The new Bridlington Town disabled football team is a big hit

The new team is run by Steve Wardill and his wife Donna.

Steve Wardill said: “My wife Donna and I run the Bridlington Town Disabled Football Team.

"We have a full committee who are as follows; President Paul Squires, Vice president Steve Wardill, Treasurer Donna Wardill, Secretary Kane Simcox; Trainers Kyle Samanjoul and Kev Bacon.

“We are a non-profit voluntary organization.

“Donna and i have three disabled adults living with us, Donna’s two brothers and our son.

"They are all able bodied and love sport.

"In the Bridlington area there were no facilities for disabled football so we decided to do something about it.

"In July one of the lads came home from the day centre they attend (Priory View in Bridlington) and said there was a student there called Alex Squires, who was a new student, and he had said his dad used to run disabled football in Bradford where they had just moved from.

“I got his dad Paul’s number and gave him a call. We arranged a meeting and set up a training session at CYP Gypsey Road. We put lots of information on social media and hoped some people would turn up.

“The response was heart warming, we had four to five new people turn up on the first training session in July (who are still all with us).

“August started and we had enough members to make up a couple of five-a-side teams with substitutes.

“Paul had been in touch with his contacts from Bradford and before you knew it we had a tournament booked with 70 people travelling over from Bradford and Salts.

"Paul had been in touch with the chairman of Bridlington Town Football Club Pete Smurthwaite, who readily agreed to let us hold the tournament at Town’s Queensgate ground.

"He also put on a free lunch for all who attended and gave us the previously used Town kit to play in.

“After the games finished we went into the club house where everyone who took part received a medal donated by Smurthwaite.

“The day was a great success and we got raffle prizes donated from local businesses such as Morrisons and Spar shop as well as many other individuals.

“Following that we were also invited to attend a football tournament in Bradford where over 50 teams from all over the United Kingdom attended.”

The team have also been handed a major kit boost.

Steve Wardill added: “We were lucky enough to have been presented with a fantastic looking new kit from the Melvin Welburn Foundation who came along to training one evening and did the presentation.

"We have been supported by a national taxi company 24/7, who for this area are based in Market Weighton (they take our three lads to the day centre four days a week). They put on two minibuses paid for the fuel and the drivers gave their time voluntarily.

"Bridlington Town also donated their team minibus for the day.

"We train every Friday at CYP 3G pitches between 7pm and 8pm.

"We currently have 21 members and hopefully if we can get more awareness this will increase in the new year as we have now cancelled training until after the festivities.

"We are also looking for an indoor facility until the weather improves.

“Last month we held a Christmas party for the team at Bridlington Town FC where we had a disco hosted by Paul Squires and a surprise visit from Santa.

"A fantastic night was had and it was attended by over 50 members and their families or carers.”