Charity Disability Sports Coach have launched their first ever Virtual Summer Festival, taking place from 25-28th August. The festival is an exciting pan-disability sports event that will celebrate the award-winning charity’s work and its community of members across London and the UK.
This year was set to be a big one for inclusive sport, with the Tokyo Paralympics kicking off on the 24thAugust. With the event now postponed due to COVID-19 – and with many disabled people at disproportionately high risk and thus prevented from the return to ‘normal’ – the Virtual Summer Festival is more important for the disabled community than ever before.
Disability Sports Coach are the leading disability sport charity in London, with the mission of enabling every disabled person to enjoy the transformative benefits of sport. Prior to lockdown, only 17% of disabled people played sport once a week – half as many as non-disabled people1 – and the charity is working hard to change this.
Every summer, they host a festival to bring together members of their 14 Community Clubs for a day of fun sports-related activities and events. The clubs span 13 London boroughs, and support disabled people to get active, build confidence, gain new skills and socialise.
However, due to the ongoing impact of COVID-19, the 2020 Disability Sports Coach Virtual Summer Festival is going to be bigger and better than ever, with a range of live sports sessions, guest speaker events and expert panels taking place over four days – and because it’s online, more people across the UK can join!
Activities will include a range of fun interactive sports sessions led by the likes of England Netball, The Amazing Race, Adapted Yoga and more, along with creative sessions, a quiz led by former Paralympic swimmer and Disability Sports Coach Patron, Kate Grey, and a series of sessions with inspirational figures from the disabled community.
Kate Grey says, “The Virtual Summer Festival is set to be a brilliant event. During these challenging times it’s never been more important to get active and the festival is offering a variety of experiences allowing participants to try new sports, connect with the disability community and feel a part of the Paralympic movement – even if we have to wait a little longer for the action in Tokyo!”
The Virtual Summer Festival will run daily from 10:30am – 4:45pm from Tuesday 25th – Friday 28th August. In addition, bespoke B2B sessions will include industry panels on key issues within inclusive sport.
The festival is proudly supported by Tesco Bags of Help and Ecclesiastical.
Registration for the event is completely free and is open to all. You can register for the Disability Sports Coach Virtual Summer Festival here.
