes within the club over the past year. While the majority of
youngsters are content to take part in recreational activities, there are
a few who are involved in seriously competitive sport, and are
determined to prove that there are No Limits to what they can achieve.
Golf
Horr
o
cont r Story
inue
d..
Cycling
Fund
Wheelchair
2
Boccia
2
Largs
2
Golf
3
Carpet Bowls
3
A Soldier’s Tale
4
Bagaduish
5,6
Awards
7
International
7
Competition
8
Contacts
8
e
nn
i
W
Raisin
g
Comp
nal
Internatio
Ka
rs
etitio
n
ng
i
t
r
It’s not just the youngsters who have fun at
No Limits. Here are some of the petrol
heads burning rubber at one of the regular
events for parents and helpers.
No Limits Newsletter
1
Winter 2003/2004
Wheelchair Skills
by Stuart
Last July I attended a wheelchair skills course.
The event took place in Edinburgh and
unfortunately was rather quiet. However this
was more than made up for by Mum and
Andrew's (yes I do have some good things to say
about him ) amusing attempt to get up the
pavement during kerb drills which ended up in
Mum being catapulted out of her chair and
Andrew being christened the Kamikaze Kerb
crusher due to the suicidal speed at which he
hurtled towards the defenceless kerb. As well as
kerb drills we also learned how to balance on our
back wheels and even how to make the solo
descent down a flight of stairs! The whole event
was a great success and everyone had a really
enjoyable time.
The course was run by the Association of Wheelchair Children http://www.wheelchairchildren.org.uk
who provide expert advice and training to wheelchair using children enabling them to become
more independently mobile, both in the home and outdoors. They teach a variety of skills such as
backwheel balancing, coping with kerbs and crossing roads safely, how to tackle ramps, stairs,
escalators and more... The sessions included games and were so much fun that all the nonwheelchair using family and friends who participated shared out plasters to cover blisters as we
were having far too much fun to give up. Perhaps we'll bring suitable gloves next time.
A similar course will be run in West Lothian during the Easter holidays. If you wish to
register your interest please contact Jo Spackman, Paediatric Physiotherapist at St.
John's Hospital on 419666 ext.2299
Largs
by Fiona
I went to a 3-day Summer Sports Camp at
Largs at the end of July. We did football,
basketball, boccia, tennis, archery, athletics,
golf, shinty, table tennis and swimming. In the
evening we did quizzes and stuff. There were 30
children there from all over Scotland. I knew
most of them because I’d been twice before. I
really enjoyed it except I fell and bashed my
nose and came home with two black eyes!
That’s my story anyway!
No Limits had another successful outing at the
2004 CP Open Boccia Championships, with Fiona
bringing home the Gold medal and a super trophy,
while Cara won silver and Kirsty the bronze.
Stuart just missed out on a medal this year,
despite some good playing.
No Limits Newsletter
2
Winter 2003/2004
Golf
by Michelle
Hi everyone, my name is Michelle.
On a Saturday afternoon there is nothing I like to do more
than go to the Driving Range and hit a few golf balls. Now,
when I say "hit a few" I mean I try to hit a few because I don't
always manage, sometimes I miss, sometimes I hit the ground,
sometimes I hit my mum!!
I enjoy being out in the fresh air and the sunshine makes me
feel good and healthy. The sun might not shine all the time but
that doesn't stop the fun, and after you have hit about 50 or so
golf balls you don't notice if it is cold or warm.
I have been getting so good now that my mum bought me my
own set of golf clubs, well two. But the best thing about going
to golf is that after I am finished I sometimes get to go
into the cafe for a drink and some crisps.
The next golfing session will be on Saturday 10th April, 3 pm at
Philpstoun (driving range, £4/100 balls).
Carpet Bowls Competition
by Alistair Devlin
In March I went to the Carpet Bowls competition at
Meadowmill Sports Centre near Prestonpans. The
place where the competition was is next to the
battlefield where Scotland defeated England a long
time ago. I’d never been there before, but my dad said
that my great granny was born in Meadowmill in 1908.
The competition went on all day, and I was in a team of
four people who did really well. We won through four
rounds and finally made it to the semi-final. By then it
was late in the afternoon and we were all getting very
tired. Even though we got beaten in the ‘semis’, I really
enjoyed myself and I hope that one day I will get to be
a champion.
The food was very very hot but tasty, and there was a
raffle (my dad won a plant for the house).
