Getting involved in sport does not necessarily mean working up a sweat.

A new scheme is up and running in Bradford with the aim of giving youngsters with disabilities the opportunity of becoming sports leaders.

The latest awards course is being run by former Special Olympics swimmer Vicky Gilbert and Stuart Tighe, who is part of Bradford Bulls' development team, working with youngsters.

"The junior sports leader awards have been going for a while nationally, loosely along the lines of the Duke of Edinburgh scheme," said Stuart, a hooker with amateur rugby league side Dudley Hill, who lost his leg after he was involved in a road crash in August 1997.

"The award was created to try to let any person become a leader of a group."

He and Vicky are both amputees but the course is open to a wide range of disabled youngsters aged over 16.

Stuart feels calling the scheme a 'junior' awards was a mistake because it is patronising to the potential of disabled people.

The latest course, which will run for about ten weeks, is being run at the Holme Wood Community Centre on Friday mornings. Future courses are planned and anyone interested in finding out more should ring Andy Parkin at the Bradford Sports and Recreation Association for People with Disabilities on (01274) 757093.

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