Community sports event held for people with learning, physical and sensory disabilities

A free public event to make sporting activities more accessible for all has been held in Birmingham.

The initiative took place at Birmingham Metropolitan College (BMet) at Lichfield Road in Sutton Coldfield, and hosted 25 exciting activities for adults and children with learning, physical and sensory disabilities. 

Organised by Community Games, the 22 April sports fair was the first of the year from Inspire Activity, launching a series of 11 equally engaging inclusive celebrations to be staged across the region throughout the year.

These include indoor and outdoor family-friendly fun days in Shard End, Moseley, Tamworth, Small Heath, Victoria Common and Lichfield between now and the end of autumn, with another Accessible Games also due to be held in Walsall in October.

This year also marks the return of the Aston Community Games, launched last year outside Aston Hall, and the inaugural Canal and River Trust Community Games, one of several new additions for 2022, to coincide with the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

In Sutton Coldfield, the Accessible Games were launched by event co-founders alongside constituency MP Andrew Mitchell (Con) and Cllr Terry Wood, the Mayor of the Royal Town.

Among the physical activities on offer inside BMet college’s sports hall and car park were bowling, sailing, ‘boxercise’ and wheelchair basketball; as well as football, bowls, cycle training, dance, martial arts, wall climbing, table tennis and inclusive snow sports. Aston Villa Football Club’s community outreach team were also on hand for a sport of interactive football fun.

The Community Games mascot Buddy was also on hand to take part, pose for photos and bring smiles to the faces of visitors and participants.

Organisers described the day as “inspirational”, saying, “It had been a long time coming since our last one and it was well worth the wait! Truly wonderful day.

“Visitors were able to try so many different activities yesterday. Connections were made that will go beyond the day itself – inspiring health and happiness through physical activity.

“From bowling, to sailing, to boxercise to wheelchair basketball and more! At the Community Games, activity providers bring variety, passion and enthusiasm to inspire and help people try something new.”

Speaking at the last Games event in Aston, Dennis Kennedy, founder of Community Games in Sutton and now across the West Midlands, said:

“Community Games are all about introducing local people with local organisations, more often than not sporting clubs and organisations.

“The Games that we’re holding in Aston in August have a slightly broader reach so local sporting clubs and local interest groups, people from the local church, the local gardening association as well; so we should have quite a varied and interesting mix of groups and organisations for people to come along and connect with who are all from their local community.”

Community Games are supported by Birmingham City Council, United By Birmingham 2022 and local partners from across the city and region.

VIDEO | What are the Community Games?