Date: 10/1/2024

FREE Wheelchair Sports Festival  coming to Sheffield this January

The Yorkshire WheelPower Sports Festival will welcome local people of all ages with a physical disability to the Concord Sports Centre, Sheffield on Wednesday 31 January 2024 to discover the many benefits of playing wheelchair sports.

Organised by WheelPower, the national charity for wheelchair sport, this upcoming event will provide a life changing opportunity for anyone with a physical disability to play sport, make new friends, and most importantly have fun whilst doing so.

During the day participants will have the opportunity to try a number of different sports, and will be supported throughout by locally based, qualified and experienced coaches. There will be Wheelchair Rugby League with the Sheffield Eagles, Table Tennis with Table Tennis England, Para Ice Hockey from the Sheffield Para Kings, Wheelchair Tennis and Boccia from the Sheffield Smashers Club.

“We are really looking forward to bringing our WheelPower Sports Festival back to the people of Yorkshire this January. After a successful first event in 2023 we are delighted to be returning to the Concord Sports Centre and introducing wheelchair sport to a whole new group of local disabled people. After coming along to this event we hope that the participants will feel inspired by sport and go away with the confidence to be more active in the future. Sport really does have the power to transform lives so whether you are trying it for the first time, or returning after a break then we would absolutely love to see you in Sheffield later this month.” Emily Weller, Head of Sport and Physical Activity, WheelPower.

One of the participants last year was Lottie from Sheffield, who said; “I’ve really enjoyed my day with WheelPower and I would definitely recommend these festivals to other disabled people. Playing sport is very important for my mental health and its a great way of meeting new people. The sport I enjoyed the most last year was badminton, and that’s now something I would really like to take up locally.”

Shauna brought her 5 year old daughter Blaire to the festival and was very excited to try lots of new things. “This was the first time we’ve come to anything like this, and it’s been absolutely amazing from start to finish. She can do everything here, have a go at all these sports and do it independently without asking me to come and help her. I was actually crying earlier because I’ve never seen her move this much before, and its lovely to see. Seeing other children in wheelchairs has brought out the confidence in her and she’s just rolled with it and got involved.”

Finally, 18 year old Ava from Wakefield tells us why the festival provided a real positive experience for her. “The festival was amazing and I had so much fun trying golf, badminton, rugby and table tennis. Some of these sports I never thought would be possible for me to play but they were. Everybody was extremely friendly and enthusiastic and I can’t thank everyone enough. Sport has always been really important to me and I’m so happy to be playing again.”

The Yorkshire WheelPower Sports Festival is open to schools, local groups and individuals, and you can book a free place via the charity’s website www.wheelpower.org.uk/sport-events/yorkshire-festival

For more information about this event please email sport@wheelpower.org.uk or call the WheelPower Sports team on 01296 395995.

-ENDS-

Note to Editors:

> About WheelPower

WheelPower have been providing opportunities for people with physical impairments to take part in sport for over 70 years. Based in Stoke Mandeville Stadium in Buckinghamshire, the Birthplace of the Paralympic movement, WheelPower is at the heart of wheelchair sport. From first-timers to Paralympic medallists, we support and promote participation at all levels. We have seen how playing sport can enrich lives, offering tremendous physical and psychological benefits, whatever your age or ability.

Following on from the challenges of the Covid pandemic WheelPower has now returned to in-person events that include the Inter Spinal Unit Games, the National Junior Games and a series of inclusive Wheelchair Sports Festivals throughout the United Kingdom. In 2023 the Sports Festival will be visiting Yorkshire, Wiltshire, London and Buckinghamshire.

As well as the in-person events WheelPower also delivers a substantial online programme, including live exercise classes and videos for disabled people to stay active from their homes. In addition the charity also gifts resistance bands and can support disabled people through the funding of exercise equipment.

> Contact: Matthew French, Marketing, Communication and Engagement Officer. Email: matthew.french@wheelpower.org.uk. Tel: 01296 395995