From grassroots to gold rush
A leading member of Britain's successful Paralympic team has urged more people with a disability to take up sport and contribute to Sport England's target of getting a million people doing more sport by 2012.
Dressage rider Sophie Christiansen won two golds and a silver in Beijing as the para-equestrian team topped the medal table with five gold and five silver medals.
Sophie, who has cerebral palsy, said: "I would definitely encourage other disabled people to start riding, or take up any sport, in fact. It's a great opportunity to try something new and you make so many friends along the way. I don't think I'd be the same person I am today without this sport.
"The Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) took me from therapeutic riding and introduced me to a special group that allowed me to compete against other riders - and the rest is history! Riding is still therapy for me, though, and has helped tremendously with my fitness, co-ordination and disability."
The British Equestrian Federation is committed to bringing more people from all backgrounds into riding. At the heart of its work to nurture future para-equestrian gold medallists is the RDA, which runs an unparalleled network of riding schools and competitions for disabled riders:
Sport England has invested £58,000 in the RDA since 2006
The RDA's new Volunteer Development Programme will bring more people into riding by increasing the number of volunteer coaches by 10%
Six of the seven members of GB's para-equestrian team in Beijing were helped on their way to success by RDA programmes funded by Sport England.
Phil Smith, who recently joined Sport England from The Football Association as one of our Directors of Sport, said:
"Team GB's phenomenal success in the Beijing Paralympics in sports such as equestrianism will persuade more people with a disability to give sport a chance. But people will only stick with sport if they enjoy the experience and are given the support they need to fulfil their potential.
"That's why we are working with national governing bodies to create a world-leading network of clubs, coaches and volunteers that will provide the foundations of success in the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and beyond."
Sport England is working with equality organisations such as the English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS) to challenge sports to do more to encourage participation by under-represented groups.
Following gold medal success in the first ever Paralympic rowing events, the Amateur Rowing Association is among the governing bodies determined to increase sporting opportunities for disabled people at all levels. The ARA has strengthened its links with disability sport by becoming the first governing body to sign a new partnership agreement with the EFDS.
Other sports interested in working with the EFDS can contact Emma Gibson on 01752 897 227, egibson@efds.co.uk
Sport England is creating an Equality and Diversity Centre of Excellence as part of its new strategy. If you would like more information on what Sport England is doing to help disability sports, please contact us on 0207 273 1962.