Thanks to the support from our partners, Bowbridge Homes, Team Mintridge had a fantastic day at Redmile CE Primary School with Paralympic gold medallist Laura Sugar MBE and our inspirational para showjumper, Evie Toombes, who joined us virtually on the day.

We were delighted to be able to visit Redmile CE Primary School with Laura and virtually with Evie, to help inspire all the students to be the best versions of themselves and show them what they can achieve when they aspire to follow their passions and say yes to the opportunities around them.

With years of experience competing for Wales and Great Britain, initially as a hockey player, then moving onto athletics and now as a paracanoe athlete, Laura was the perfect person to visit Redmile CE Primary School to inspire them to chase their own journeys to success. Laura talked to the students all about her sporting journey and explained the different categories of Paralympic athletes that take part in paracanoe. Laura talked about the highs and the lows of competing at the top level in her sport and the impact injuries have had on her road to success. It was incredibly important for the students at Redmile CE Primary School to hear Laura talk about how the journey to success is not just what you see on social media but also a journey full of ups and downs.

“Sometimes things don’t go the way you planned. You need to be able to think about why you are doing something and keep focussed on what you want to achieve. Comparing yourself to someone else will not help you achieve YOUR dreams.”

The students were very excited to see Laura’s gold medal from the recent Tokyo Paralympics during the day. They were very surprised to feel how heavy it was and learn that it is made from recycled mobile phones!

Laura put the students to the test in the physical activity sessions she delivered during the day as she got them thinking about the muscles that they would use as a paracanoe athlete, which they were surprised to learn isn’t just about using your arms.

 After lunch it was time to welcome Evie Toombes to the screen as she joined the students virtually for this programme. The children loved learning all about her journey and life story so far. With lots of daily challenges in front of her, Evie shared some very valuable messages with the students about how they can achieve what they set their mind to, even in the face of adversity or someone telling them that they can’t.

As someone who is a big advocate for having a positive mindset, knowing your worth and using your strengths to your advantage, Evie shared some brilliant examples with the students during her presentation about how they can use their support network around them to achieve big things, and how they can all use their strengths and weaknesses to their advantage.

Evie wanted all the students to take away some key messages that they could all learn from and wanted them to try and focus on the positive things in their life if they can. The students also asked some brilliant questions for Evie to answer and these are some of the best ones;

How challenging is horse riding with your disability?

How did you get into riding?

How many horses do you have?

Have you ever missed any shows because of your disability?

When you say you are fed through a tube how does that work?

How old were you when you started riding professionally in competitions?

Have you ever fallen off a horse or been kicked by one?

Has your horse ever bucked you off?

Throughout the remainder of the day, Laura led multiple amazing coaching sessions that the students were all very excited to get involved in. Laura was extremely pleased to see the students working hard during the day and learning more about paracanoe and what it takes to compete at the top of your game.

We are so grateful to the staff at Redmile CE Primary School for allowing us to visit them and for helping to organise this incredible day with Laura and Evie.

At The Mintridge Foundation, we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to hear the stories and experience the power our exceptional Mintridge role models have on the young people we work with. We know that having a role model who can support you, influence you and offer you advice, can help you on your own journey and pathway to success. This is why the support from Bowbridge Homes has been invaluable for this programme as it has helped to raise the aspirations and ambitions of the young people we work with and they continue to support young people across the country with these school programmes. Thank you Bowbridge Homes for your continued support.

If you are interested in a Programme with Laura Sugar MBE, Evie Toombes, or any of our other Mintridge Ambassadors, or you are interested in a virtual or physical Programme with one of our team of inspirational Ambassadors, then please get in touch via the Mintridge website or with Katie.

#TeamMintridge

The Mintridge Foundation is a registered charity dedicated to enhancing life skills in young people through sport. We provide a support network for young people by harnessing the power of positive sporting role models. The Mintridge Foundation assists young people of all ages, abilities, and physical capabilities to develop confidence and resilience, and creates awareness of the importance of mental and physical wellbeing through sport.

Our team of Ambassadors - Olympians, Paralympians and other professional sports stars from over 20 sports, both team and individual - work with young people in schools, clubs and academies across the UK. Starting with visits including assemblies, coaching clinics and classroom sessions tailored to each organisation’s requirements, our ambassadors can then provide one- on- one remote mentoring in a safeguarded environment, delivered via technology such as FitSwarm and Playwaze to build a lasting legacy for individuals.

The Mintridge Foundation’s successes demonstrate the incredible power of sport; from a mentee’s selection to represent Great Britain in their chosen field to enabling disabled children to find confidence and happiness just through participation. Understanding life after sport, we also support our Ambassadors in their transition from active sport to the next stage of their careers.

To find out more about the Mintridge Foundation, please contact Alex Wallace.

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