Alistair has competed in several carpet bowls events
during the past year, and several of the youngsters at
the club have expressed an interest in playing the
game.
It is hoped that this year we can field a carpet bowling
team from No Limits. Please let us know if you are
interested.
No Limits Newsletter
3
Winter 2003/2004
by Paul
Badaguish, a SoldierÊs Tale
The first weekend in May saw the massed ranks of
the No Limits squad descend on the unsuspecting
environs of the Badaguish Commando Training
Centre.
Their purpose - an intensive training exercise
designed to hone survival and combat skills to
hitherto unknown heights.
Having settled quickly into barracks the first platoon
reconnoitred the immediate area using hi-tec people
carriers and soon established a failsafe perimeter.
Spare a thought at this juncture for those who stayed in
camp and performed cooking duties for the rest of thema task greatly appreciated by the troupe -long in the
memory will the taste of badaguish pasta a la gould stay
with those who partook of same.
Anyway to cut a longer story short:One bag pipe session, night time game of hockey,
dreekit Barbie and a sad attempt to light a cigarette with
a packet of oxo cubes whilst in a state of inebriation ,
saw your author rise like Harry Potter's phoenix that
Monday morning in a state of utter exhaustion.
Number 4 platoon have arrived and prepare to billet .
The evening briefing conducted by Brigadier Andy
Robertson and Captain Timmy Slack saw the squad
safely inducted and appraised of their individual
missions.
The next two days would be critical for the survival of
the troup for if they all perished in the name of the
cause - who would drive the cars and vans back?
Following the briefing many retired to their respective
bunks, apprehensive of the coming day and, in
diaries and letters to loved ones, penned their
nightmares and final wishes, lest they should not
survive !!
The next two days saw them split to their various
platoons and the tasks at hand begun.
Some undertook courses in archery; others canoed in
white water conditions or mountaineered sans safety
nets-.
Many flew through the air along the wire of impending
doom tethered only by three pairs of shoe - laces
cunningly twined with blue tack and the shiny paper
from an out of date caramac bar. Others undertook
map reading exercises some with success and some
to their eternal chagrin found themselves in places
where sensible people fear to tread, rumour has it
that one failed to make it even to the starting line due
to battery failure (a pitiful and most unlikely excuse).
No Limits Newsletter
Piping the retreat
Following a sojourn to a nearby adventure park oft
confused with a furniture warehouse,the squad made
their way back to West Lothianshire and its environs.
A jolly good time having been had by all.
Plans are already afoot for the return!!
Night Manoeuvres
The end - well maybe not.
4
Winter 2003/2004
by Jon
Badaguish
What did you do
at Badagouish?
W. We did canoeing.
A. We did some playing.
W. Its supposed to be activities.
A. Listening to the bagpipes.
W. Drawing
A. Lots of gluing and sticking which I
got very messy at.
A. And riding a bike. And especially my
favourite one was…
W. A trike.
A. …was one with two seats
W That's a trike alright. Its got 3 wheels, 2
seats and I managed to fix the seat that
wasn't fixed.
A. And we rode it. Its very hard to steer. I
don't steer quite often because I'm not good
at it.
W. You can stand on the back and go "Mush
Mush".
Tell me about the
canoeing
Did you do
anything else
interesting?
A. At the canoeing I got very wet because
someone spalshed me.
W. Yeah, me!
A. We all got soaked when we went back and
also I got water in my shoe (very squelchy) and
also it was very fun and I was wet from my head
to my toes.
W. I got splashed a lot. I splashed almost
everybody who splashed me and I splashed the
instructor more than anybody, well, perhaps not
as much as Dad who was in the back of the
canoe…
W. Oh yes - we fished.
A. Well first William kept doing it
and he caught a fish. I started
thinking I would never catch one but
I caught a bigger one than him. A
real whopper. Bent the rod.
W. So did mine.
What can you
tell me about
the archery?
What was the best
bit of Badagouish?
No Limits Newsletter
W. You fix the back of the arrow
onto the string … whang…. I'm
Robin Hood….and you tried to
pop balloons. I had to get 2
balloons because mine burst
before I fixed it on the target. I
dropped it and it popped….
A. I won. I got it first.
5
W. The best bit about
Badagouish was ALL of it.
A. I think the same.
Winter 2003/2004
A Fishy Tale
by Leanne
While we were at Badaguish, just before the barbecue, my dad took me fishing, I was really excited. I had never been fishing before, so I did not know anything about it. Dad took me to the local
fishery and hired two rods and some bait which was earthworms and wasp larvae (eewww!).
