Cambridge Biomedical Campus PowerHouseGames 2026
There was an extra reason to celebrate when the PowerHouseGames returned to Cambridge Biomedical Campus (CBC) this September.
Among the smiles, cheers and friendly competition, one participant became the 7,000th person to take part in a PowerHouseGames, marking a huge milestone for Power2Inspire and our belief that no one should be left on the bench.
Returning to the CBC for the third time, the 116th PowerHouseGames brought together participants from Churchill School and Rowan, alongside an incredible 38 volunteers from across CBC. The biggest contingent of volunteers at the event yet.
The teams got stuck into the usual PowerHouseGames favourites, alongside some less familiar activites. Tabletop sports included table cricket, tabletop curling and polybat, while another station challenged participants with foam javeline and bean bag target throwing.
There was plenty of creativity involved too. Polybat was adapted using bean bags, with participants using the rectangular bats to flip them back and forth, a little like frying pans and pancakes. Tabletop curling also proved particularly popular, with a couple of participants enjoying it so much they said they would consider buying a set to play at home.
A celebration of belonging
Julie Spence, Lord-Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire, officially opened the Games and spoke about what can happen when communities come together through sport.
“What a wonderful example this event is of what can happen when communities come together – schools, organisations, volunteers, supporters and, most importantly, people of all abilities coming together to enjoy sport and be part of a team.”
That was exactly what the morning was about: not just sharing the same space, but everyone playing alongside one another as teammates.
We were fortunate to have Paralympic gold medallist Dan Bentley with us, helping to facilitate the boccia activity.
Speaking to BBC Radio Cambridgeshire at the event, Dan described the PowerHouseGames as a great demonstration of inclusion.
For one participant from Rowan, it was tabletop curling that became a firm favourite:
“I found it really brilliant. With the experts and other participants, it’s great just being here. Curling has been my favourite – I love the speed, balance and just getting on with it.”
A huge part of the atmosphere came from the 38 volunteers from across Cambridge Biomedical Campus. Having volunteers join the teams is an important part of the PowerHouseGames. It gives people who might not usually meet or play sport together the chance to share the same experience.
One Campus volunteer said:
“I really enjoyed getting involved in the PowerHouseGames. There was such a positive atmosphere and it was brilliant to see everyone with all abilities getting involved and having fun.”
Celebrating our 7,000th participant
The morning also marked a particularly special PowerHouseGames milestone, as we celebrated our 7,000th participant.
Jensen was nominated as participant number 7,000 and was presented with a beach ball to mark the occasion. \
“I was nervous about the games as at previous events I have felt very overwhelmed and didn’t want to participate in anything, but the atmosphere was so welcoming. Everyone just accepted everyone else exactly as they were. I even ended up being the 7,000th attendee and won a beach ball! It was amazing to leave with a massive smile and a prize. I joined in with everything!”
For John, reaching 7,000 participants was about much more than the number itself.
“It’s all about seeing the smiles, hearing the cheers and watching people have fun together. Disabled or non-disabled, young or old, everyone can play and everyone can be included. That’s what the PowerHouseGames are all about.”
It was also fantastic to welcome Tom Jackson from BBC Radio Cambridgeshire, who came along to report on the event and capture this milestone moment.
Reaching 7,000 participants is a huge milestone for the PowerHouseGames, but the number only tells part of the story. Behind it are thousands of individual experiences of playing alongside someone new, discovering a sport or simply being given the opportunity to be part of a team.
A huge thank you to Cambridge Biomedical Campus for hosting us for the third time, as well as Churchill School, Rowan, Julie Spence, Dan Bentley and all 38 Campus volunteers who helped make the 116th PowerHouseGames such a memorable one.
As Julie put it at the beginning of the morning;
“Inclusion isn’t simply about making sure everyone can take part. It is about making sure everyone feels that they belong.”
Inspired? Then Get Involved!
Would your university sports team, or school love to be involved in a PowerHouseGames? Could your company support our mission by volunteering at one of our PowerHouseGames? If so, then we would love to hear from you. We are also always looking out for people willing to fundraise for Power2Inspire through their own inspiring means. Or, you could volunteer individually at one of our events, or you could give to the ongoing work of Power2Inspire. There are SO MANY WAYS we can all help to ensure “no on else is left on the bench!” Click the button here to find out more.
Stephen Perse Games2Inspire 2026
Inclusive sport is back, although we never really left! After a quieter summer, we kicked off the new term with a Games2Inspire at Stephen Perse in Cambridge.
We began the day with an assembly from our founder, John Willis, who shared his story and introduced the Year 9 students to inclusive sport. From there, they got stuck into activities they hadn’t necessarily tried before, including goalball, sitting netball, New Age Kurling, tabletop games and sitting volleyball.
Stephen Perse told us the students were fully involved throughout the day. For Ellie, trying new sports alongside her classmates was a highlight:
“I really enjoyed the sitting volleyball and the goalball as I thought it was nice to experience working with other people in sports you haven’t done already. I also found John’s assembly very inspiring to do whatever you want in the world and not to let things stop you from that.”
