SLM Toyota Norwich honoured to help local dry ski slope benefit from Toyota Parasport Fund

At SLM Toyota, it warms our heart to be a part of such wonderful initiatives as the Toyota Parasport Fund, which sees Toyota invest money into clubs and activity providers around the country to enable disabled people to be more physically active. Our Norwich Centre has recently been on the front lines helping a local dry ski slope get the equipment they so desperately need.

• Whilst our ‘bread and butter’ at SLM Toyota is helping people get on the road, selling and servicing new and used Toyota cars, it gives us great pride to have the opportunity to be involved in such wonderful initiatives as the Toyota Parasport Fund. Our Norwich Toyota Centre has recently been working with the Norfolk Snowsports Club to help them secure much-needed equipment.

  The fund, which was set up in 2019, has so far invested more than £390,000 into clubs and activity providers from around the country, mainly to provide vital equipment and training to help improve access for disabled people.

  Among the 93 successful applicants to the fund this year, was Norfolk Snowsports Club, which houses one of the country’s largest dry ski slopes. The club, based in Trowse, Norwich, have been successfully running adaptive ski and tube sessions for many years, but with such popular uptake, equipment has over time become dated and in need of renewing.

  Richard Roberts, Adaptive Programme Coordinator for the club says: “Our equipment is very old, we need to renew it with comfortable seating, better head support, more comfortable strapping and safety harnesses. The £5,000 received from Toyota Parasport will be added to our additional fundraising efforts to buy specialist equipment, enabling some of the most disabled children and adults to use our facility.”

  Proud and humbled to be a part of the contributions to Norfolk Snowsports Club, SLM Toyota Norwich General Manager Marcus Rutledge visited the club to meet the all-volunteer adaptive team, made up of skiers and parents. His comments after the visit were:

  “Having spent some time with the volunteer instructors, it is clear to see the fantastic work they do. It was heart-warming to see the enjoyment this brought, not just to those skiing but to the instructors and families watching on. Having spoken to some of the parents and hearing how they were told this kind of activity was unlikely for their child, and then seeing the smiles as they came down the slope, should give everyone a positive outlook on life.

  The specialist equipment required to make this possible is in need of replacement, as some are 20 years old, so the money given to the club will be going to an extremely good cause. The support from Toyota has been gratefully received and will assist with the replacement process”.

  Below are some wonderful photos from Marcus’ visit to the slope, where he proudly presents the adaptive team with their fund certificate:

• If you’d like to find out more about adaptive skiing and tubing at Norfolk Snowsports Club, click here: https://www.norfolksnowsports.com/

  If you’d like to find out more about the wonderful work done with Toyota’s Parasport Fund, click here: https://parasport.org.uk/toyota-parasport-fund