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EFDS AGM will recall 'tremendous progress' and set out plans for the future

This year, the English Federation of Disability Sport’s Annual General Meeting on Thursday 3 July 2014 will welcome representatives from our Members. Held at the home of the national charity in SportPark, Loughborough, the attendees will hear a range of presentations, which recall this year’s achievements and set out plans for the future.

Barry Horne, the English Federation of Disability Sport’s (EFDS) Chief Executive said:

“I am incredibly proud of the work we have undertaken over the last twelve months. Staff, Board, Members and volunteers have worked hard to ensure EFDS is an organisation, which continues to thrive. The tremendous progress we have made over the year has seen us build new partnerships, deliver greater outcomes and achieve a positive position across the sport and recreation sectors.”

Included in this year’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be the proposed EFDS membership for LimbPower (the organisation for sport, exercise and activities to aid the rehabilitation of amputees) as well as our Board election considerations.

EFDS will present to Members EFDS’s overall strategic direction, which reinforces the continued relevance of our overall strategy “Active for Life”. It also commits us to refreshing that strategy this autumn. EFDS’s CEO report at the AGM will emphasise the increasing importance of our role as advocates for disabled people in sport and physical activity.

During the meeting, Members will consider our 2013-14 Annual Report. The report is crammed full of positive and impressive stories. EFDS’s Lifestyle Report, released in September 2013, is recognised as a key piece of work for the charity. It moved EFDS to be central to the growth of research into disabled people’s needs for and perspectives on being active.

Our Chair, Charles Reed, writes in the Annual Report:

“This seminal review has provided a new baseline from which to better understand disabled people’s feelings about being active, the barriers to participation, their motivational drivers and their preferences for activities.”

EFDS will seek to harness its existing resources and those of partners over the coming 12 months to influence the policy and practice, which could significantly boost activity levels amongst disabled people. In particular, we will seek to influence considerations in the run up to the 2015 General Election, to push for a focus on physical activity and sport as the number one Public Health priority.

A meeting for Regional Members will follow the AGM and should provide an opportunity for us to strengthen our regional working going forward.

EFDS would like to extend our thanks to everyone who has made it such a successful year for the charity. We look forward to building on the achievements of 2013-2014.