Brentford FC Community Sports Trust has been involved with the delivery of *Panathlon Challenge since 2008, providing coaching in schools in Harrow, Ealing, Hillingdon, Hounslow and Richmond. Since 2008 The Trust has played a major part in the organisation of football for players with severe learning disabilities, powerchair users, and new for 2011, visually impaired players.

At this years finals, the London West team was represented by Harrow, including Shaftsbury School, who had gone through two rounds of competition to reach the final, where they faced tough competition from each of the other four pro-active regions. The children competed exceptionally well, winning both Table Cricket and Kurling, and finishing second in the Athletics Field and Track events. The team put in a magnificent effort, missing out on top spot by just four points, to finish a hugely respectable second place.

The West London powerchair football team was represented by a team of players from John Chilton and Ruislip High Schools. These players have been given the opportunity to train fortnightly on Saturday morning as part of the Extreme Ability programme at West London Academy. Further funding gained by Ben Dorsett (who runs the central team) and Mark Needham of the West London Academy Sports Partnership, has enabled school time sessions to be run. The players from the West and Central teams come together to receive coaching, followed by a round-robin friendly tournament. This format gives the players the opportunity to play in matches, and learn some of the rules and tactics that cannot be taught through training sessions alone. A great time was had by all the participants and our West Region team performed extremely well in its first competition, finishing with a Silver Medal.

Yet again the event was a fantastic and hugely enjoyable sporting festival. Congratulations to Team Newham (representing East London) who came out overall winners of the London Panathlon Challenge 2011.

For more details on Panathalon please visit www.panathlon.com

*Panathlon Challenge was formed in 1996 to offer disadvantaged young people the chance to receive sports coaching and to participate in competitive opportunities. Schools across London receive funding and equipment in a range of sports, and then compete in regular tournaments culminating in the crowning of the 2011 Panathlon Challenge London Champions. The sports competed in are boccia, table cricket, Polybat, kurling, athletics and football. Each sport is geared towards competitors with varying ability levels, and this ensures that everyone can compete on a level playing field.