Representatives of the Cheshire Academy of Integrated Sport and Arts have helped put Cheshire on the international disability sports map when they addressed an European conference held in Greece to discuss how "sport and culture can help break down barriers between disabled and non disabled.
The Academy is well known through out UK and Europe for its disability sporting successes and was specifically approached to address the conference, in recognition of its national and international reputation in the field of 'Adapted Physical Education and Sport'.
Representatives from Italy, Germany, Austria, Croatia, Bellarus and Greece were keen to learn how the Academy is able so successfully integrate so many children with such a diversity of disabilities into so many different sports.
One of the Key organizers Marianine Kotzamanidou from the Aristotelian University in Greece spoke enthusiastically about the work of the Cheshire Academy
" I know from my research in the UK first hand of the tremendous work carried out at the Cheshire Academy. Their work is clearly at the forefront of disability sport in the UK and their input to this conference was very welcome"
The co-director of the Cheshire Academy Iain Chalmers went on to explain the significance of the conference:
"One of the key decisions of the conference was to decide on the formation and structure of an European Wide information network to be called "Hephaestus", to promote and exchange information and expertise on a whole range of disability cultural and sports issues. Because of its reputation in the field of disability sport the Cheshire Academy has been asked to be a member of this network."
As part of the discussion on 'Adapted Physical Education and Sport' the Academy discussed 'disability sports acrobatics' the sport at which the Academy is recognised as being UK's foremost exponent. This was well received and the Academy has been asked to present a specialist workshop on its experiences of disability sports acrobatics as part of a follow up conference in 2006