PLF - DELHI VOLUNTARY AID TRIP - APRIL 2010

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Since starting the PLF four years ago we have completed two successful REI trips and treated and helped over 1000 patients in India. This year the PLF team met with para-olympic champion Jayant Mistry and the International Tennis Foundation (ITF) and together we put together an exciting new project promoting wheelchair sports in India and encouraging the young handicapped to experience the simple pleasure of sports.

The first event we held was a Casino night in July and this was a huge success and the top prize was a cruise for 4 in Europe. The event was open to all and as no real monies were exchanged even the children took part so all had fun. Many thanks to all who helped to make this event a success; especially Arvindbhai & Bhagvatiben. All who attended got to meet Jayant and we raised over 10 wheelchairs on this day. Following this event, SPA London held a Mehfil night and we had a desk for the wheelchair project and our generous members raised another 14 wheelchairs at this event.

Overall including individual donations and standing orders we raised the funds for 40 special sports wheelchairs. Many thanks to all for helping us achieve this. Working alongside the ITF a trip was planned in April to handover the wheelchairs to the All India Tennis Association (AITA).

We had a small team of 5 go to Delhi with the ITF to handover the wheelchairs. The mornings consisted of putting the wheelchairs together and then the first day we went to an orphanage where the children had various disabilities but were all educated together. The children used the wheelchairs and played tennis for the first time. The smiles on their faces were amazing. They all did very well and there were a few girls who may have a natural talent and with the support of the AITA and the PLF wheelchairs they may have a future in Para-olympic tennis.

The following day we went to a specialist rehabilitation unit where the current national wheelchair tennis champions help out to educate those in a wheelchair on the simple everyday ways of living with a wheelchair. They all came out and used the chairs and were given their first tennis lesson. They all loved it and picked it up well. Now they have use of the chairs they will be able to practise more and this will help in their rehabilitation.