They are here at the Show to promote their work – and there’s also a chance to win a 37” flat screen television at the raffle on the stand. “The prize has been donated by Sainsburys and we’re very grateful to them for helping us generate funds for the association”, commented Gerald Price. Gerald is blind having lost his sight at the age of 23 in 1956. Before this happened he had always enjoyed many different sports. His chance to get active again and face new challenges came when his young sons persuaded him to buy a boat. “We bought an inflatable with an Evinrude outboard and it had a pair of water skis with it,” said Gerald. “So we started waterskiing on Coniston Lake in the Lake District. I loved the sensation of speed and excitement and realised this is what I’d been looking for since I lost my sight.”

There are now 250 disabled members of the Association, with centres around the country to train people with wide ranging disabilities of all ages. They are assisted by able bodied helpers and one of the trainers is Robin Nichols. “Helping to train disabled people is one of the most rewarding things you can do in water skiing,” commented Robin. “You can change people’s attitude and give them self confidence very rapidly. For example you might get a young man who has lost a leg in a motorbike accident and been in hospitable for six months. He comes out feeling pretty depressed, but you teach somebody like that to water ski and in a few days you see their mental outlook change in a very short time. They can do something exciting and it’s very worthwhile to be involved in that.

The Association headquarters is the Tony Edge National Centre at Heron Lake, Wraysbury, Middlesex Tel: 01784 483664 This is named after Tony Edge who lost a leg while serving in the RAF. When he said he wanted to water ski they said he would be ‘mad to try.’ The BDWSA response is that ‘you’d be crazy not to.’

For more information go to www.bdwsa.org.uk.