John’s story stayed with other students too. Rodin said:
“John’s assembly was fantastic and it was incredibly inspiring to see what he was able to do with Power2Inspire!”
Aditi described the assembly as:
“moving and meaningful, yet humorous and light too.”
Their reflection also touched on John’s determination from a young age and the message of equality they took away from the day.
We finished the morning with a huge game of sitting volleyball involving 120 students. It was a memorable way to bring everyone together before the end of the event.
The Year 9 students have also been fundraising for Power2Inspire, turning their experience into an opportunity to help more people access inclusive sport.
So far, they have raised an amazing £240, and they hope to build on that total with support from the wider Stephen Perse community. Every donation will help us continue creating opportunities for disabled and non-disabled people to enjoy sport together.
Support Year 9’s fundraising on JustGiving: https://www.justgiving.com/page/stephen-perse-foundation-3?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL
A huge well done to everyone who took part and to the Year 9 students for supporting our work beyond the event itself. It was a brilliant way to start a new term of inclusive sport, and we’re looking forward to plenty more over the months ahead.
Inspired? Then Get Involved!
Would your university sports team, or school love to be involved in a PowerHouseGames? Could your company support our mission by volunteering at one of our PowerHouseGames? If so, then we would love to hear from you. We are also always looking out for people willing to fundraise for Power2Inspire through their own inspiring means. Or, you could volunteer individually at one of our events, or you could give to the ongoing work of Power2Inspire. There are SO MANY WAYS we can all help to ensure “no on else is left on the bench!” Click the button here to find out more.
How Boccia Champions Are Making a Difference
Great partnerships are built on a shared purpose. Our partnership with Boccia England is a perfect example.
Boccia has long been part of our PowerHouseGames because it is a sport that people of all ages and abilities can enjoy. As our events grew, we wanted to make sure participants were getting the best possible experience.
Through conversations with Stacey, Partnerships and Engagement Manager at Boccia England, it quickly became clear that we shared the same goal: making sport more inclusive and accessible for everyone.
By working together, we found a way to make an already popular activity even better. Since then, Boccia Champions have supported PowerHouseGames across the country, from the Saracens Foundation to the University of Warwick, with even more events planned throughout the rest of the year.
Bringing Boccia to Life
The version of boccia participants experience at our PowerHouseGames may look a little different from a traditional game.
While boccia is usually played on a full-sized badminton court in singles, pairs or teams, our events are designed to make the sport accessible and enjoyable for everyone. That is where the Boccia Champions make such a difference.
Using their knowledge and experience, they adapt activities to suit each group while keeping the spirit of boccia at the heart of every session. They can introduce new challenges, simplify parts of the game or find different ways to help everyone get involved.
The success of the partnership comes from recognising what each organisation does best.
Boccia England brings specialist knowledge of the sport, while Power2Inspire creates inclusive environments where people of all ages and abilities can play together. By combining those strengths, we have created an experience that is stronger than either organisation could deliver alone.
Most importantly, it is the participants who benefit.
Creating Opportunites Beyond the Event
For many participants, it is their first introduction to boccia. We want that first experience to be positive, inclusive and the beginning of something more.
That could mean joining a local club, attending a community session or eventually progressing to competition. Together, we are helping turn a first experience of boccia into an opportunity to keep playing.
Looking Ahead
We are excited to continue growing our partnership with Boccia England, introducing more people to the sport, supporting the development of more Boccia Champions and creating stronger pathways into local clubs and competitions.
We hope every PowerHouseGames is not just an introduction to boccia, but the start of someone’s journey in the sport.
Interested in Boccia?
If you have been inspired to try boccia or are looking for a club near you, Boccia England can help you find opportunities in your local area.
You can visit their website Boccia England – The Most Inclusive Sport in England or contact them via email at info@bocciaengland.org.uk
Inspired? Then Get Involved!
Would your university sports team, or school love to be involved in a PowerHouseGames? Could your company support our mission by volunteering at one of our PowerHouseGames? If so, then we would love to hear from you. We are also always looking out for people willing to fundraise for Power2Inspire through their own inspiring means. Or, you could volunteer individually at one of our events, or you could give to the ongoing work of Power2Inspire. There are SO MANY WAYS we can all help to ensure “no on else is left on the bench!” Click the button here to find out more.
A huge thank you to Stacey Monk-Reed at Boccia England for taking the time to chat with me about the partnership. It was great to hear about everything that has been achieved so far and what’s still to come.
Canterbury Christ Church University PowerHouseGames 2026
The return of the PowerHouseGames to Canterbury Christ Church University was a huge success, bringing students together for a day of inclusive sport and giving everyone the opportunity to get involved.
Students from Newingate School, Small Haven and the SLBS Base department joined us for the event, ready to try a range of sports and experience what the PowerHouseGames are all about.
We also had a fantastic turnout of people helping to make the day possible.
