Croydon’s First Inclusive Multi-Sport Festival

On Thursday, 20 February, Access Sport partnered with Croydon Council and Better to run a vibrant, inclusive multi-sport festival in New Addington Leisure and Community Centre, Croydon.

The first inclusive multi-sport festival in the area, it was a fantastic day attended by over 80 disabled young people and their families.

The event brought together our Changing Places London work, which focuses on training, equipping and supporting community sport clubs, with Croydon Council’s RAP disability sports programme, which addresses physical and social development for disabled young people in the area whilst encouraging the progression of sport from grassroots through to excellence.

The event featured a health and fitness session, cricket, basketball, dance, tennis, trampolining, football, Boccia, Goalball and many more fun activities. There was also representation from:

Croydon Council
Better (GLL)
British Fencing
The Metropolitan Police.
Everyone was welcome, whether you have a learning disability or a physical disability, and all the activities were designed to cater for everybody.

The festival was more than just a sports event. It was a community gathering for young people and their families to explore sport in a supportive and inclusive environment. The goal was simple, yet powerful: help young people discover a sport they love and encourage them to continue participating long after the event.

As with all of our multi-sport festivals, we encourage disabled young people to bring their families and for everybody to get involved in the activities. Oftentimes, this is the first time these young people have experienced the joy of sport alongside their siblings. 

Lucy, a parent, said:

“My daughter loves these sessions! She really looks forward to them. It's really good. But it also gives her something she can do without me. And what I like is to watch her learning these things independently. That's really exciting!”

Laura, another parent, said:

"George was in his element. The feeling of being calm and more relaxed in a SEN environment with other families who aren’t staring or giving those patronising smiles (not always, but we’ve had our share!) was so refreshing. It made such a difference to the whole day as I’d be a liar if I said sometimes trying new things with George isn’t hard… and he can get so overwhelmed. The event was so enjoyable and everyone who worked the event was just great. We all left with huge smiles! It’s heartwarming to see there is such a big SEND local community and so many people who want to do more to include everyone.”

Sophie Epsley, Programme Lead at Access Sport, said:

“Seeing so many young people and their families enjoying these fantastic and inclusive sport sessions has been brilliant. Today was a great opportunity to highlight all the amazing community sport on offer in Croydon for disabled young people. We are grateful to all the volunteers and organisations who have supported us during this event. Their dedication and efforts are key to making it a memorable and positive experience for all involved.” 

Jason Perry, Executive Mayor of Croydon, said:

"It is fantastic that so many children and young people with disabilities enjoyed Croydon's first Disability Sports Festival at New Addington Leisure Centre. The RAP Disability Sports Programme is a key part of our Short Breaks offer, ensuring children and young people with disabilities have access to high-quality, inclusive sports activities throughout the year.

"As a Council, we take our responsibility to SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) families seriously, and we know how important it is to provide accessible and sustainable opportunities that meet their needs. By working with partners like Access Sport and GLL, we are expanding these opportunities, making sure every child, regardless of ability, can be active, social, and confident. Today's event is a brilliant example of what we can achieve together, and I look forward to seeing this programme grow even further in the future."

David Hughes, Partnership Manager at Better, said:

"As a charitable social enterprise dedicated to promoting community wellbeing, we were delighted to support and host Access Sport's free multi-sport festival on February 20 at New Addington Leisure Centre.”

"It was brilliant to see the sports hall and community spaces at New Addington filled with sporting activity. We hope that everyone who attended enjoyed the taster sessions offered by the community club partners and our dedicated Fitness Instructors."

Together with Croydon Council, we are committed to breaking down barriers, inspiring the next generation and ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, can experience the transformational benefits community sport can bring to their lives.

Interested in learning more about our Changing Places London programme?
You can click the link below to get in touch with Access Sport.
ACCESS SPORT

Interested in learning more about Croydon Council’s RAP Disability Sports Programme?
Croydon Council’s RAP Disability Sports Programme