The Leeds Rhinos Foundation supported the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust, Get on Track programme ran by the Leeds City Council Positive Futures in providing a four week programme of tuition for a group of young people to assist a group of visually impaired guests from action for Blind People to a Leeds Rhinos Fixture.
The group of young people from Leeds, who have been through the Get on Track programme as part of the Dames Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust, underwent the four stages of training at Headingley Carnegie Stadium to assist the group of visually impaired people from Action for Blind People providing commentary and assistance for the home fixture against Wigan Warriors.
The programme started on the 2nd March with a session ran by Lesley Inganni from Action for Blind people who took the group through a session on visual awareness training to teach them how to assist visually impaired people, using blindfold exercises and going over the principles of effective communication and guiding people with impaired sight.
A week later on the 10th March the group were visited by BBC Radio’s James Deighton who provided a session on commentary coaching at the TryZone centre at Headingley Carnegie Stadium, going through the principles of commentating without the presence of images to demonstrate how the group can describe the game on the night more effectively.
An introduction day in the week leading up to the game then saw the group meet for the first time with a series of ice breakers and team games bringing both cohorts together before the 20th December and the match at Headingley Carnegie Stadium.
Dan Busfield from the Leeds Rhinos Foundation said:
“10 years ago the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust played a part in launching the Leeds Rhinos Foundation and the two organisations came together again to support the match attendee’s from Action for Blind people to provide a valuable experience for all involved.”
The video of the groups commentary coaching session is available to view below: