Leaders unite at parliament for International Day of Disabled People
Leaders from across government, sport and the charity sector gathered at parliament last night for an important panel event. Chaired by Kim Leadbeater MP, the Minister for Disabled People, Tom Pursglove MP, and Baroness Amanda Sater were among speakers.
With less than one year to go until the next Paralympics Games in 2024, the APPG for Sport and APPG for Disability co-hosted a parliamentary session on Monday 4 December to mark the United Nations’ International Day of Disabled People.
The session brought together parliamentarians, athletes and key stakeholders, including Disability Rights UK, UK Sport, and the Richmond Group of Charities. Sport England’s Chief Executive Tim Hollingsworth sat alongside Adam Blaze, Chief Executive at Activity Alliance, with leading representatives from Paralympics GB and Sport and Recreation Alliance.
It was a powerful moment in time, to show the connection between grassroots and elite, and the potential for wider societal impact. Chair of the APPG for Sport Kim Leadbeater MP, kicked off the discussion by reiterating her commitment to ensuring accessible sports facilities and opportunities for all.
Everyone present urged government and the sport sector to do more to break down barriers and collaborate for greater change. The consensus was that it is not fair or right that disabled people continue to miss out on the physical health, mental health, and social benefits from being active.
With top athletes Jake Woods and Floran Steeples in the room, the conversation highlighted work going on across the UK to drive participation at all levels. This included Get Out Get Active, UK Sport’s Powered by Purpose and with the National Disability Sports Organisations.
The topic sparked crucial discussions around the inequalities and barriers disabled people face in the UK when it comes to getting active. The latest evidence from Activity Alliance in this year’s Annual Disability and Activity Survey tells us disabled people are more likely to say they want to be more active compared to non-disabled people (77% vs 54%) - an ‘activity gap’. This has remained consistent in previous years, showing an ongoing unmet need. Further, four in ten disabled people (37%) said the cost-of-living crisis has affected how active they are, versus three in ten non-disabled people (32%).
Anna Scott-Marshall, Director of Communications and Social Impact at Paralympics GB, led the opening question around the Paralympic Games and their power in raising awareness of sport, inclusion and opportunities. Anna highlighted the significant impact of the London 2012 Games and on wider disability sport, highlighting the opportunity for this to be repeated for Paris 2024.
There was consensus in the room that to ensure a lasting impact, the sector must be ready to capitalise on the interest in sport for disabled people that peaks around the Paralympics Games. Alongside this, the fact that the Games do not include every impairment group or long-term health condition means we need to take a wider look at participation and inclusive marketing communications.
Discussion expanded to the wider factors that prevent disabled people wanting to be or being active. In his response, Adam included cost of living, workforce skills and the psychological barriers as a disabled person. He called on people to be braver and bolder in calling out the issues and being relentless in pointing out what needs to change.
Representation and ensuring more disabled people have opportunities to become leaders across sport was a key topic. The new DCMS Sport Strategy, Get Active, has a part to play in this, and its intention to ensure sport and physical activity is accessible to everyone regardless of background or postcode. Tim pinpointed the target set within the government Strategy to get 700,000 more disabled people active by 2030 and a need for cross-government work to realistically achieve this.
Tim, who sits on the newly formed physical activity taskforce, and is also the government’s Disability and Access Ambassador for sport and leisure, wants to ensure disabled people’s leadership is part of ongoing assessments and plans. All in the room agreed better representation at all levels, from volunteers to boardrooms, would make a vast difference to the sector and society.
As highlighted by Disability Rights UK, for many disabled people, the benefits’ system and the ‘fear of being or being seen to be active’ continue to deter disabled people. The Activity Trap: Disabled people's fear of being active commissioned by the Dwarf Sports Association UK and delivered by Activity Alliance in 2018 shows almost half of disabled people fear losing their benefits if they are seen to be physically active.
The call on government, with the Minister in the room, was to review and make necessary changes to the system to enable disabled people to be active in all aspects of their lives.
Drawing the event to a close, Leigh Thompson from the Sport and Recreation Alliance, pointed to the event being a step to more conversations, collaboration. and change. As 2024 comes closer, among the sporting prowess that a Paralympic year promises, organisations around the table will continue to collaborate across the sector and with government.
Thank you to all speakers and guests who made the event a success.
