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Disabled people in the in the Hawke鈥檚 Bay are realising their potential and improving their quality of life with adaptive fitness classes, thanks to former personal trainer Leana Becker, who founded Adaptive Whakauru Tahi (AWT) a year ago.

Leana discovered a need for adaptable fitness for those with visible and invisible disabilities through her time as a functional-based gym owner.

It all started when a client, Regan, asked if his daughter Ayda, who has Downs Syndrome, could join a children鈥檚 CrossFit class. Without much experience supporting disabled participants, Leana called on Regan鈥檚 knowledge to help and gained insights from other families with disabled children as well.

鈥淎fter speaking to their families, I realised they just wanted the same opportunity for their children that we get for a child without a disability, but access to those opportunities were limited,鈥� explains Leana.

Leana approached Sport Hawke鈥檚 Bay for support and applied successfully for T奴 Manawa funding through the regional sports trust and AWT was born.

Sport Hawke鈥檚 Bay disability and inclusion adviser Blanche Paewai-Ashcroft says AWT classes are open to the public, so participants of all abilities can connect and improve their health and wellbeing together.

鈥淭hese classes provide social interaction, achievement and mental growth which all help to enrich daily lives and routines.鈥�

A year on, five trainers work alongside Leana at AWT, including Regan. They work with schools, community groups and disability groups throughout the Hawke鈥檚 Bay, offering free classes to the community.

鈥淲e started off with six clients, one class and one trainer. Now, we have disability-specific, community, children鈥檚 and one-to-one sessions, and even home visits on Tuesdays to Fridays with 100-plus people,鈥� says Leana.

Blind Low Vision and the region鈥檚 Disability Resource Centre both include these sessions into their weekly routines with participants regularly attending. Trainers also go into Hohepa (a disability service provider) and work with Havelock North Intermediate鈥檚 special needs unit.

Leana has also established a board comprising people with lived experience (one trustee is quad paraplegic and motivational speaker Korrin Barrett) to guide and support her. She works alongside participants as well, to ensure her classes are meeting their needs.

鈥淲e like to empower each individual not to be defined or limited by their disability and to get them to achieve small goals that give them a feeling of accomplishment with a desire to grow that further,鈥� says Leana.

For example, one young man discovered new ways to be active because of his sessions at AWT.

鈥淗e refused to participate in PE at school. He didn't run because he thought he couldn't. And so we really broke down those walls, changing from accepting a 鈥榯his is just how it is鈥� attitude to a 鈥業 can and I will鈥� kind of attitude. Now he is thriving.鈥�

A group of disabled young people AWT supports have new-found confidence too after competing in the Harcourts Women鈥檚 Triathlon recently.听

Leana had worked with organisers to ensure the event was accessible for disabled participants, ensuring they had their own transition area, guides and tandem bikes and trikes if needed.

鈥淭here were a lot of tears at the end 鈥� happy tears of accomplishment and disbelief. That day, the community saw people with disabilities out there winning at life.鈥�

Next steps for Leana are to find a permanent home for her business rather than working out of two gyms and a community hall as she is currently. She also wants to expand Adaptive Whakauru Tahi into Napier and bring sponsors on board.

鈥淎t the end of the day, AWT is about the people. We want to improve their quality of life, bring the disabled and non-disabled communities together and show that people with disabilities also have goals, dreams and desires.鈥