Disability Sports Coach & Sport England Support People with Disabilities over the holidays
December 4, 2020
UK charity, Disability Sports Coach has partnered with Sport England to support disabled people in keeping active and connected over the winter season. The partnership and campaign launched on 3rd December's International Day of Persons with Disabilities and includes an exciting range of activities to get more disabled people active and to reduce feelings of loneliness during the holidays.
Christmas can be a time of increased loneliness for many, and especially for disabled people who are four times more likely to experience loneliness than non-disabled people. This year the problem is worse, with the COVID-19 pandemic forcing thousands of disabled people into further isolation.
Working with Sport England, Disability Sports Coach will send 500 packs of sports equipment to disabled people across London so they can keep active with their families into the New Year. The charity was the first to distribute equipment packs back in April 2020 and has delivered nearly 400 packs so far. The packs will also include their brand new Active At Home guide, featuring activities and resources to support disabled people, parents and care givers.
It kicked off yesterday with an online activity session that will continue with sports activities taking place each week throughout December.
“It’s really important to focus on disabled people this Christmas, especially with COVID-19 still going on. Research has found that 2/3 of the deaths that have occurred so far due to COVID-19 are disabled people, and that sends a really strong message that the members of our community need to be supported not just now, but throughout their lives,” said Disability Sports Coach CEO, Peter Ackred.
On 29th December, Disability Sports Coach will also run their first ever Virtual Christmas Club, involving fun sport sessions featuring special guest Paralympians, creative activities and a festive quiz. For the last two years, the charity has run a Christmas Club featuring a day of festive fun and free lunch for guests.
The Virtual Christmas Club forms part of the charity’s 12 Days of Wishmas campaign, featuring social media takeovers by influencers, interviews with disability awareness advocates, competitions and giveaways between 25th December to 5th January. The aim is to reduce loneliness among disabled people during the Christmas period, while inspiring people to look forwards to a new year with aspiration and motivation after the challenges of 2020.
Since Disability Sports Coach began their Home Activity Programme in April, 65% of members have reported feeling less lonely as a result of the charity’s online provision. Parent of Ruby, a member of Club Brent, explains:
“The options for our children to have access to meaningful and fun activities are very small. Disability Sports Coach allows our child to do this - it brings her much joy and makes her and our world a little bigger and brighter.”
For more information, email [email protected].