All Together campaign aims to get more disabled people active

Organisations have pledged to back a programme aimed at encouraging more people with disabilities to take part in sport and physical activity.

Active Essex - part of the county sports partnership network - has launched the All Together campaign with the support of organisations including ECL Sensory Service, Southend Mencap, Action for Children and Tendring Community Transport.

The partnership has also signed 35 ambassadors, including Paralympians Richard Chiassaro and Anne Walufa-Strike, to inspire more disabled people to get active and help break down barriers that prevent people from taking part in exercise.

The project is one of a number of initiatives managed by county sports partnerships in the country to get more people with disabilities active.

“We are committed to increasing participation in disability and inclusive sport across the county. By working closely with other organisations within the sector, we can raise awareness of the opportunities, facilities and support out there,” said Hayley Chapman, Active Essex sport and physical activity officer.

Active Essex launched a four-year strategy to change one million lives in the county last year, with a key priority to improve health and wellbeing for those living with a disability or life-long illness. This accounts for 17.1 percent of the Greater Essex population.

“The introduction of the All Together project is another positive step for our students to not only have even more opportunities to take part in physical and sporting activities but also to access these in more mainstream venues than they have previously been able to,” said Marc McOwens, general manager at Southend Mencap.

Elsewhere, Active Surrey ran a trial ‘Disability Week’ in May to offer opportunities for people to try sports and raise awareness, with help from organisations including Chelsea FC, Surrey FA, the YMCA and Surrey Scorchers national league basketball team.

Active Cumbria has also set up and supported a number of wheelchair disability clubs in its county, while Somerset Activity Sports Partnership delivers weekly multi-sport sessions to adults with a learning disability across more than 11 sites across Somerset.