PowerHouseGames travel to University of Warwick
We recently partnered with University of Warwick to host our inclusive PowerHouseGames. The games invited local schools to team-up with inspiring sports personalities to compete in university-style sports, including boccia, new age Kurling and goalball. The games are designed to ensure everyone, of all abilities, can take part – and that nobody is “left on the bench”.
On Thursday 9th February 2023, three schools competed at the fantastic University Sports and Wellness Hub at The University of Warwick. Taking part were children from Sidney Stringer Academy, Coventry, Avon Park School, Rugby, and Leicester Grammar School, Leicester.
Each team included a volunteer sportsman and sportswoman, and three children – with one child from each group having special educational needs. We were also delighted to be joined by GB Paralympian, Karé Adenegan, who fully immersed herself in the fun.
The pastoral lead from Sidney Stringer Academy – the state school that attended – said they had deliberately chosen pupils who didn’t usually get involved in sport and many were from disadvantaged backgrounds. She was so pleased to see them getting stuck in and they had such a great time.
Leicester Grammar School, representatives from the independent school sector, brought year 8 students to participate and year 12 students to help supervise each game. One year 12 student enjoyed the day so much that he asked to come again!
Nikki Laybourne, Head of Girls’ Cricket, Leicester Grammar School said:
“This was the second time we’ve brought students to a PowerHouseGames, and once again this one did not disappoint! Our younger students had a great time learning to work as a team with pupils from other Schools and Warwick University.
“They really enjoyed participating in sports that most of them had never experienced before and listening to Karé Adenegan talk about her experiences leading up to becoming a Paralympian. Our Year 12 students were able to work on their leadership and coaching skills, in sports they had very little knowledge about, alongside working on their communication skills with people they had never met before. Overall, it was a superb experience for all those involved.”
Oscar Fraser, Year 8 student, Leicester Grammar School, said:
“I really enjoyed the experience and the opportunity to come to the PowerHouseGames in Warwick which I thoroughly enjoyed. I also think it’s a positive message to young people, such as myself that spreads positivity of ‘no one left on the bench’.
I also enjoyed the various different games that were on offer there such as walking football. All the staff and volunteers were really nice and kind and I would definitely go again if there was an opportunity to do so.”
John Willis, Founder and Chief Ambassador, Power2Inspire, and University of Warwick alumnus said:
“PowerHouseGames are incredible sports days using adapted games and sports. All the activities are especially designed to be accessible and fun for everyone, old and young, with disabilities and none, sporty and not – and in so doing are wonderfully inclusive.
“I’m proud to be able to introduce sports events that showcase how people with special educational needs and disabilities can be included.
“An excited Warwick University student exclaimed that it was the first sports event they had ever been to as she requested a selfie! She was beaming and added that boccia was her favourite. It’s moments like this that highlight the importance of the work we do.”
“As an alumnus of Warwick I was thrilled to establish our first PowerHouseGames at the university. David Colliver, Paul Robbins, Iain McKinney, Kieron Carroll, Vicky Law, Rebecca Kilcullen and Becky Easterbrook all helped bring it to fruition almost two years from the initial contact. Being invited to speak at a graduation ceremony last summer was crucial as I met Stuart Croft, the Vice Chancellor, whose support added key momentum.”
Joe Warren, Director of Sports Operations and Delivery at Warwick Sport, University of Warwick said:
“We were delighted to partner with Power2Inspire to host the PowerHouseGames. This was a fantastic opportunity for us to welcome local schools and inspiring sports personalities into our Sports and Wellness Hub. Our collaboration with Power2Inspire allows us to play our part in providing inclusive sporting opportunities for people of all abilities and ensure that nobody is left on the bench.”
Andrew Todd, Director of Regional Strategy and Partnerships, University of Warwick said:
“We were proud to sponsor this very first PowerHouseGames at our accessible Sports and Wellness Hub. We want to encourage sport for everyone and support active communities in our region. These games were a great opportunity for us to bring together local school children, our staff and students and staff from our partner University College Birmingham to enjoy a truly inclusive sporting event.
“A special thank you to Coventry’s very own Paralympian, recent Commonwealth Games silver medallist and University of Warwick alumna, Karé Adenegan, who also joined us at the games for a fantastic day of inclusive sport.”
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.
