12/03/2026
We made S4C! Newyddion S4C Heolgerrig Red Lion CFC ❤️⚽️👏
Here is the English translation of the article from S4C News:
Merthyr Special Needs Children to Have Sports Day 'For the First Time'
By Molly Sedgemore
A special sports day will be held this Sunday, giving children with special needs the opportunity to take part in such an event "for the first time."
The aim of the day is to allow children with special needs in the Merthyr Tydfil area to "be part" of the sporting world.
The event is being held at the Afon Taf High School site by volunteers from the Spectrum Support Hub, which is celebrating one year since its establishment.
Three mothers are behind the group, which has supported "thousands" of families across the county over the past year.
Equality of Opportunity
Lynne Dockerty is the chair of the club, and along with Rebecca Curtis and Rebekah Thomas, they are determined to ensure their children and the children of the area "have access to everything, exactly the same as any other child."
Speaking to S4C News, Lynne said: "The children deserve to have the same opportunities as any other child, so we have decided to hold a special sports day for individuals with special needs.
"Some of the children are in the mainstream education system and have never had a real opportunity to be part of a sports day or to feel included in sports.
"So the day might look different from other sports days, but it is an opportunity for them to be included and enjoy the experience."
New Experiences
According to Lynne, this is the first time she can remember such an event being held in Merthyr Tydfil. She says there is a high demand for Spectrum Support Hub's services, with families from Caerphilly and Aberdare often traveling to the group's sessions.
She noted that many of the children find it difficult to "be who they are" outside of the group because other people can be judgmental.
"What we want to do is turn that into something positive because that [judgment] can affect the mental health of their parents too," she said. "We want to create positive experiences so that the children can access everything that neurotypical children do as well."
A Tribute to Alex
The Heolgerrig Red Lion Football Club in Merthyr is sponsoring the event in memory of the club chairman’s son who passed away.
Alex Meek, who was well known as the founder of the Heolgerrig Red Lion girls' football club in his town, died by su***de in 2023.
Speaking to S4C News, his father Paul Meek said "this is what Alex would have wanted" when discussing his decision to support the event. Paul has provided shirts for the children participating in the sports day, featuring Alex’s logo on one side and the Spectrum logo on the other.
"A team from Red Lion, as well as my daughter Gemma, will be there and we will try to help them as much as we can," he said.
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❤️ 'Mae’r plant yn haeddu cael yr un cyfleoedd ag unrhyw blentyn arall': https://newyddion.s4c.cymru/article/plant-anghenion-arbennig-merthyr-yn-cael-diwrnod-mabolgampau-tro-cyntaf
