Athlone revels in trolley race triumph

Cheers and laughter filled the grounds of Training Workshops Unlimited (TWU) in Athlone, as people with intellectual disability took part in the Trolley Race, the TWU’s annual fun and sports day. 

The TWU is a project of Cape Mental Health and is a specialised programme that trains people with intellectual disabilities in life and work skills. 

Every year, over 600 trainees from the TWU workshops in Athlone, Khayelitsha, Mitchell’s Plain and Retreat, come together in a friendly competition to race trolleys and wheelchairs against one another in a bid to win the coveted Trolley Race Trophy. This year it was held on Thursday March 20. Teams also challenge one another in dance-offs and team-spirit war cries. The event is also an opportunity to raise much-needed funds for the workshops. This year the Athlone workshop brought home the trophy for best athletic team and Nonceba workshop from Khayelitsha won the accolade of raising the most funds on the day. 

Nomfundo Skiti has been a member of TWU for 10 years and now works in Athlone Workshops Garden Pot Center. 

“The Trolley Race is an event I look forward to every year. It is the time when all of the trainees from the four workshops come together to have fun and socialise in a safe environment,” said Nomfundo.

The Trolley Race is TWU’s annual event during Intellectual Disability Awareness Month (IDAM) in March. This drive raises awareness, addresses challenges, promotes inclusivity, and helps break the stigma of living with an intellectual disability. 

The theme for IDAM 2025 is “Don’t leave me behind … understanding the challenges young persons with intellectual disability face.” The theme, which was selected by the South African Federation of Mental Health (SAFMH), highlights the difficulties young people with intellectual disability face, especially as they transition into adulthood.

SAFMH states that youth in South Africa are facing ever-mounting challenges and uncertainty. These challenges include unemployment, rising cost of living, a lack of opportunities, poverty, and limited access to quality education (Everatt, 2024). These challenges are significantly increased among youth with disabilities, including youth with intellectual disability. 

“Young persons with intellectual disabilities want to and can work; they just need the opportunity,” said Michel’le Donnelly, the project leader in advocacy and awareness at SAFMH.  

Barbara Meyer, Cape Mental Health’s spokesperson, said employment in the open labour market remains elusive for young people with intellectual disability.

“This makes the work of Cape Mental Health and TWU so important, as we actively advocate and create opportunities for young people looking for greater independence and self-determination within their families and society.  But no one was left behind at the Trolley Race this year, as TWU staff and trainees made sure that everyone had a chance to race, cheer and participate to their best abilities, making it a wonderful day for everyone who attended.