New parasport fund to help get disabled people more active

Sport England has revealed details of a new £250,000 fund, aimed at helping disabled people to become more active.

The "Parasport, powered by Toyota" programme will offer activity providers – who register on the Parasport.org.uk online hub – the opportunity to apply for grants of between £1,000 and £5,000, in order to improve the quality and quantity of equipment available to disabled people.

The Parasport.org.uk online hub, launched earlier this year, is designed to create a community for people to share their experiences and become advocates. It also provides disabled people and their networks with advice and useful information to help them become physically active.

The funding will be delivered by Sport England and the other respective home sports bodies, in association with the British Paralympic Association (BPA).

“Providing quality opportunities for disabled people to get active together and alongside their friends and family is key to boosting disabled people’s activity levels,” said Mike Diaper, Sport England's executive director of children, young people and tackling inactivity.

“We know that disabled people are twice as likely to be inactive and we are determined to close this gap and that’s why we are investing National Lottery funding into this new venture.

“We hope to see many more opportunities created to increase numbers of disabled people getting active.”

Mike Sharrock, CEO at the British Paralympic Association added: "Parasport is a crucial part of helping us to deliver our vision: through sport, inspire a better world for disabled people.

"It enables us to highlight the wide range of opportunities available for disabled people and these grants will help improve the experience of disabled people taking part in physical activity across the country and will be a welcome boost to the array of activity providers registered with Parasport.”