⚽ Record-breaking day at Cambridge University Football PowerHouseGames
Record Numbers
What a day at the Cambridge University Association Football Club (CUAFC) PowerHouseGames! Held at the University Sports Centre, this year’s event set a new record with 96 participants coming together for a festival of inclusion, sport and smiles.
A Fantastic Coming Together
Students and community groups joined forces with 36 Cambridge University footballers (both women and men), plus groups from St John’s College School (14 pupils), PEM (12 volunteers), Landmark International (12 pupils), Castle Special School (10 pupils) and Rowan (12 adult participants). Twelve mixed teams in brightly coloured shirts filled the hall, each discovering new sports and new friendships.
A Day of Discovery
For many, the day was about more than sport. As David Millward, Director of Sport at St John’s College School, explained:
“They walk into the hall and suddenly they’re in a team with people they’ve never met before – older students, footballers, SEN pupils. It just breaks down barriers all day long. It really opens their eyes to a different way of enjoying sport with a wider range of people.”
The games, from boccia and new age kurling to goalball and sitting netball, were carefully chosen to level the playing field, with abilities set aside in favour of teamwork and encouragement.
Inclusion in Action
Sarah Wright, Head Teacher at St John’s, summed up the importance of the day:
“This is an amazing opportunity for our children to experience something we couldn’t otherwise provide. They don’t see the differences, they just see they’re part of a team. That’s everything to them.”
Helen Seabourne from Landmark International School echoed this, sharing how one pupil who usually struggles with PE joined in with enthusiasm:
“She’s never been before yet here she is, joining in and doing it. It’s lovely and really humbling for our kids.”
A Partnership that Works
CUAFC’s involvement was central, with dozens of players throwing themselves into sports they’d never tried before. Anna Hipkiss, Women’s Co-President, said:
“It’s amazing to get involved in the community. It’s a lot of fun for us too! Even I didn’t know some of the other squad members, so it was a great day for meeting people all round.”
The Spirit of PowerHouseGames
For students like Marta from Landmark International, it’s simple:
“You feel really included and it just lifts your mood. Even if you don’t want to do a game there’s no stress — it’s about the achievement and the support.”
That message was visible in every smile, every cheer, and every medal at the end of the day.
Thank you
Our thanks go to the volunteers, the schools and groups, the incredible CUAFC men’s and women’s squads, and of course our founder John Willis and the Power2Inspire team for making this record-breaking day possible.
Together, you’ve shown again that when everyone has the chance to play, no one is left on the bench.
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.
Bedford Blues PowerHouseGames 2025
Back with the Blues
It was a joy to return to the Bedford Blues Rugby ground for our second PowerHouseGames with the Blues Foundation. Tom Harwood laid on dry weather and a warm breeze, perfect conditions for our six games: walking touch rugby – brilliantly led by Ed from the Blues, walking football, kwik cricket, boccia, sitting volleyball and goalball.
Teams Together
It was wonderful to have 6 volunteers from Bellway back again, enthusiastic and helpful as ever. The twelve teams were also made up of Foundation staff, 16 from Bedford Academy, and groups from Grange Academy, Bedford Modern and Ivel Valley. Richard Lightfoot, one of our extraordinary trustees, joined in and brought the SENCO (special educational needs coordinator) from his school’s trust to see the fun. Two other trustees, Stephen Peak and Gemma Thake, came to help. And Chris Fell, volunteer photographer, took the fabulous photos, you can see here.
Handing on the baton!
Such was the excellent support from Tom and his team, and Stephen, I soon felt superbly redundant. After explaining or reminding how to play the games to the corporate volunteers and the Foundation staff, and welcoming all the schools, it was lovely to see how quickly the teams got on with having fun.
As one volunteer reported afterwards,
“The kids in my team were quiet to begin with, but as the rounds progressed, they developed friendships within the team and were urging each other on in the final half.”
By the end it is difficult to remember that these teams were put together just a couple of hours before. And the engagement of the SEN students is remarkable: I love the fact that it appears so normal.
New Opportunities
Jonathan Bungard, Deputy Head (Pastoral) of Bedford Modern Junior School explained the value to his independent school students:
“This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to work with people they have not had the opportunity to work with before: mixed groups, mixed ages, mixed genders, and mixed range of abilities. Every single child I have seen is beaming away. They are learning new sports, new challenges. I have seen some of our less traditionally sporty children really excelling in what they are doing.”
