WIREDGOV

The investments are part of our new model that gives longer-term financial security to partners and come as part of the delivery of our Uniting the Movement strategy.

Three disability charities are the latest to join our list of long-term partnerships as we look to deliver our ambitious 10-year strategy Uniting the Movement.

Sense, Mencap and Special Olympics GB join more than 120 organisations we’ve partnered with this year, each of whom was chosen for their unique influence and ability to level up access to sport and physical activity across England and create system-wide change.

Our Active Lives survey classifies more than half of disabled people as inactive, compared to a third of people without a disability.

We also know that 40% of disabled people and those with a long-term health condition feel the cost-of-living crisis has had a negative impact on their ability to get active.

Tackling inequalities is at the heart of Uniting the Movement so with disabled people experiencing more barriers to being active than others, our chief executive Tim Hollingsworth is pleased these partnerships – totalling £6.5 million of National Lottery and government funding – have been agreed.

“The pandemic disproportionately affected disabled people and now the cost of living brings new and difficult challenges,” said Tim, who’s also the government’s disability and access ambassador for sport and physical activity.

“Our strategy Uniting the Movement aims to help everyone play sport and get active – no matter who they are, where they live, or what their background is.

“But disabled people are still far less likely to be active than other groups, and this is an inequality that we are working hard to address.

“We are proud to partner with these three incredible charities that actively promote sport and physical activity for disabled people, in what has been a notable year for disability sport.

“These partners will help disabled people who may have previously felt unable to take part in physical activity to get involved.”

These new investments take our long-term partnerships to more than 120 this year and total more than £550m.

Click here for the full press release