Snooker Partnership Breaks Down Inclusive Barriers The Ability Sports Club supported by Access Sport has recently gained two new members in the shape of two portable snooker tables kindly donated by the World Professional Snooker and Billiards Association. The opportunity to integrate snooker into inclusive clubs supported by Access Sport came from the WPBSA wanting to break down stereotypes surrounding snooker and raise awareness of it developing as an inclusive sport. “We’re really keen to widen access to snooker through partnerships with community groups and by it being played alongside different sports. We want to change people’s perception of snooker to show what great benefits it brings to physical and mental health.” – Chris Hornby, WPBSA. The tables fold up and are on wheels, significantly smaller in size compared to what people expect of a snooker table. This makes the tables easy to mobilise, rather than be an obstacle as full-size ones often are. Ability Sports which runs Saturday mornings at St. Paul’s Leisure Centre consists of an hour of football followed by a multi-sports session. Club Leader Lincoln Small is always looking to expand the variety of sports the club can offer its participants, so was really excited at the opportunity to provide snooker sessions. Through the partnership between Access Sport and the WPBSA, Ability Sports were donated two tables and have already put them into good use. The arrival of the tables also tied in with the Cerebral Palsy Plus and Access Sport Health and Wellbeing Day on the 24th of August. With a variety of sports on offer to show young people what sports are available to them, regardless of their ability, it was a great opportunity to promote the snooker as an inclusive sport. Bob Hill from the WPBSA came to support the day and was able to transfer his knowledge of inclusive snooker games to club leaders, to implement at weekly club sessions. Bob is also going to volunteer his time to further help the participants and coaches get the full benefit of the new tables. A huge thank you to the WPBSA for their incredibly generous donations, that not only help break down the barriers to disability sport participation, but also change many young lives in Bristol whilst doing so.Inclusive snooker, supported by the World Professional Snooker and Billiards Association For more information about Ability Sports please contact Lincoln [email protected] For more information about Inclusive Snooker please contact Bob Hill [email protected] For more information about Access Sport Bristol please contact 0117 941 5829