Inspiring Sports Day Celebrates Inclusivity in Reading

Dozens of children and adults took part in a sports day for disabled people at Palmer Park Stadium in East Reading.

Families descended on the running track for a morning of accessible sports and activities, organised by Sport Together Berkshire in partnership with Reading Borough Council. About 50 to 60 people took part, with families and carers also attending.

Participants tried wheelchair sports, adapted cycling and other activities, then received goody bags from councillor Paul Gittings (Labour, Coley), the Mayor of Reading and event sponsor Gleeds.

Steph Johnson, one of the co-founders of Sport Together Berkshire, said: "With all of our festivals, the idea of them is that everybody just comes and has a go at whatever you want, and don’t have a go at what you don’t want.

"So they’ve done wheelchair rugby, wheelchair basketball, adapted cycling, multi-sport, boccia, new age curling, hockey, cricket. And we’ve had a small ‘swings and smiles’ sensory area for people who just want to have a bit of quiet time.

The event ran from around 10am to 12.30pm on Thursday, July 23.

The other co-founders of Sport Together Berkshire are Craig Hunter and Dan Brook.

This was the second Festival of Inclusivity in Reading organised with the council; the charity runs about 15 to 18 similar festivals across the area.

They run these every year and have been to Arborfield Leisure Centre, the Avenue School, Kennet Leisure Centre, Tadley, Cantley Park and Reading FC’s dome.

You can find out how to support Sport Together Berkshire, including through volunteering, using the contact details on its website.

James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter