New pilot programme 'Let's Play' offers disabled people local sporting opportunities
Sport England has joined forces with British Wheelchair Basketball and five other disability sport bodies to deliver a new pilot programme offering disabled people the opportunity to get involved in sport locally.
The one-year pilot will involved 12 one-day multisport events across the nine regions of England, with the first Let's Play event and programme launch taking place on Wednesday 25 March at the Trafford Soccerdome in Manchester. During the events disabled people will be able to try different sports. Plus, they’ll meet local club volunteers and find out when and where they can play locally.
Funded by £148,140 of National Lottery funding from Sport England, British Wheelchair Basketball and five other disability sport bodies – Powerchair Football, Boccia England, Goalball UK, GB Wheelchair Rugby and the Tennis Foundation – will offer people with a range of impairments the chance to get involved in sport locally.
Representatives from EFDS and the National Disability Sports Organisations (NDSOs) will be attending the launch event on Wednesday. NDSOs provide opportunities for people with specific impairments to take part in sport and physical activity, as well as offering advice and support. The Let's Play is a great opportunity for disabled people to learn more about the NDSOs and find out how they can get involved impairment specific sports and activities.
There are eight National Disability Sports Organisations: British Blind Sport, Cerebral Palsy Sport, Dwarf Sports Association UK, LimbPower, Mencap Sport, Special Olympics Great Britain, UK Deaf Sport and WheelPower.
The partnership is part of a wider £5 million Take-up Programme from Sport England, which aims to boost the number of disabled people regularly playing sport. Currently there is a significant imbalance between the number of disabled and non-disabled people playing sport.
Sport England Chair, Nick Bitel said:
'We’re constantly striving to get more disabled people involved in sport, making it a practical lifestyle choice.
'Our investment into British Wheelchair Basketball, working in partnership with five other disability sport governing bodies for the Let’s Play programme will provide disabled people with the opportunity to take part in a range of sports and find the ones that interest them most, hopefully leading them to play sport regularly.'
The programme is about getting disabled people interested in sport – and turning that interest into a regular sporting habit. It’s hoped that the scheme will show how sports and disability organisations can work together to share findings and get results.
Charlie Bethel, Chief Executive Officer of British Wheelchair Basketball, said:
'This programme will empower local communities and groups that have never previously been engaged through the sporting landscape. It will provide more people from hard to reach communities the opportunity to take part and play sport in an enjoyable environment.'
