Wiltshire
Children and Young People
Disabled children in Wiltshire will get to participate in sports
Over 50 children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in Wiltshire will get to participate in sports thanks to a grant to Swindon Town FC Community Foundation (STFC CF).
The £59,890 grant will fund a new sports programme aimed at supporting young people with SEND across Wiltshire. The project is structured around two main components:
- In-School Sessions: Over a six-week period, STFC CF coaches will deliver tailored sports sessions in local schools for children with SEND. These sessions will introduce adapted games, fostering a love for physical activity among participants.
- Community Sessions: Following the in-school interventions, participants will be encouraged to join sessions in the community at the Foundation Park, Nigel Eady Training Centre Dome. These sessions, which will run for 36 weeks each academic year (excluding school holidays) and will include Pan Disability and Impairment specific activities.
Sessions will be held in the early evening to ensure accessibility. Additionally, a workshop for carers will highlight the importance of maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle.
Over the next two years, the programme will have measurable benefits including; improved physical health, increased participation in extra-curricular physical activities and enhanced knowledge of healthy lifestyle benefits for both participants and carers.
The grant will cover all project costs, including staffing, specialised equipment such as wheelchair footballs, Boccia ramps, and sensory packs, as well as subsidised facility hire and staff transport. The charity will independently fund the monitoring costs to ensure effective project evaluation and impact measurement.
Local data indicates that 15.5 per cent of Primary School children aged 5-11 in Swindon and 16.7 per cent in Wiltshire are classified as disabled under the Disability Act. The need for inclusive sports activities is growing, and this project addresses that need by providing a comprehensive programme designed to engage and support these young individuals.
Research from Sport England highlights that 53 per cent of children nationally do less than the government recommended 60 minutes of physical activity a day with 30.2 per cent (2.2 million) averaging less than 30 minutes a day. Barriers to participating in sport for people with disabilities includes but is not limited to cost, transport, awareness of activities, access to specialist equipment and confidence to participate. The programme from STFC CF will look to address these issues in the local area.
We’re thrilled to receive this grant from Wiltshire Freemasons, which allows us to deliver a much-needed programme for young people with disabilities in our community. By providing inclusive sports activities, we aim to improve physical health and wellbeing, and foster a love for sports among participants.
I’m very pleased we’ve been able to support Swindon Town FC Community Foundation and the fantastic work they do to help young people with disabilities through sport. Making activities accessible to all is a major challenge and the programme allows young people to make friends, gain confidence and reach their potential.
