YOUNGSTERS from Swindon College are being given special lessons designed to increase their sporting involvement.

Great Britain wheelchair basketball player Ben Fox has been drafted in as part of a special programme designed to get those who would not normally participate in sport involved.

Over the next several weeks he will hold a series of classes for the Foundation Learning students, which helps students with physical or learning difficulties reach their full potential.

Each one will focus one different skills needed for wheelchair basketball and those who show the most potential could make a team represent the college.

“I love doing these classes and seeing the students develop,” said Ben.

“We held the first one several weeks ago and everyone was a bit quiet. Now you can see there is lot more noise as they’ve come out of their shell and some leaders are starting to show.

“It’s great to see these classes, which can make such a difference, becoming more popular. I think every school should do something similar.

“Every week we are focusing on a different skill, such as dodging or agility and then at the end we will have a game.”

The sessions have been taking place at the Oasis and have proved very popular among the students.

It is organised by the college, with the support of Swindon Council.

Sport Maker Josef Thomas, who is in charge of the course, said: “The aim for us to get the students more active because it can have many benefits.

“When getting the course together I avoid the students who are already involved in sport and instead look to get people who may not have played sport before involved.

“For them it’s great because a lot of them will never have had the chance to play sport competitively or even use a gym hall like this. You can see the impact this is having already and everyone enjoys it.”

Early next year, the college is looking to put together a team which will be made up from those taking part in the course.

Josef said: “We are going to choose a squad in March and the team will take part in a regional competition to represent the college.”