Dad showed me how to bait the hook and as the rod was already set up we were on our way to
catching some trout. It was a lot easier than I expected it to be. Within the first few minutes, I felt
a tug on my rod and realised that had my first bite. I did not realise that a fish can pull so hard, so
my dad had to help me reel the fish in.
This was the first ever fish that I caught, it was a rainbow trout.
Within the hour, we had caught three trout, one of which had to be returned as were only allowed
to take home one trout each. The trout had to be cleaned and gutted by my dad before it could be
cooked on the barbecue.
Once it was ready for eating, I ate a little bit but
did not like it and shared the trout with everyone
else who said it tasted delicious.
With apologies to William McGonagall..
A Weekend Trip
to Badaguish
by A. Gould
A No Limits weekend at Badaguish
Turned out to be rather goodish
The food was inviteful
The drinks delightful
But made some people quite foolish
Indoor climbing, zip wiring were all very tiring
And problems were set to be solved
The weekend at Badaguish was inspiring
And No Limits were the most involved
Commando Vicky
Cycling
Come sunshine, rain, hail, sleet or snow
To the Barbie bothy we will go
Chicken drumsticks burgers and all
There's no doubt No Limits had a ball
On Saturday morning, Andy, Kirsty, Eric,
Jack, me and my Dad went for a cycle round
Loch Morlich. It was a lovely day and I
borrowed a trike from Badaguish.
We cycled for about 5 miles and had a great
time. We met lots of people and stopped to
speak to them. We got back just in time for
lunch and I was really tired.
Alas the time has come tae bide awa
But never fear we'll no be far
Fae Badaguish a place with cheer
'Tis a place we'll return another year
No Limits Newsletter
by Andrew
6
Winter 2003/2004
No Limits Awards
A number of the children who come to No
Limits have represented the club in
national and regional competitions and
have come home with a plethora of
medals, in sports such as boccia,
swimming, carpet bowls and athletics.
At the regular Saturday club, however, we
have witnessed some wonderful progress
and qualities developing in the children
who attend regularly. This is being
recognised by the No Limits Award
Scheme. The following richly deserved
awards have been presented so far:
by Peter
Leanne Gould
David Gilbert
Andrew Slack
Kirsty McCallum
Alistair Devlin
William Newey
Jamie Ramsay
Calum MacIver
Vicky Weddell
Jack Mathieson
Kieran Bell
Kirsty Robertson
Stuart Gurney
Fiona Hagenbuch
Aaron McPherson
Leadership
Basketball
Basketball & Leadership
Boccia
Carpet Bowls
Hockey
Football
Loyalty
Loyalty
Enthusiasm
Basketball
Skiing
Sportsmanship
Determination
New Age Kurling
Playing for Scotland!
by Stuart
On the 29th and 30th November last year, Fiona, Cara and I, along with
our friend Kristin from Dundee, went to Liverpool to represent Scotland at
the English National Boccia championships.
The event was a great success and Cara and I both came away with silver
medals. While we were waiting for the medals to be presented after the
competition was over Fiona and I challenged two of the English winners to
a team game which we won 4-3!
The Scottish team was fourth overall in the rankings, even though we only
had four juniors.
No Limits Newsletter
7
Winter 2003/2004
Contact Information
Email :
[email protected]
Web Site: http://nolimits.agurney.com/
Minibus : the minibus is available for transport to the
club on Saturdays, and also for hire.
See Peter for details.
Many thanks to everyone who has helped with
fundraising. The photo shows a group of club
members setting out on a sponsored cycle run
that raised around £800 for club funds and
wheelchair bike for Vicky.
Swimming
There is now a waiting list for the No Limits
squad at Dolphins, so if you think you might
be interested in swimming in the future now
is the time to let Anne know.
Caption Competition
Last issue’s winner was Jon Newey, ably assisted by Lewis Carroll:
"You are old, father William," the young man said,
"And your hair has become very white;
And yet you incessantly stand on your head-Do you think, at your age, it is right?"
"In my youth," father William replied to his son,
"I feared it might injure the brain;
But, now that I'm perfectly sure I have none,
Why, I do it again and again."
..and what are this motley
bunch up to?
Suggestions to the editor
please.
No Limits Newsletter
8
Winter 2003/2004