Sport for all - making an impact for dwarf athletics

April Barrett’s involvement with the Dwarf Athletic Association UK (DAAUK) began in 1997 when her son, who also has restricted growth, was able to compete in the 2nd World Dwarf Games in Peterborough. In 1998 April took over as chair of DAAUK. “I just wanted to put something back into the sport after seeing what an immense impact it made on my son.”

“There are up to 25,000 people in the UK with restricted growth.” April points out. “The hardest challenge is to get people to take the first step and try sports for the first time. We’ve about 200 members in Dwarf Athletics across the UK so we have a long way to go.”

It was through friends involved with Dwarf Athletics that April became a Christian. Arthur and Penny Dean made quite an impression on April in their calm, caring and considerate leadership of the DAAUK. Then when staying with Judy and Jason Irving, April asked if they were going to church. “I’ll never forget Judy’s answer,” April remembers. “If you want to go to church then we’ll go to church.” April describes that Sunday ‘like coming home’. “The next week I attended a baptism with Arthur and Penny. The sermon was about Zacchaeus, a very little man who couldn’t see above the tall crowd but wanted to meet Jesus. I knew exactly what Zacchaeus had faced and knew that I also wanted to meet Jesus.”

When asked what difference Jesus has made to her life she replies, “I couldn’t do what I do without Jesus. I was a totally different person before - angry and lonely. There now seem to be so many opportunities to help people with restricted growth and their families. Talking with Christian friends also involved in DAAUK has helped me so much. We are working together to make society aware of the issues in life we face. God has worked in our lives and given us a purpose and a way to serve him.”

Further information from www.efds.co.uk

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