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British Blind Sport release barriers to participation research study

British Blind Sport are proud to launch an extensive study exploring the barriers that restrict visually impaired people from enjoying sport and how successful participants have overcome these challenges.

British Blind Sport have worked for 40 years to help blind and partially sighted people get active and play sport. Sport and recreational activities can enhance the lives of people with visual impairments, by improving their health and increasing their social interaction. British Blind Sport are keen to work with both existing and new partners to develop relationships that will provide greater sporting opportunities for people with sight loss.

Often small adaptations to an event or more thoughtful communication can make a huge difference in encouraging and enabling visually impaired people to join in and participate.

Top VI Friendly Recommendations

  • Communication: share your events with British Blind Sport so they can help promote them on their website, magazines and social media channels.
  • Online: provide text descriptions of images, write using a minimum of size 14 font and use webpages rather than document links.
  • Event location: ensure convenient public transport links or plentiful blue badge spaces. Include a postcode and link to a map in the event description.
  • Accessibility: use Sport England’s audit guidelines to test if equipment and facilities are VI friendly and provide awareness training to customer-facing staff.
  • Reassurance and support: provide the name and telephone number of someone who can help with queries, encourage friends and family members to attend.
  • Be informed: use British Blind Sport’s resources to help coaches involve VI people and encourage VI people to talk about their needs and suggest ideas.

Read the research

To read or download British Blind Sport's overcoming barriers to visually impaired participation research click here.

This extensive study explored the barriers that restrict visually impaired people from enjoying sport and how successful participants have overcome these challenges.

If you would like to find out more or have any questions about this research study, please contact Thomas Davies, Insight & Information Officer at British Blind Sport:

Email: support@britishblindsport.org.uk