This amateur film shows competitors from Percy Hedley School, Newcastle in their distinctive red tracksuits, competing at the National Spastics Games at Stoke Mandeville Hospital at Aylesbury in 1971. The film opens at the events ground at Stoke Mandeville hospital where the National Spastics games for 1971 is taking place. An athlete wearing a purple or blue tracksuit top throws a ball, shot put style from the starting semi-circle. His teammates all in purple watch nearby. A team makes his...

This amateur film shows competitors from Percy Hedley School, Newcastle in their distinctive red tracksuits, competing at the National Spastics Games at Stoke Mandeville Hospital at Aylesbury in 1971. The film opens at the events ground at Stoke Mandeville hospital where the National Spastics games for 1971 is taking place. An athlete wearing a purple or blue tracksuit top throws a ball, shot put style from the starting semi-circle. His teammates all in purple watch nearby. A team makes his attempt and throws the ball with an overarm technique. From a wheelchair, a member of the team from Percy Hedley school prepares to throw a discus. A female team member throws hers from a standing position, and another female athlete throws her discus from a wheelchair. A female athlete with the letters ‘PHS’ on the back of her tee shirt competes in a shot put event. General views show teams, associate staff, and officials in groups on the sports field. Another athlete possibly from a different team throws a discus, followed by a throw from a member of the Percy Hedley team. A view follows of a tape measure and a metal marker on the grass at the point where the discus landed. A member of the school team appears on a tricycle holding a toy panda above his head. He cycles towards his teammates and stops. The toy panda wears red, presumably, this is a team mascot. The film cuts to a Percy Hedley athlete throwing a basketball, an official walks towards where it lands. The athlete makes a second throw. General views follow of some of the female Percy Hedley team members The next event shows a member of the school team preparing to throw a javelin at a target marked on the field. The target shows concentric circles, similar to a dartboard. Another team member takes his attempt at the target, he makes a number of throws from his wheelchair. The next event is marked on a sign next to the competitor as ‘light ball’ The athlete from the school team sits in a wheelchair and throws a basketball or one of a similar size using a backward overhead throw. An official or assistant gives the athlete another ball to throw, as the distance of the first is measured. The film moves to a discus event, where a Percy Hedley athlete kneels on the grass from the throwing base. The discus lands and the position marked by an official. Another member of the school team takes his throw of the discus. A female athlete, steadying herself with one hand on a walking frame, throws her discus. The next event shows Indian club throwing, an athlete throws his club backward from his wheelchair. General views show members of the Percy Hedley team amongst a crowd of members from other teams and other spectators. They all start applauding as a man speaks into a microphone. A wheelchair obstacle course is the next challenge as the Percy Hedley wheelchair athlete sets off from the start. He takes the course at speed. On a hard tarmac track with marked lanes, a tricycle race commences. The film cuts to a view of the spectators sitting on the grass verge. On the same track, a different event as a wheelchair race starts. The Percy Hedley athlete streaks ahead to the finish. The film cuts back to the wheelchair obstacle course, as a school team member takes his turn. The film cuts back to another wheelchair race on the track, followed by another. On the obstacle course seen earlier, a member of the Percy Hedley team rides a tricycle around the course. An official gives some guidance as the rider approaches each obstacle. A group gathering of the Percy Hedley team poses for the camera. The film cuts back to a track event, a wheelchair race. General views follow of some of the Percy Hedley team mingling with staff or sitting on the field in wheelchairs waiting patiently. A view of a club throwing event with Perch Hedley athletes follows. A mark made as the club landed is measured with a tape measure. Other athletes from the school team take their turn. The javelin is next as a Percy Hedley pupil throws from his wheelchair. An official rushes up to where the javelin has stuck in the ground and marks the position. A measurement is taken. Three men in suits watch a school wheelchair athlete throw a ball. The film cuts to another event, as a referee drops a ball between two wheelchair athletes who face each other at the centre of an all-weather pitch. It appears to a game of football where participating members are in wheelchairs or on foot. It’s not clear which teams are participating as everyone is wearing something different, it may be an event which is ad hoc and not part of the official programme. The film ends as the match continues.