Special award
In our usual closing ceremony with medals and certificates presented by the Foundation’s Ed, Elan, Steve and Tom – they are very well received and not just by the children – we had a special presentation. Gemma Thake, our trustee, who had brought new-born Theo, the youngest ever attendee at our games, presented young Jack from Ivel Valley, a special school that has attended numerous PHGs now, with a Bedford Blues pennant to recognise the 5,000th attendee at a PowerHouseGames. We are so proud of this milestone. It shows the demand, the need for these inclusive games and the wonderful support of our corporate partners, such as Bellway and Richard Lightfoot’s company, PhysicalEd+ to make it happen!
What are PowerHouseGames?
PowerHouseGames are incredible sports days using adapted games and sports, with activities designed to be accessible and fun for everyone, old and young, with disabilities and none, sporty and not. Participants are encouraged to test their beliefs about ability and disability and what it is to be different, to learn to respect other people’s differences, and Power2Inspire works with them to challenge their assumptions of what they can and cannot do.
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.
All photos reproduced with kind permission from Chris Fell Photos.
12 Stories, 12 Years – Quilters Paralympic Week
For the past eight years, Quilters Junior School in Billericay has hosted something truly special: Paralympic Week.
It has become one of the highlights of Power2Inspire’s calendar, a shining example of what inclusion, resilience and joy look like when sport brings people together.
The beginnings
When we first brought Paralympic Week to Quilters, the goal was simple, give pupils the chance to experience the thrill of adapted and inclusive sports. From the very first year, the pupils embraced the challenge with open arms and loud voices… proving that sport is more than just competition; it’s about teamwork, kindness and fun.
The formula
Over the years the week has developed its own rhythm. Each day focuses on a different year group, from Year 3 to Year 6, with older pupils often stepping up to guide the younger ones. Goalball, sitting volleyball, sitting netball and new age kurling are now familiar favourites, and the message is clear:
- I can’t do it… yet!
- Never give up!
- Practice makes progress.
These three learnings are repeated year after year, becoming a mantra for pupils and staff alike.
Moments that stay with us
Every Paralympic Week is packed with memorable moments:
- The sheer noise and joy of Year 5s in their competitions.
- Year 6s stepping up as ambassadors, teaching with empathy and leadership.
- Rosie Williams, a Quilters alumna and disability gymnastics champion, inspiring pupils with her dream of competing in the 2032 Paralympics.
- Special guests like Emma Brown, England Deaf footballer, joining in the fun and showing what’s possible.
- The annual staff tennis challenge — where Mr Mears somehow snuck away with the crown!
- And of course, the ever-popular assemblies at the Infants School, where John’s now-famous horse’s head drawing has finally earned him a Quality sticker!
Why it matters
Paralympic Week is more than just games. It’s about confidence, kindness and community. Pupils learn that sport is for everyone, that winning isn’t about points but about teamwork, and that perseverance leads to progress. For some, it’s the first time they’ve truly felt included in sport. For others, it sparks ambitions for the future.
A lasting partnership
For John, Paralympic Week at Quilters is one of the greatest joys of his role:
“I love my visits to Quilters and look forward to returning for as long as I can.”
For Quilters, it has become part of the fabric of the school… a week where values come alive in the sports hall, where children discover new strengths, and where the motto “No one left on the bench” is lived out every single day.
As we celebrate 12 Stories for 12 Years, Quilters stands out as a story of partnership, perseverance, and progress. Eight years in, and still going strong, Paralympic Week continues to remind us of the power of inclusive sport to change lives. And we can’t wait to see what the next chapters hold.
Inspired? Then Get Involved!
If you are interested in hosting a Games2Inspire in your school / college / company / community group 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.
Volunteers come together for CBC PowerHouseGames
A Big Return
It was wonderful to return to the Cambridge Biomedical Campus (CBC) – at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge – for our second PowerHouseGames there. And it was so much bigger: we had at least 72 participants with carers joining in! A truly joyful morning was had.
Together From Across The Campus
Twenty three volunteers from CBC, from a real range of companies and organisations all over the campus, were joined by four groups – from Gretton School and Churchill School, both special needs schools, from Rowan, a local adult disability group, and Cambridge Academy for Science and Technology, the most local state school, as the adjoin the campus.
Once organised into 12 teams of 6 – one from each group in each team (two from CBC) – and given a t-shirt, the teams were shown the games. Boccia, sitting netball and goalball are three of our stalwarts. Throwing games, table cricket and table curling we use when needs demand.
Taking Advantage of the Tents
They do look a bit like teepees – set up for the extremely well attended Cambridge Wellness Festival, the day before, we made sure bad weather wouldn’t stop us, with two tabletop games and a throwing station that could have used the cover if necessary.
