New Charter to get many more disabled people active unveiled at Parliament
On Tuesday 24 February 2015 the English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS) unveiled the Charter for Change at the Houses of Parliament. Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson and Gerry Sutcliffe MP echoed calls for more organisations to commit their support and make the changes needed to ensure many more disabled people can reap the benefits of being active for life.
EFDS’s Honorary President, Baroness Grey-Thompson, introduced the Charter to a packed room of politicians, sportspeople and other key industry stakeholders at an evening session hosted by Gerry Sutcliffe MP, Chair of the Disability Sports All Party Parliamentary Group.
The event set out the importance of making real changes that will lead to more disabled people accessing, and continuing in, sporting opportunities.
In January, figures released for Sport England’s Active People Survey 8 showed 121,700 fewer disabled people participated in the period October 2013-2014 since the previous recording. The main reductions were in swimming, athletics and fitness and conditioning. The gap between non-disabled and disabled people’s participation has widened, with less than half the number of disabled people taking part in sport or physical activity for 30 minutes once a week, compared to non-disabled people.
However, research shows that most disabled people are not as active as they would like to be and that demand is not being met. EFDS’s Lifestyle Report released in 2013 found that seven in ten disabled people want to increase their physical activity.
Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson told those present:
“The latest participation figures for disabled people show us the need to do things differently. There are sports governing bodies who have done some great things, and others that need to do an awful lot better.
“I am really excited about the Charter because it is really simple and achievable. Much though I am a fan of elite sport and the Paralympics, that’s not what this is about. Sport and activity providers have to do more at the grassroots. Everybody needs to be doing more to give disabled people a chance to be fit and healthy.”
The Charter for Change is a result of EFDS and its partners’ rising concern over the low participation rates and the increased gap between disabled people's and non-disabled people’s activity.
The Active People Survey revealed that participation in swimming, which has consistently been the top participation sport for disabled people, had dipped substantially.
Adam Paker, Chief Executive for the Amateur Swimming Association, told EFDS after the launch:
“The figures are disappointing, there’s no getting away from it. We do have a problem, so now it’s all about getting back to the roots of it, understanding why the figures have gone down and using our insight and resource to understand that. That will allow us to build a new strategy for participation.
“What’s nice about the Charter is that it’s very clear and simple. There are three Asks within it, and we think we can support all three of those in equal measure. But we have to sustain that – this has been a great launch event but talk is cheap. It’s about the actions now.”
EFDS believes that everyone, especially those within Government, sport, fitness, health, education, third sector, communications and media, has the power to change minds and increase the number of active disabled people.
Organisations, outside of the sporting and fitness sector, need to also commit their support and use their influence for disabled people.
Newly co-opted EFDS Board member Dr Phil Friend OBE, a renowned disability rights advocate, said at the launch:
“What, in 20 years from now, will people say about disabled people’s participation in sport?
“This Charter is the beginning of something, and it’s really important. This is a vital moment in the participation of disabled people, not just actively engaging with sport but making a massive contribution to the way sport is run and how we go about engaging people.
“I think the Charter is a brilliant step forward and I really support it.”
The Charter sets out what disabled people say they need to make progress possible and outlines three asks:
- Everyone involved in providing sport or physical activity will support disabled people to participate.
- Disabled people will have the same opportunity as non-disabled people to be active throughout their lives.
- All communications about sport and physical activity will promote positive public attitudes towards disabled people’s participation.
Television and radio covered the Charter launch during the day, including live interviews on BBC Breakfast news and LBC radio. EFDS will now call upon organisations and key leaders to firmly commit their support to the Charter, including the UK's three main political leaders.
