Jeantique Hommel has started a climbing social to give disabled people a chance to be active and to feel supported by a community
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A woman from Barnet has started a climbing group to give disabled people a chance to be active and feel supported by a community.
Jeantique Hommel won bronze at the 2019 UK BMC Paraclimbing Nationals.
The 26-year-old has a condition called Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS), a rare genetic disorder which can cause chronic pain.
Jeantique Hommel believes climbing has helped with both her physical and mental health. Credit: Jeantique Hommel
Jeantique believes climbing has helped her both physically and mentally and said: “There are some interesting overlaps between hEDS and various mental health difficulties.
“This is something that I personally relate to as I have struggled with my mental health for a long time.
“Ultimately, the main thing that has kept me afloat and helped me stay out of the total darkness of mental illness in recent years has been climbing.
“I am not currently able to work due to my physical health limitations and have minimal daily structure besides medical appointments – climbing really has been my saving grace.
“I know I would be in a much worse position, both physically and mentally without it.
“Living in London, I have been incredibly lucky to find a diverse community of paraclimbers who have a wide range of physical and mental health conditions, and have become my close friends for life.
“We understand each other’s disabilities and neurodiversity, and adapt to one another’s needs to ensure that climbing is as accessible and fun as possible for all of us.”
Climbing for all
Paraclimbers learning to climb at The Arc, Edgware. Credit: Jeantique Hommel
Disability sports charity Activity Alliance found that during the pandemic disabled people were twice as likely to feel they were not able to exercise compared to non-disabled people.
The group meets once a month to climb at the Arch climbing centre in Edgware. The walls at the climbing centre can be adapted to cater for each person’s needs.
Wheelchair ramps make the walls more accessible, and extra holds can be attached to the walls to make them easier to climb.
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HeadlineNew paraclimbing group helping disabled people get active after lockdown
Short HeadlineNew paraclimbing group in North London
StandfirstA new paraclimbing initiative has started in North London to bring together the disabled community.
A woman from Barnet has started a climbing group to give disabled people a chance to be active and feel supported by a community.
Jeantique Hommel won bronze at the 2019 UK BMC Paraclimbing Nationals.
The 26-year-old has a condition called Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS), a rare genetic disorder which can cause chronic pain.
Jeantique Hommel believes climbing has helped with both her physical and mental health. Credit: Jeantique Hommel
Jeantique believes climbing has helped her both physically and mentally and said: “There are some interesting overlaps between hEDS and various mental health difficulties.
“This is something that I personally relate to as I have struggled with my mental health for a long time.
“Ultimately, the main thing that has kept me afloat and helped me stay out of the total darkness of mental illness in recent years has been climbing.
“I am not currently able to work due to my physical health limitations and have minimal daily structure besides medical appointments – climbing really has been my saving grace.
“I know I would be in a much worse position, both physically and mentally without it.
“Living in London, I have been incredibly lucky to find a diverse community of paraclimbers who have a wide range of physical and mental health conditions, and have become my close friends for life.
“We understand each other’s disabilities and neurodiversity, and adapt to one another’s needs to ensure that climbing is as accessible and fun as possible for all of us.”
Climbing for all
Paraclimbers learning to climb at The Arc, Edgware. Credit: Jeantique Hommel
Disability sports charity Activity Alliance found that during the pandemic disabled people were twice as likely to feel they were not able to exercise compared to non-disabled people.
The group meets once a month to climb at the Arch climbing centre in Edgware. The walls at the climbing centre can be adapted to cater for each person’s needs.
Wheelchair ramps make the walls more accessible, and extra holds can be attached to the walls to make them easier to climb.
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