1,000 people milestone for Sainsbury’s Inclusive Community Training

Over a thousand people have now received training through Sainsbury’s Inclusive Community Training, part of the Active Kids for All scheme, designed to support more disabled people to be more active.

The key focus is to support professionals and community workers who have direct contact with disabled people by helping them to introduce healthier active lifestyles to those they support.

A group of physiotherapists in Nottingham has just taken the number of people trained through the scheme to 1,000 just a year after launch.

One participant said:

“The workshop was above and beyond what I expected. It was fun and I learnt many ways to modify activities, and it made me think of things from a different perspective.”

Another participant added:

“The workshop gave me lots of ideas for how I can offer sport to everyone."

Lisa O’Keefe, Director of Insight for Sport England, said:

“Sport plays a really important role in keeping people active and improving health and wellbeing. If we are to encourage many more disabled people to play sport, we need to ensure that sport delivers what people want – but importantly we must make it so easy for disabled people, and all those organisations around them, to choose sport. I’m clear that Sainsbury’s Inclusive Community Training can help make that happen.”

To mark 1,000 successfully trained community staff and volunteers, the English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS) has produced two compelling videos that tell the story of the scheme and how others can get involved.

Chris Ratcliffe, Director of Development at EFDS, said:  

“Sainsbury’s Inclusive Community Training allows us collectively to reach more disabled people through physical activity and sport, making active lives possible. At EFDS we are really excited to see the impact of this initiative unfold and these new videos give a great taster for the training.”

Tara Hewitt, Head of Sponsorship at Sainsbury’s said:

“Our commitment to inclusive sport is brought to life at a local level through the Inclusive Community Training programme.  I’m really pleased that our support has allowed so many people receive this specialist training which will result in more disabled people accessing sport and physical activity.”

The films are available on the EFDS website, as well as many more resources relating both to the Sainsbury’s Inclusive Community Training and other information on disabled people in sport and physical activity.

EFDS research reveals that only two out of every 10 disabled people are active regularly. While many want to do more, 70% of those surveyed are not aware of any local opportunities.

Sainsbury’s Inclusive Community Training provides an opportunity for us to increase engagement supporting our vision that disabled people are active for life.

Sainsbury’s Inclusive Community Training is funded by Sport England through the National Lottery, receiving £1 million in 2013 to train 10,000 people by 2016.

It is delivered by the English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS) in partnership with sports Coach UK. All programme partners through this initiative have made a commitment to support more disabled people to be more active.

The training consists of a three hour face-to-face session complimented by online resources - it costs just £10 per participant (further subsidies may apply).

For further information, please contact Jimmy Smallwood, Communications Officer, by email jsmallwood@efds.co.uk or telephone 07794 525034. Kat Southwell, Active Kids for All Manager, by email AK4A@efds.co.uk or telephone 01509 227751