New ambassadors take on charity role to tackle inequalities in sport
Following the launch of the charity’s new strategy ‘We All Belong’, Eve Roberts, Ben Andrews, Temi Johnson, and Harrie Larrington-Spencer are today announced as Activity Alliance’s first Ambassadors.
They will join Honorary President Tanni Grey Thompson, Vice Presidents John Amaechi OBE and Dr Phillip Friend OBE alongside the charity’s wider network to champion change so disabled people can be as active as they want to be.
The news comes as only four in ten (43%) disabled people feel they have the chance to be as active as they want to be, compared to seven in ten (69%) non-disabled people (Activity Alliance Annual Disability and Activity Survey 2023/24). The charity hopes to help change these statistics by elevating lived experiences across their and others’ work.
Ben, who is Managing Director of Beyond Empower, children’s author and disabled people’s rights activist, is passionate about working towards a more inclusive world for disabled people driven by his own personal experience of being registered blind.
He said:
"I am proud to be joining Activity Alliance today as an Ambassador. Together, we hope to change the record when it comes to the everyday inequalities disabled people face in sport.
"I have followed Activity Alliance closely over the years, initially as a go-to to support my own research and as a close partner through my company Beyond Empower across Greater Manchester. The work the charity does to get disabled people active nationwide is invaluable and I hope together we can help all disabled people to enjoy the benefits of sport and activity."
Eve was once a disengaged disabled student who perceived herself to be at a disadvantage within sport. She is a former U25s programme athlete and supported Activity Alliance’s pilot youth advisory panel. Eve now works strategically as a professional in equality, inclusion and diversity within sport to ensure inclusion is embedded and diversity is celebrated within sports and physical activity. She said:
"I feel proud to be in a position I never thought I would be in and even prouder to be an Ambassador for Activity Alliance. My lived experience and finding an inclusive environment within sport has truly shaped my drive to ensure inclusion is everywhere.
"Sport has offered so much for me, as I know it can, and does for others. I feel proud to be in a position I never thought I would be in and even prouder to be an Ambassador for Activity Alliance."
Sarah Brown-Fraser, Head of Communications and Policy at Activity Alliance, said:
"There is much to do to reduce the inequalities that disabled people face daily in sports and activities, whether taking part or pursuing a career. We recognise the power that sharing lived experiences can have on changing attitudes and our new strategy, ‘We All Belong’ points to working collaboratively as an ambition.
"Our new Ambassadors are real advocates for change. Great people bringing our work to life, this is just the beginning, we are grateful to be working with Eve, Temi, Andrew and Harrie to ensure society and sport is more welcoming and accessible to everyone."
To find out more about all of Activity Alliance’s Ambassadors visit our advocates page on our website.
