There’s been a clash of codes – and wheels – this week to raise money and awareness for special education centres across the country.
A wheel-a-thon has been running all month with the goal of raising $15,000 to help run 12 Conductive Education centres across the country.
The programme was developed to help enhance the quality of life for people with motor disorders.
Today, the Canterbury Chargers wheelchair rugby team took on some of the Black Ferns to help the cause.
The Chargers made it clear they weren’t going to go easy on the newcomers to the sport.
Former Black Fern Kendra Cocksedge said before the match that she was "pretty nervous" taking on the team.
"We're going to have a wheel around with the Canterbury Chargers and they told us they're not going to go lightly. We've gotta be brave for the challenge that’s about to come at us," she said.
Wheel Black Jacinta Richardson said getting used to the contact "can be quite overwhelming".
At half-time, Black Fern Amy du Plessis confirmed that view.
"Oh my gosh, it was really tough. I probably underestimated it, but it was really physical," she said.
Children at Conductive Education Canterbury and their parents watched the game with anticipation from the sidelines.
"The biggest thing, I think, is for our children to see what they could be capable of, that disability isn't a barrier," Rachel Nowicki, the mum of three-year-old Samuel, said.
du Plessis said the match was challenging but it was "cool we can come out here and show face and hopefully inspire the younger generation".
Fundraising was critical as not all of the centres received government support.
"Some of our centres don't get any government funding so we've come up with this concept, The Wheelie Awesome Wheel-a-thon, to raise funds across New Zealand," Conductive Education Canterbury’s Rebecca Courtney said.
"We heard about the Paralympics and we thought let’s get on board as well with getting the Canterbury Chargers involved. A lot of our people have wheelchairs so it’s a lovely synergy."
Cocksedge called Conductive Education a "great programme", adding: "It's awesome to be able to give people the support that’s required to be able to do everything they can in everyday life."
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