Lakers Social and Recreational Club
Lakers Social & Recreation Club provides a supported, fun, and educational place for people with intellectual disabilities, to grow, learn, and reach their individual potential in a safe environment. Our activities are chosen by our members and cater for their individual needs. Lakers Social and Recreational Club runs over 60 different sports, arts and social activities throughout the year with the support of a small group of staff and over 160 dedicated volunteers.
overview
Lakers Social & Recreational Club supports just under 400 members with intellectual disabilities aged 5 to 70 years old. We offer a vast array of activities at our club including, football, basketball, skiiing, art, craftmaking, pottery, golf, cookery skills, IT skills and more. We also organise social outings, a drop in evening with dinner, holidays and even a summer camp. We offer over 60 activities a week and are open 7 days. The Lakers activities and drop in are often the only social and recreational opportunity many of our members have. Our members love Lakers, which is like a second home for them, it is their club, a place they feel safe to be themselves. Members come from all over Wicklow and South County Dublin to attend our club. Waiting lists are often long for our supported activities.
where your money goes
Your donations are used to support our members activities, activities supplies, staff (including activities instructors) and running of our centre where the activities take place (lights, heating insurance etc).
history
Lakers was started by a group of parents who saw a big whole in the supports for children with intellectual disabilities outside of school and service times. There was no social groups, no sports activities, or after schools clubs that could cater for or accept people with special needs. So in 1989 a small basketball club called Lakers was formed. Lakers grew very quickly and soon started to do more sporting activities. As more parents and community members became involved they noticed that many families were still not getting the support they needed as their children were not interested in sports. From 3 parents and 6 volunteers, 30 years later, after a lot of hard graft by these families, a lot of funding applications and fundraising Lakers has grown in to the wonderful charity it is today with a small team of staff and 160 volunteers ensuring that we can provide support, activities and social opportunities for just under 400 members.
Unit 28B,
+353 (0) 93 52467
