Disabled
shooting at Tondu
We attempt to cater for disabled and able bodied shooters alike, using Rifle or pistol, and our ranges are available for use at times other than those noted on the calendar page. We have six ranges. However, only the 50m and indoor ranges are considered suitable for wheelchair users as there are access problems with some ranges, along with restrictions in our range safety certificates that may prohibit some shooting positions.
Entry forms and details for competition shoots can be found by clicking the Competitons entry forms button, under 'Documents' above. Competition successes can be found on the results page, found under the 'our club' heading above.
Friday the 5th April 2013 saw our Visually Impaired/Blind shooting facility being used for the first time. We had the Bridgend Mayor, Marlene Thomas, and Huw Irranca-Davies, the Ogwr MP in attendance along with a good contingent of Bridgevis members, who enjoyed demonstrating the equipment. There were various members of the Press also in attendance and ITV filmed a short piece which went out in the sports report at 6pm that evening. An excellent event with smiles all round. Sessions to use the equipment started on Thursday 11th April 2013 at the club, commencing at 6pm. Some photos can be seen in the Gallery on the Visually Impaired page.
The Equipment consists of two dedicated Hammerli AR20 Air Rifles fitted with Swarovski Optical scopes that measure light. The Centre of the target is brightly lit and as the rifle and scope are moved to the centre of the target, the sound in the headphones that the shooter is wearing, increases in pitch, just like a metal detector. Shooting can be done in two ways, supported or unsupported and there are postal competitions, UK Championships and European Championships for Blind/Visually Impaired shooting.
The British Paraplegic Shooting Association:
was formed in 1976 to introduce shooting to people with disabilities. The BPSA changed it's name to Disability Target Shooting Great Britain in 2005 and they can be found - here.
Rules and regulations in conjunction with the ISSF were drawn up with target shooting being a sport that almost anybody can do, no matter what type of disability they may have.
Disabled shooters compete in the same competitions as able-bodied competitors. Shooting events for athletes with physical disabilities started in 1970 in Scotland. Shooting first became a Paralympic sport in 1980. Great Britain has won many medals at Paralympic Games through the efforts of such stars as Di Coates and Isabel Newstead.
Getting Into Competitions.
Once you have learned the basics of target shooting the world of competitions really opens up to you. Up to National levels of competition, disabled shooters may take part in able-bodied matches on a shoulder to shoulder basis. However, you first need to join a club and start shooting. Target shooting is one of the few sports where competitors can shoot against each other on a postal basis, without leaving their home ranges. That may sound a bit strange, but the system works and there are many competitions that can be shot, assuming that you wish to. After all, you can get out of the sport whatever you wish and perhaps all that you'll do is to shoot and try to better your previous score each time you attend the range - hopefully, you're now intrigued enough to want to come and have a look at us!!
If your disability prevents you from following the shooting rules for a competition regarding the shooting position then the NSRA can issue a dispensation certificate and details are downloadable from our documents page where the dispensation scheme is covered under item 16.
Target shooting really is a Sport for All.
Our Club
At Tondu we have
always been aware of the
needs of disabled shooters
and do strive to ensure that they are accommodated. This thumbnail
shows a wheelchair member shooting .22 Rifle on equal terms
with other
able-bodied members.
The
late Clive Davies and his wife Kerry were very instrumental in the
promotion of disabled shooting at Tondu and this photo
shows Clive
and Kerry coaching a disabled shooter with a .22 rifle. Kerry is still
very active within the club and looks after Stroke airgun
shooters on Friday mornings.
Our clubhouse was built with full disabled access and we do our best to ensure that our ranges also have disabled access. Having said that, there are always areas that need improvement.
As you look around this website you'll find various photos and reports that involve disabled shooters.
Spring 2012
Website for the Disabled Shooting Project - find it at: www.disabledshooting.org.uk
We attempt to cater for disabled and able bodied shooters alike, using Rifle or pistol, and our ranges are available for use at times other than those noted on the calendar page. We have six ranges. However, only the 50m and indoor ranges are considered suitable for wheelchair users as there are access problems with some ranges, along with restrictions in our range safety certificates that may prohibit some shooting positions.
Entry forms and details for competition shoots can be found by clicking the Competitons entry forms button, under 'Documents' above. Competition successes can be found on the results page, found under the 'our club' heading above.
Friday the 5th April 2013 saw our Visually Impaired/Blind shooting facility being used for the first time. We had the Bridgend Mayor, Marlene Thomas, and Huw Irranca-Davies, the Ogwr MP in attendance along with a good contingent of Bridgevis members, who enjoyed demonstrating the equipment. There were various members of the Press also in attendance and ITV filmed a short piece which went out in the sports report at 6pm that evening. An excellent event with smiles all round. Sessions to use the equipment started on Thursday 11th April 2013 at the club, commencing at 6pm. Some photos can be seen in the Gallery on the Visually Impaired page.
The Equipment consists of two dedicated Hammerli AR20 Air Rifles fitted with Swarovski Optical scopes that measure light. The Centre of the target is brightly lit and as the rifle and scope are moved to the centre of the target, the sound in the headphones that the shooter is wearing, increases in pitch, just like a metal detector. Shooting can be done in two ways, supported or unsupported and there are postal competitions, UK Championships and European Championships for Blind/Visually Impaired shooting.
The British Paraplegic Shooting Association:
was formed in 1976 to introduce shooting to people with disabilities. The BPSA changed it's name to Disability Target Shooting Great Britain in 2005 and they can be found - here.
Rules and regulations in conjunction with the ISSF were drawn up with target shooting being a sport that almost anybody can do, no matter what type of disability they may have.
Disabled shooters compete in the same competitions as able-bodied competitors. Shooting events for athletes with physical disabilities started in 1970 in Scotland. Shooting first became a Paralympic sport in 1980. Great Britain has won many medals at Paralympic Games through the efforts of such stars as Di Coates and Isabel Newstead.
Getting Into Competitions.
Once you have learned the basics of target shooting the world of competitions really opens up to you. Up to National levels of competition, disabled shooters may take part in able-bodied matches on a shoulder to shoulder basis. However, you first need to join a club and start shooting. Target shooting is one of the few sports where competitors can shoot against each other on a postal basis, without leaving their home ranges. That may sound a bit strange, but the system works and there are many competitions that can be shot, assuming that you wish to. After all, you can get out of the sport whatever you wish and perhaps all that you'll do is to shoot and try to better your previous score each time you attend the range - hopefully, you're now intrigued enough to want to come and have a look at us!!
If your disability prevents you from following the shooting rules for a competition regarding the shooting position then the NSRA can issue a dispensation certificate and details are downloadable from our documents page where the dispensation scheme is covered under item 16.
Target shooting really is a Sport for All.
Our Club
At Tondu we have
always been aware of the
needs of disabled shooters
and do strive to ensure that they are accommodated. This thumbnail
shows a wheelchair member shooting .22 Rifle on equal terms
with other
able-bodied members.
The
late Clive Davies and his wife Kerry were very instrumental in the
promotion of disabled shooting at Tondu and this photo
shows Clive
and Kerry coaching a disabled shooter with a .22 rifle. Kerry is still
very active within the club and looks after Stroke airgun
shooters on Friday mornings.Our clubhouse was built with full disabled access and we do our best to ensure that our ranges also have disabled access. Having said that, there are always areas that need improvement.
As you look around this website you'll find various photos and reports that involve disabled shooters.
Spring 2012
Website for the Disabled Shooting Project - find it at: www.disabledshooting.org.uk