Year 12 Sports Activators from Simon Langton Boys School supported participants throughout the event, alongside Theo from New Age Sports, Evie from Inclusive Sport and the Redshanks Walking Rugby team from Whitstable RFC.
With so many people bringing their own experience and enthusiasm to the day, there was plenty for the students to get involved with.
Six different sports were on offer: goalball, New Age Kurling, walking deaf football, sitting volleyball, sitting netball and walking rugby. For some students, these were completely new activities, but that didn’t stop them from giving everything a go.
Throughout the day, the students showed great enthusiasm and a willingness to participate in every sport. There were plenty of smiles as they got to grips with new rules, worked out how to play together and supported their teammates.
That teamwork was particularly clear during activities such as walking rugby, where communicating and working together was just as important as scoring. Everyone gave it their best shot, regardless of their previous experience or ability.
But one of the best things to see was how comfortable everyone became within their teams. The PowerHouseGames is about much more than simply trying different sports. It’s about creating an environment where disabled and non-disabled young people can take part together and everyone feels like they belong.
By the end of the event, the smiles on everyones faces showed just how much they had enjoyed being part of the day.
A huge thank you to Canterbury Christ Church University, the participating schools and everyone who gave their time to support the event. It was fantastic to return to Canterbury and see another group of young people experience what inclusive sport can look like when everyone is given the opportunity to take part.
Inspired? Then Get Involved!
Would your university sports team, or school love to be involved in a PowerHouseGames? Could your company support our mission by volunteering at one of our PowerHouseGames? If so, then we would love to hear from you. We are also always looking out for people willing to fundraise for Power2Inspire through their own inspiring means. Or, you could volunteer individually at one of our events, or you could give to the ongoing work of Power2Inspire. There are SO MANY WAYS we can all help to ensure “no on else is left on the bench!” Click the button here to find out more.
A huge thank you to Ryan, one of our Ambassadors, for taking the time to write this blog and share his reflections from the day.
University of Oxford PowerHouseGames 2026
There couldn’t be a more fitting way to round off the Oxford Young Sports Leaders Programme than with a PowerHouseGames.
Bringing together students from the six schools taking part in the Oxford Young Sports Leaders Programme alongside pupils from John Watson School, the event gave young people the opportunity to put months of learning into practice through inclusive sport. Held at the University of Oxford’s Iffley Road Sports Centre, it was a chance to see everything they had been working towards come together.
Throughout the morning, participants took part in a range of inclusive sports, including boccia, goalball, New Age Kurling, sitting volleyball and walking rugby. More importantly, they worked alongside people they hadn’t met before, encouraged one another and stepped outside their comfort zones.
As the morning went on, nervous introductions turned into conversations, teamwork and new friendships.
That’s exactly what stood out to Zoe Pugh, Sport and Community Engagement Officer at the University of Oxford:
“…it was wonderful to see them interacting, collaborating, and building new connections with peers from different schools.”
One of the highlights of the day was welcoming Miranda Loughry from Oxfordshire Goalball Club, who introduced participants to goalball and shared her passion for adaptive sport.
Miranda noticed the transformation in the students throughout the morning.
“I especially loved how the groups consisted of mixed ages and kids from different schools. I noticed how the kids started out a little nervous and reserved in the morning and became more confident as the day went on. The kids in the last few groups I worked with really seemed to have developed friendships with their peers and their team captains that will endure beyond the closing ceremony.”
Miranda also reflected on how the event challenged perceptions of adaptive sport.
“Adaptive sports exist so that everyone can play. The more people know about Goalball, the more people have the opportunity to build connections within the disabled community.”
That simple idea sits at the heart of every PowerHouseGames. Inclusive sport isn’t about changing the rules for a few people. It’s about creating opportunities where everyone can play together, learn from one another and discover what they’re capable of.
The PowerHouseGames was the perfect way to round off another successful Oxford Young Sports Leaders Programme. It celebrated everything the students had learned while showing that leadership isn’t just about organising activities or giving instructions. It’s about making sure everyone feels included and has the confidence to take part.
We would like to thank the University of Oxford, Zoe Pugh, Miranda Loughry and Oxfordshire Goalball Club, the participating schools and everyone who helped make the event such a success.
The event also highlighted the strength of our growing partnership with the University of Oxford. By combining the Oxford Young Sports Leaders Programme with the PowerHouseGames, we are helping more young people develop leadership skills while experiencing the value of inclusion in action. We look forward to continuing to build this partnership in the years ahead and creating even more opportunities for young people to experience inclusive sport together.
Inspired? Then Get Involved!
Would your university sports team, or school love to be involved in a PowerHouseGames? Could your company support our mission by volunteering at one of our PowerHouseGames? If so, then we would love to hear from you. We are also always looking out for people willing to fundraise for Power2Inspire through their own inspiring means. Or, you could volunteer individually at one of our events, or you could give to the ongoing work of Power2Inspire. There are SO MANY WAYS we can all help to ensure “no on else is left on the bench!” Click the button here to find out more.