Return to Sport Launch - Progressive Building Society Disability Sports Hubs

Disability Sport NI and Progressive Building Society are delighted to launch the Return to Sport for the District Council Disability Sports Hub project. Following a period of reduced capacity due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the launch signals a return to delivery of programmes improving the health and wellbeing of disabled people across Northern Ireland.

During the past 18 months, Disability Sport NI and Progressive Building Society have continued to provide opportunities for participants to maintain health and social benefits of sport and active recreation through the Stay Active Online campaign. This included online group activity sessions, production and distrubution of resource packs and a number of Stay Active Challenges. Following this successful campaign, the Return to Sport launch will now allow the return of face to face delivery of sessions increasing the capacity to provide opportunities in line with public health guidelines.

The Progressive Building Society sponsorship 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 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.

During the launch Disability Sport NI representatives were joined by Michael Boyd of Progressive Building Society, multi medal winning Paralympian Bethany Firth, Jayne Milligan of NI Boccia Pathways squad and wheelchair basketball athletes Luke Marshall and Ricky McVicker.