Paralympics - Kent success, and what next?

Attending the Paralympics last week was a huge experience for me, on so many levels. ?I was the guest of our world beating broadcaster Channel 4 whose work has helped to encourage millions of disabled people to take up a sport and become more active, through their coverage of these amazing games since 2012.

Among them are several laudable competitors from our own county of Kent.? Callie Warrington from Ashford and Iona Winnifrith from the Tonbridge area both won silver medals in the para swimming.? Iona was also the youngest GB competitor at the Paralympics.?

Henry Urand, also from Ashford, finished 4th in PTS3 Triathlon;? Liam McGarry from Gravesend finished 5th in his para powerlifting class at the final event of the Games, and Ollie Mangion from Faversham finished 4th in the GB Wheelchair Rugby squad.? Hats off to all of them and I’m sorry if I’ve missed anyone out.

But amidst the celebrations let us remember how much more there is to do for disabilities here in the UK.? Only one in four disabled children say they take part in regular school sport and PE - and with 1.5 million disabled children, comprising 15% of the school population, the scale of the problem is huge.

Paralympics GB say their research has identified several areas where tangible change could be made, to better support teachers and schools.? These include; giving teachers the right training, tools, and resources; redefining PE as a priority across the education system, and increasing disabled teacher numbers in the profession.

Through the Equal Play campaign, Paralympics GB is now calling on the UK Government to commit to ensuring every child has the same access to PE at school, rather than leaving them sidelined.?

The documentary film ‘Equal Play’ is compelling viewing, revealing the transformative power of sport for disabled people.? You can watch it here:

https://www.channel4.com/programmes/equal-play

Join the campaign and become a part of the movement here: https://paralympics.org.uk/articles/paralympicsgb-calls-for-no-child-to-be-left-on-the-sidelines