Leeds City Council earns top regional disabled sports award

Leeds City Council has been recognised for its comprehensive disabled sports programme with a top regional accolade.

As part of the annual Disability Sport Yorkshire Awards which were held this month at Elland Road, the council claimed the Aspire-Igen ‘Outstanding Local Authority’ of the year award for its continued commitment to disabled sport.

In Leeds, opportunities are available for people of all ages and impairment groups to enjoy and take part in a wide range of sports, including football, athletics, bowling, swimming, cricket, cycling, golf, and horse riding. The council has also introduced an innovative programme in 10 of its adult social care centres across the city as part of a wider strategy to widen opportunities and awareness of its disabled sports offer.

Also winning awards at the event included Leeds-based World and Paralympic champion wheelchair racer Hannah Cockroft MBE, and 15-year-old para dressage rider, Izzy Palmer. Hannah earned the Sportswoman of the Year award, while Izzy was named as Young Achiever.

The Disability Sport Yorkshire Awards celebrate the sporting achievements of disabled people from across Yorkshire. Disability Sport Yorkshire received a record number of nominations from all over the region this year, recognising in 12 categories, those sports people, groups, organisations and schools who have made a massive contribution to disability sport during the past year.

Councillor Lisa Mulherin, Leeds City Council’s executive member for health, wellbeing and adults, said:

“We are proud to have a dedicated team at Leeds City Council who are working extremely hard to offer a wide ranging and comprehensive disabled sports programme. It is fantastic therefore that our efforts as a council to increase awareness and participation in disabled sport, has resulted in an ‘Outstanding Local Authority’ of the year award by Disability Sport Yorkshire.

“We would urge any disabled person who wants to enjoy and take part in sport to please take a look at what our programme has to offer to people of all ages.

To find out more, please see: www.leeds.gov.uk/disabilitysport or ring: 0113 395 0159.

Notes to editors:

About Disability Sport Yorkshire

Established in 1993, Disability Sport Yorkshire (formerly the Federation of Disability Sports Organisations) brought four existing disability sports organisation under one umbrella body. Our main aim was, and still is, to address the inequality in access to sport for disabled people.

Disability Sport Yorkshire has committed to three major impacts by 2020. We aim to make Yorkshire the best place in England for disabled people to:

• improve their health through physical activity
• play sport on a regular basis
• become a sporting champion

We aim to give disabled people in Yorkshire the best possible sporting experience they can have no matter where they live in the region and ensure there is no better place in England for disabled people to play and/or succeed in sport. We aspire to be the organisation that everyone in Yorkshire looks to for advice and guidance on disability sport.