"It’s so lovely to find an activity which he enjoys that gets him out of the house and off his electronics!"

Compared to the average Bristol population, disabled people in Bristol are half as likely to do enough exercise each week¹.

To address this issue, Access Sport has supported Bristol Indoor Bowls Club organise regular inclusive pan-disability sessions.

As a sport, bowls is easily adaptable. It is self-paced and often takes place in a calm and relaxing environment, making it inclusive to those with sensory differences. The aim of the game is to get your bowls as close to the jack as possible, which is often easy to process and understand.

This club uses a unique and interesting sport to successfully engage previously inactive disabled people and bring together different generations to play and engage with one another.

Participants who were previously inactive, struggling with mental health and had limited social interactions outside of their families, are now participating in sport and have reported an improved sense of wellbeing and confidence. These thriving inclusive sessions have also fostered a real sense of community and togetherness for everyone involved.

Danny, a coach at BIBC said:

“Our collaboration with Access Sport has been very rewarding. Several members of the Access Sport team came down to our club to give a presentation to our group of coaches and helpers to ensure that the maximum benefit for all parties could be achieved. I believe it has widened the perception of our coaches to do things that help the participant, rather than make the participant fit the sport.”

A parent said:

“I’d been looking for an activity to suit my 11-year-old autistic son for a while, however, most are contact sports which aren’t suitable as he is sensitive to pain and worries about getting hurt. The bowls sessions are perfect for him as they are really relaxed with no pressure and the coaches are supportive his needs. It’s so lovely to find an activity which he enjoys that gets him out of the house and off his electronics!”

We have also connected the club with Ignite Bristol - a network spearheaded by Access Sport made up of individuals, clubs and organisations working together to make Bristol a more disability inclusive city. Moving forward this will provide the club with long-term support and opportunities to network with other like-minded inclusive community sport clubs, coaches and volunteers.

References: 

¹ Bristol City Council, Census 2021