Call for projects from Sport & Disability associations: The awards ceremony

It was with great emotion that Hôpital Privé la Casamance presented the prizes to the winning associations in the "Sport and Disability" call for projects launched at the beginning of the year.

As a reminder, the hospital offered to participate in the projects of local associations working to give disabled people access to sport, because everyone should be able to practise their passion.

The aim was to reward 3 associations(1st prize €5,000,^2nd prize €3,000 and^3rd prize €2,000).

A total of 19 associations took part, and 5 candidates were shortlisted and presented their projects to the members of the jury, chaired by Dr Jean-Paul GAUTIER.

In view of the quality of the entries, the jury decided to award 2 "special prizes" of €1,000 each, making a total of 5 winning associations.

The awards ceremony took place on Thursday 4 April 2019 in the presence of :

• Mr Gérard GAZAY Mayor of Aubagne ;
• Mrs Danielle MILON, Mayor of Cassis;
• For the town of Aubagne, Pascal Agostini, deputy mayor responsible for sport, and Brigitte Amoros, local councillor responsible for the disabled;
• For Roquefort la Bédoule, Mr Daniel BUSSIERE, Mr Claude PIGNOL, deputy mayors, Mr Patrice ENSARGUEX, deputy mayor responsible for sport and youth.

The winners :

• ^1st prize, a cheque for €5,000, was awarded to the Tennis Club de Roquefort la Bédoule for its efforts to develop wheelchair tennis. The aim is to offer introductory, advanced or training sessions, depending on the level, every week, supervised by qualified instructors, for anyone with a physical disability (amputees, paraplegics, quadriplegics, etc.).
• The^2nd prize, a cheque for €3,000, was awarded to Chiens guides d'aveugles Bouches du Rhône Gard Vaucluse (Aubagne ) for its "Effort à l'unisson" project, which is a race/walk that brings together able-bodied and disabled people to give them the chance to forge links, exchange ideas, share and experience emotion-filled moments together. A second aspect of the project is to raise funds to help train a guide dog, which will be given free of charge to a visually impaired person.
• The^3rd prize, a cheque for €2,000, went to Second Round - Se relever par le sport (Cassis), which aims to support the cause of amputees by funding sports prostheses and specific equipment for disabled people wishing to take part in sporting activities.

For the "Jury's Special Awards", a cheque for €1,000 for each of the associations:

• Vallée de l'Huveaune Rugby Club Marseille (^11th arrondissement) for its "Inclusion through rugby" project, which aims to encourage people with disabilities to play non-contact rugby on a regular basis in order to improve their health and motor skills. This association works with specialised establishments and organises meetings/tournaments with able-bodied sportsmen and women.
• Nasa 13 in Aubagne, which offers adapted physical activity sessions for people with mental and psychological disabilities. The aim of the association is 'quite simply' to teach people with autism, Down's syndrome, hyperactivity, rare genetic diseases, etc. to swim, and for the most motivated, to compete against other swimmers who also have this type of disability.

A big well done to all the participants for their presence and their involvement in these wonderful projects.