“Today has been amazing. All the clubs are forthcoming, helpful, and welcoming. I’ve been to events before that made me feel uncomfortable, but here, I could relax and see the happiness on my son’s face.”

On Friday 30 August, Access Sport partnered with Sport Birmingham to run a vibrant inclusive Multi-Sport Festival in Nechells, Birmingham. 

Our first inclusive multi-sport festival in the area, it was a fantastic day that brought over 60 disabled young people and their families together to try a range of inclusive pan-disability sport.

The event featured judo, hockey, wheelchair basketball, badminton, climbing, boccia, cycling and many more fun activities. There were also stalls representing:

• Birmingham Children Trust
• Limb Power
• Midland Mencap
• Sense
• Sport Birmingham
• Street Games.

Everyone was welcome, whether you have a learning disability or a physical disability, and all the activities were designed to cater for everybody.

The festival was more than just a sports event. It was a community gathering for young people and their families to explore sport in a supportive and inclusive environment. The goal was simple, yet powerful, help young people discover a sport they love and encourage them to continue participating long after the event.

A parent said:

“It has been very engaging for all the young people. The kids loved the programme and had a fantastic day. The open space was a wonderful contribution to their day, and I loved it all. I look forward to more events like this.”

Another parent said:

 “Today has been amazing. All the clubs are forthcoming, helpful, and welcoming. I’ve been to events before that made me feel uncomfortable, but here, I could relax and see the happiness on my son’s face.”

As with all our multi-sport festivals, we encourage our disabled young people to bring their families and for everybody to get involved in the activities. Oftentimes this is the first time these young people have experienced the joy of sport alongside their siblings. 

A participant said:

“This has been great that I can take part in activities with my brother, I think it helps him as he knows I am with him.”

One disabled young person even had the opportunity to climb with his sister on our temporary climbing wall. It was heartwarming to see the duo enjoying themselves side-by-side.

The festival united Birmingham’s inclusive community sport clubs. Working with these clubs, our goal in Birmingham is to expand the opportunities for disadvantaged and disabled young people to get active. This festival is just the start!

With the Paralympics buzz in full swing, we decided to set up some screens so that participants could watch the likes of Sophie Unwin and Jenny Holl compete for gold! It was inspiring to see so many young people crowded around the screens.

Thanks to our corporate partners Gymshark and Clearwater, we had a team of volunteers to support the event. A huge thanks to everyone who took the time out of their days and came down to help. The event wouldn’t have been as successful without your support. 

A volunteer said:

 “I was really anxious about coming today and nearly didn’t come, but now that I’m here, I’ve felt great, really enjoyed myself, and even took part in Boccia, which I’ve never tried before. I’m going to join a Boccia club.”

Charlotte Barnard, Senior Community Coordinator at Access Sport, said: 

“Today is a fantastic opportunity for local disabled young people and their families to come together and connect through sport. We are grateful to all the volunteers and organisations who have supported us during this event. Their dedication and efforts are key to making it a memorable and positive experience for all involved.” 

Ben Gutteridge, Development Manager at Sport Birmingham, said: 

“It is fantastic to partner with Access Sport for this exciting event. It’s been a terrific day and was brilliant to see local clubs and organisations come together to introduce disabled young people to new inclusive sports and activities. We look forward to working with Access Sport in the future!”

The Inclusive Multi-Sport Festival marked an important milestone for us in Birmingham. With such a successful debut, we hope to continue this momentum by hosting two similar events each year.

To see the full album of images from the festival please click the link below.
Multi-Sport Festival, Birmingham >

To find out about this event or future events like this, please contact:
[email protected]

For more information on our Changing Places Birmingham work, please follow the link below.

Changing Places, Birmingham >