There are nearly 14 million disabled people in the United Kingdom, equaling 22% of the population. And in a 2013 study by the Activity Alliance, 7 out of 10 disabled people stated they wanted to increase their physical activity."
As well as making good business sense to be welcoming to a huge section of our community, there is also a legal duty. The Equality Act 2010 requires sports clubs and providers to make reasonable adjustments to services so everyone has access and there is no exemption for private clubs." (Access for All: Opening Doors, Activity Alliance, 2013)
Each nation has a key organisation working towards making active lives possible for people with disabilities. They work in collaboration with a number of different stakeholders inside and outside of the sports industry.
NDSOS
The National Disability Sports Organisations (NDSOs) are a good starting point for groups who want to ensure their activities cater for disabled participants. They provide advice, support and opportunities for people of all ages with specific impairments.
British Blind Sport: aims to provide visually impaired people with the
opportunity to participate in sport.
Cerebral Palsy Sport: aims to improve quality of life for people with cerebral
palsy and other physical disabilities through sport, physical activity and active recreation.
Dwarf Sports Association UK: aims to make regular sporting opportunity accessible and enjoyable to anyone and everyone of restricted growth in the UK.
Special Olympics: aims to facilitate access to year round inclusive
training and competition for all people in Great Britain with an intellectual disability through direct provision and partnerships. Special Olympics Great Britain covers England, Scotland and Wales, while Special Olympics Ireland covers Northern Ireland.
Limb Power: aims to engage amputees and individuals with limb
impairments in regular and sustained participation in physical activity, sport and the arts to improve quality of life and to aid physical, social and psychological rehabilitation.
UK Deaf Sport: aims to create opportunities for more deaf people to
participate in sport throughout their lives and more deaf athletes to perform on the world stage.
Wheel Power: aims to provide opportunities for disabled people to
get into wheelchair sport and lead active lives.
Additional partners
Sense: Sense Sport aims to increase the range of sport and physical activities available to people with complex disabilities.
Mencap: Mencap Sport aims to improve the access for people with a learning disability have to sport and physical activity so there are the same opportunities to take part as everyone else.
Disability Rights UK: Disability Rights UK is a UK pan-disability charity which was set up with the aim of representing the needs and expectations of disabled people in the UK. The organisation is full of advice and information, and they frequently collaborate with physical activity providers.
Club Matters: Club Matters are building up their resources to help when reaching different audiences. Watch their Include Me video now to show the importance of why it's inclusivity is important.
This directory is intended to be a working document of specialists that specifically support sports and physical activity organisations to become more inclusive. It does not represent an exhaustive list of specialists.
Therefore, if there is a specific community that you are looking to engage with and have not found a resource that is relevant, please get in touch with our Membership Services team at [email protected] and we would be more than happy to explore our networks for the expertise required.
Have we missed anyone? Email [email protected] and tell us more.
Last updated: February 2022
