Building Society Supports Progressive Disability Sports Initiative

Disability Sport NI and Progressive Building Society have partnered on a new three-year partnership to support the development of Disability Sports Hubs across Northern Ireland, improving the health and wellbeing of people with disabilities. It will be the first time ever that Northern Ireland’s main disability sports charity will have part-time Disability Sports Hub Activity Leaders based across every single each of the 11 local council areas.

The Disability Sports Hub Activity Leader based in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, Rebecca Greenaway is making a big impact in the council area. Having recently taken up post, Rebecca was proud to join Disability Sport NI’s Community Sport Manager Aubrey Bingham to meet Progressive Building Society’s Portadown Branch Manager Lynne Lyness to launch the new partnership at the Disability Sports Hub’s Boccia Programme.

Rebecca supports a number of disability sports initiatives with the support of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council’s Every Body Active 2020 Team including Boccia and Wheelie Active Programmes. Full details on disability sports clubs in the council area will be available through Rebecca who can be contacted on rgreenaway@dsni.co.uk.

The launch of the Progressive partnership in Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council marks the second launch of the initiative that will continue to be rolled out across Northern Ireland. According to Disability Sport NI’s Community Sport Manager Aubrey Bingham,

“The new partnership with Progressive Building Society is off to a great start and it was a pleasure to meet Portadown branch manager Lynne Lyness to celebrate the launch of the partnership in the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon area.

“Rebecca is doing a fantastic job in developing the Disability Sports Hub and we hope that the project continues to gain momentum as we roll the project out in every single council area.

Progressive Building Society have been incredibly supportive of the Disability Sports Hub Project and our vision for an inclusive society where people with disabilities fully participate in all aspects of life, including sport and active recreation”

Progressive’s Portadown Branch Manager, Lynne Lyness welcomed the partnership saying, “It is a pleasure to be involved in such a positive initiative with Disability Sport NI and I have no doubt that Rebecca’s great work will benefit many people with a disability in my local branch area.

“At Progressive Building Society we are very focused on working with local communities and forming partnerships for the better of everyone. The Disability Sports Hub Project is a great fit with the ethos of our organisation.”

The new Northern Ireland wide partnership between Disability Sport NI and Progressive Building Society will develop over 11,000 participation opportunities for people with disabilities, transforming access to disability sports in Northern Ireland.

The support from Progressive Building Society will continue the momentum of the Active Living: No Limits 2021 Action Plan which has already seen up to £1,000,000 of disability sports equipment secured for the sector through Disability Sport NI and funded by the Department for Communities through Sport NI, an initiative that has been strongly supported by the local council areas.

The Disability Sports Hub Project will continue to develop new clubs and programmes all across the country to include programmes such as wheelie active, wheelchair basketball, boccia, sensory and inclusive cycling. This project will raise the visibility of disability sports opportunities and encourage more people with a disability to be active and be the best.

For further information on the partnership between Progressive building Society and Disability Sport NI please visit: https://theprogressive.com/your-society/latest-news/2019/may/progressive-building-society-confirms-three-year-sponsorship-with-disability-sport-ni