There were plenty of smiles and enthusiastic participants as members of the Bathurst community with a disability took to the ice rink for yesterday's All Abilities Day.
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Now in its third year, the partnership between LiveBetter Community Services and Bathurst Regional Council offers people with a disability their own personalised Winter Festival experience.
LiveBetter community access manager Michelle Stark said the event is about empowering people in Bathurst with a disability to experience ice skating in a safe environment.
"The personalised sessions allow smaller groups access to the ice rink, providing a safe and enjoyable environment for people living with a disability," Ms Stark said.
"It's important to show as a community that we're inclusive of everyone."
The event saw around 300 people take to the ice rink yesterday, with some travelling a great distance to attend.
"We had clients from as far away as Nyngan and Cobar attend the event, and there's also a few from Sydney," Ms Stark said.
"As far as I know, this ice rink is the only one in the state that caters for people with a disability, so we hope to continue attracting people from further afield."
Ms Stark said the sessions provide clients with an outlet to be themselves in an environment unfamiliar to what they'd normally experience.
"Whether they're able-bodied or confined to a wheelchair, the ice offers clients a different sensation akin to what it provides for people without a disability," she said.
"It's also enjoyable for us as carers at it gets us out of the office for a few hours to fly around the ice rink."