This was the very first time we have tried table curling and it proved popular, especially with the older less mobile adults. Table cricket always has its champions and requires no little skill to play well. We split the throwing into two: a foam javelin throw, and a bean bag throw to a target. Foam javelins are extremely difficult to throw well so lots of hilarity ensued.
New Experiences
The group from CAST loved it, commenting how wonderfully inclusive it was. This was Gretton’s second PHG and Jack Lee, their teacher, is clamouring for more opportunities. Churchill came all the way from Haverhill and Kirsty Webb was magnanimous in allowing Dani Russo to come in her stead as she wants all the teachers in her school to experience the games!
It was Rowan’s first visit, and we are keen to include adult groups of disabled people at our PHGs. I was moved when I heard one carer describe how valuable an outing like this is to some who cannot get out of their homes without support. Playing with youngsters in a safe and fun environment brought smiles to their faces, only matched when they realised they could take home their t-shirt!
Thank you
A big thank you to Richard Westcott, who has championed these games on the campus, for Simon Day for supporting him, and for his photos, Caiya Griffith for her enthusiasm and to Ed Watson, interim MD of CBC, for stepping in at the last moment to hand out medals.
It was a great success and we are keen to build on it next year. Thank you CBC and all participants.
What are PowerHouseGames?
PowerHouseGames are incredible sports days using adapted games and sports, with activities designed to be accessible and fun for everyone, old and young, with disabilities and none, sporty and not. Participants are encouraged to test their beliefs about ability and disability and what it is to be different, to learn to respect other people’s differences, and Power2Inspire works with them to challenge their assumptions of what they can and cannot do.
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.
All photos reproduced with kind permission from Chris Fell Photos.
A summer term of Games2Inspire
June and July are our busiest months of the year – it’s hard enough for me to keep up with so many brilliant events, let alone write about them! I have managed to blog about our visits to St Mary and St John’s, Oxford, St John Fisher, Oxford and St Faith’s, Cambridge which are linked below but we need to acknowledge the wonderful Games2Inspire days at The Perse in Cambridge, Cecil Road in Kent, and King’s Ely Prep School.
This was the eighth Games2Inspire with The Perse (one was online during Covid) – one of biggest local supporters. The events get better and better. Supported by our wonderful trustee-volunteer, Stephen Peak, who supervised new age kurling, we had six sports and an inclusive kilometre along with the assembly to open proceedings, to fill the eight lesson day.
As ever I was supervising sitting netball, which proved more competitive and tiring than most of the boys expected. The Y8s raised an amazing £2,110 (including gift aid) through sponsorship for the inclusive kilometre and 108 challenge.
My visit to Cecil Road in Gravesend, Kent, came from a prize awarded by Active Kent. They had met us at the Christ Church University PowerHouseGames in 2024 and decided an inclusive sports day was a fitting prize for the school who encouraged the most activity in play time through a term. The sports leaders at Cecil Road Primary School were outstanding in encouraging their classmates and juniors to play organised games, so were worthy winners.
I gave a talk in assembly and held workshops through the day captured beautifully by videographer, Richard Mott.
Amazingly it was our 11th Games2Inspire at King’s Ely Prep School. Right at the end of term, it makes for an ideal fun morning for the children, and we managed to get the games in before the searing heat arrived at noon. Based in front of the school we had eight activities on the go; all led from within their teams by 90 Y7s!
With 32 teams comprising Y3s and 4s (with their Y7 leaders) there was a little confusion to start with, but once that was sorted, the children were soon getting into boccia, sitting volleyball, goalball and sitting netball to name just a few.
A big thank you to Andrew Marshall for championing our partnership and to Amanda Kippax for organising things on the day.
Adding in the other Games2Inspire this term we have delivered inclusive sport to 837 children, proving that it is possible that no one need be left on the bench.
I am always bowled over by the enthusiasm of the pupils, whether from state or independent school to learn through play; their desire to help and support; and their passionate determination to have fun!
What are Games2Inspire?
Games2Inspire events are incredible events, most often hosted in schools, with an assembly and sports day which includes activities designed to be accessible and fun for everyone, with disabilities and none, sporty and not. Participants get to meet our inspirational founder, John Willis, and hear all about how John has overcome obstacles in his life. They then get to put that learning to practice by playing adapted games and sports together learning new skills and being encouraged to test their beliefs about ability and disability and what it is to be different, learning to respect other people’s differences. Power2Inspire works with them to challenge their assumptions of what they can and cannot do.
Inspired? Then Get Involved!
If you are interested in hosting a Games2Inspire in your school / college / company / community group 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.