Sport For All

The British Wheelchair Sports Foundation (BWSF) is the national organisation for wheelchair sport in the UK and exists to provide, promote and develop opportunities for people of all ages with disabilities to participate in recreational and competitive wheelchair sport.

Based at the national wheelchair sports centre in Stoke Mandeville, the birthplace of the paralympic games, the Foundation was originally established to promote the vital role that access to sport played in the rehabilitation of those suffering spinal injuries. Statistics show that prior to this innovation, eight out of ten spinal injury patients died within three years of paralysis. Now many severely disabled people lead active and fulfilling lives through involvement in sport. This unique wheelchair sports facility was opened by Her Majesty the Queen in 1969.

The BWSF relies on the charitable support of individuals, companies and trusts as well as fund-raising events to achieve its objectives, which are:-

To ensure the provision and development of quality sports and leisure facilities for the less able.

To develop regional sports camps for disabled children.

To provide a comprehensive information service for anyone interested in disabled sport.

To organise major sporting events, such as the national wheelchair championships, at Stoke Mandeville.

To act as the umbrella body for seventeen different wheelchair sports associations.

A major initiative, launched by HRH the Prince of Wales, the Royal Patron of the BWSF is the Sporting Chance Appeal, to raise funds for the refurbishment of the national wheelchair sports centre at Stoke Mandeville. The centre provides training facilities for wheelchair athletes from all over the world. A number of sporting celebrities, both able bodied and disabled, have given freely of their time to support the appeal and raise the awareness of wheelchair sport. The general public can give their support through a number of innovative schemes.

To learn more about the exceptional work of the BWSF and how you can offer your support, visit their very informative web site at www.britishwheelchairsports.org.

Alternatively, they can be contacted at:

British Wheelchair Sports Foundation
Guttmann Road
Stoke Mandeville
Bucks
HP21 9PP
Tel: 01296 395995