I know that’s what I was thinking, until forum user KiwiJenn introduced me to Electric Wheelchair Sports! Jenn, who runs the Invacare boards, is part of the national electric wheelchair sports team, the NZ Powerblacks, who compete in Australia once each year in the National Electric Wheelchair Sports tournament. Electric wheelchair sports comprise three different games, all modified for power chair users. Rugby League: Where players call each others numbers while passing a ‘virtual ball’, and conversions are done by

Touch Compass are 10 years old! And to celebrate it, their unique integrated style of dance, featuring both those with impairments and those without, is winding its way through the North Island for a 4-stop tour. From the official site: Renowned New Zealand integrated dance company Touch Compass celebrates its 10th anniversary with a four centre North Island tour. Auckland 17- 20th Oct, Maidment theatre Bookings: (09) 308 2383 or www.maidment.auckland.ac.nz Whangarei 31 Oct, Forum North Bookings: (09) 430 4244

It’s good to see the NZ Herald getting behind disabled athletes and publishing stories like this one about 14-year old swimmer Sophie Pascoe, who recently won five gold medals at the world wheelchair and amputee championships in Taiwan. Sophie, who is an amputee, also won gold in the 100m backstroke at the recent Paralympics World Cup in Manchester, England, and in fact was NZ’s sole representative at the event. Her main goal is to score a few medals in Beijing

Then this is the place for you! The linked article describes a bushwalk set in the 35-hectare World Heritage-listed Lamington National Park, and features a special bush walk designed for those with vision impairments called ‘Senses Trail’. The 500m-long trail was the first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. It has 13 stopping places with signs in braille. A rope guides walkers along the trail, and small rope tails hanging from it warn there’s a step coming: one tail