I'm mad, aren't I?

[LollipopViolet]

As you all know, my friend H has CP. We were talking yesterday about sporty stuff, and she mentioned she'd love to go ice skating. Now, I'm making a documentary about skating at the moment, and she's very kindly offered to do an interview and let me document her first skating trip.

But, how do we do it? She's said if she can get skates that she feels support her properly, she'll give actual skating a go, or if not, we know the rink will allow wheelchairs onto the ice.

If she does give the skating a go, is there anything we'd need to do, do you think? I'm obviously going to talk to her, but if any of you have ever done the skating thing, it'd be good to know what you did. I'm thinking if I'm there, within grabbing distance, we should be OK, right? Ditto to those who've taken a wheelchair on ice.

I'm mad, but I know she wants to do this and I really want to share my love for the sport with her. She wants to snowboard too

Will definitely talk to her, but any advice/tips etc please, please, please let me know!

can't help with the skating, but imagine the Chill Factore (near Trafford centre) could help re:snowboarding, as apparently they are the northern centre for disability snow sport uk, and is apparently fully equipped for people with disabilities.

TC, thank you for that! I know how to get to the Trafford Centre so could probably get us both there if she fancied it. It mentions skiing, but not snowboarding, but I'm sure if we fancy a jolly, we'll give them a ring!

I often go skating with my friend to sheffield on a thursday morning, towards the end they let wheelchairs on.
I would advise your friend to have (to begin with) 1 good skayer either side of her, until she gets a feel for what it is like.
don't be afraid to fall, you hurt yourself more when you are trying to protect yourself.
don't go too fast, it's common sense but last week saw this young lad knock himself out cos he was just bombing around like a mad thing
How old is your friend? It's harder to pick up skatieng when your older, I've been going since I was 16, and did all the major jumps spins and the lark, when my body was relativly young and able to heal quickly.
mainly just have fun!

sneezecake, my friend is 18, I'm 20 and the crew will all be around 19-21. I'm a competent skater, as is one of the girls I'm thinking of asking.

I think it'll be a right laugh, just needs planning