AN ORGANISATION that champions sports for all has won £247,000 of funding from Sport England which will help encourage minority groups to become more active.

Bradford-based International Mixed Ability Sports will use the cash to widen the company’s activities in deprived areas, focusing on people of British South Asian heritage, women, and people with disabilities or long-term health conditions.

A Sport England survey found that disabled people are almost twice as likely to be inactive than the rest of the population, with 40.8% (6.5 million) disabled people inactive, compared with 20.7% (7.7 million) of non-disabled people. However, 69% of people living with long-term health conditions would like to be more active. 

International Mixed Ability Sports, based at Cathedral House, Church Bank, is a community interest company that provides opportunities for disabled people to be active. It offers a range of activities designed to be fun, healthy and encourage wellbeing through exercise, sport and membership, for individuals or groups, in clubs or classes.

Co-founder and director Martino Corazza said: “We are delighted that our proposal was positively received by Sport England. Over the past 15 years Mixed Ability has consistently shown the potential to tackle health and social inequalities, offering an entry point into community sports for many individuals and groups who face the most barriers to participation.

"With the support of the Pilot Fund, we aim to expand the provision of Mixed Ability sports in Bradford, with new activities such as floor curl, football and kinball. However, the biggest ambition is to increase sustainable participation from groups who are currently underrepresented in Mixed Ability activities, such as women, the British South Asian community and young adults transitioning from SEND education to living independently."

Activities in Bradford include bowls, rugby, football, racket ball, Tai Chi, golf, tennis, rowing, boxing, kickboxing, racket/pickleball, swimming and boxing.

The activities are for all abilities and ages. Coaches are aware that many participants may have been inactive or face barriers to participation through inactivity, long-term health problems or disability. There are women-only or men-only groups and teams, archery and football. Rugby is full contact for men, although there is provision for non-contact 'touch' rugby for juniors and women.

Classes are open to all and run at various locations across the district. 

Sport England’s £4m Pilot Fund aims to increase activity and decrease inactivity by focusing on ideas generated by people facing inequalities in their access to sport and physical activity, 

International Mixed Ability Sports, set up by people with disabilities, was inspired by the lack of opportunity for people with disabilities to take part in mainstream community sport as equal members without being separated, classified or identified. The company has a strong track record of education and advocacy work.