A BRADFORD school is the first in the country to offer students the chance to try wheelchair basketball.
It's part of British Wheelchair Basketball’s ground-breaking Inspire a Generation programme.
Bradford Girls' Grammar School is offering an introduction to the sport.
It will take place over six weeks and allow more young people to access and try wheelchair basketball for the first time.
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The school has taken the opportunity to upskill its staff to activate the programme and help children understand that access to sport and inclusive activity is for everyone, with the aim of breaking down barriers and bringing pupils together.
Since its launch in 2020 by British Wheelchair Basketball - thanks to £1.5m of funding from Sport England and The National Lottery - the initiative has been vital in helping support disabled people find or return to physical activity, many of whom were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.
GB player and Paralympian Siobhan Fitzpatrick took part in a session at Bradford Girls' Grammar School.
She spoke to students, parents, and teachers to help inspire more people across the region to try the sport for the first time.
She said: “It’s such a great opportunity to have our sport delivered in schools, I wish this kind of opportunity existed when I was at school and through British Wheelchair Basketball’s programme, Bradford Girls Grammar School are part of helping make sport more inclusive."
Benjamin Wood, assistant headteacher at the school, is leading the charge as an Inspire a Generation Activator and will be delivering sessions.
He said: “I have always wanted to deliver wheelchair basketball in schools but there hasn’t been the opportunity due to funding the equipment. Inspire a Generation has provided the perfect opportunity for us to deliver sessions across the whole school.
“To see more schools involved would be great, regardless of whether they have disabled students or not. It's important for children to see past the chair and see the person, breaking down existing social barriers and stereotypes.
"The children also love the fact that it is a unique opportunity for them - it's a real conversation starter."
Also visiting the school to see the sessions in action, Justine Baynes, chief executive at British Wheelchair Basketball said: “I’m thrilled to see the Inspire a Generation programme being rolled out in schools, allowing even more communities, particularly young people, across the country to get involved in the sport.
"The programme gives us a fantastic opportunity to grow participation."
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