With special thanks to Paul Sanwell of OP Photography for his fantastic photography on the day. All photos used with permission
Brand new schools join Lucy Cavendish College for 2023 PowerHouseGames
What a difference PowerHouseGames make in so many ways!
“The positive difference in all the students from the beginning of the games to the end, was so marked,”
enthused Keith Dawes, head of pastoral care at Littlegarth School. His school joined Duxford Primary and Churchill Special Free School at the second Lucy Cavendish College PowerHouseGames on Wednesday 18th January.
Lucy Cavendish brought a mix of students and staff and all had fun, though Jane Greatorex, senior tutor, admitted the sitting volleyball was surprisingly tiring!
The College sees the half day inclusive session of different inclusive games as vital to bring balance to their students’ lives and to aid their mental welfare. Getting the students out of their rooms and away from their intense study is as vital as having a glimpse of ‘normality’ for others, and how they cope with the pressures of everyday life.
Kirsty Webb, teacher at Churchill School, said,
“Thank you so much for having us. The students had the best time and couldn’t wait to share their day when we got back. They all had a brilliant time and it really exceeded their expectations… in a great way!”
Judging by the cheers, laughter, thumbs up and smiles from these first-timers, they will be back for more. Walking football was particularly popular, but so was new age kurling and sitting netball. Goalball challenges all participants as few are comfortable being blindfolded, and yet there are many champions of this exciting Paralympic sport.
Maria Dias, the Welfare and Wellbeing Advisor and Bye Fellow at Lucy Cavendish said,
“Thank YOU for a second fantastic Games! It was an absolute pleasure to be able to join you this time round and see the Games magic at work first hand!”
The College students have been tasked with fundraising in each of their sports clubs for Power2Inspire with the added incentive that the College will match some of the funds they raise. I do so hope one of the clubs chooses to make and sell pancakes – my favourite idea for fundraising!
Here is what a couple of the Lucy Cavendish students had to say about the day. First Luke:
“I decided to take part in this year’s PowerHouseGames because it’s so important to have young people, staff, and students from many different backgrounds coming together in an inclusive sport environment, getting out there, making new friends, and also being active”
and Ell:
“I have come along today to help out at the PowerHouseGames with other Lucy Cavendish staff and students because inclusivity is one of the College’s core values, and to see that being implemented in sports is something really important. It has been a really rewarding day as we got to try new sports with students of all different abilities”
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.
With special thanks to Paul Sanwell of OP Photography for his fantastic photography on the day. All photos used with permission
The Perse PowerHouseGames 2022
The Perse PowerHouseGames 2022
PowerHouseGames at the Perse just gets better every year!
This was the fourth full PowerHouseGames day at the Perse, as I do not count the virtual games in Covid. The way it has developed has continually improved it – to the point that Emma Kenzie, geography teacher and Charities Coordinator, has taken it to near perfection. But we are not resting on our laurels – we look to improve every year.
The day focuses on Year 8. They receive an assembly on Overcoming Barriers, and then five sessions of inclusive sports and an inclusive kilometre. The students pair up and both complete the kilometre in turn, either blindfolded or guiding their partner. The inclusive sports are usually boccia, new age kurling, goalball, sitting volleyball and sitting netball, all different examples as to how disabled people can play sports.
I was thrilled that Jennifer Crompton, the High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire and her husband, John, an Old Persean, were able to join us for the first round of activities.
Emma (possibly ambitiously) invited the students to ask any question they liked when they came through Sitting Netball, the game I was supervising. One young bright spark challenged me to choose in regard to pizzas – pineapple, yes or no? I said yes, and was shocked how many of the group physically recoiled!! Fun question and intriguing responses. I was also surprised that most of the students admitted that they had not previously met a disabled person – another benefit of these days, as they learn more about difference.
It was lovely to get back to normality and witness the value of learning about inclusion, disability, fun sports and teamwork. And the partnership with the Perse is so valuable to us as the students raised nearly £1,200 from the sponsored Inclusive Kilometre – thank you! And thank you to the brilliant sixth form helpers who helped put on a fantastic PowerHouseGames at the Perse!
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.
Hoohaah 10k at Ickworth for Power2Inspire
Barr Ellison Hoohaah Ickworth 10kSunday 22nd May 2022
A staggering 368 runners and their families flocked to Ickworth 10k to bask in the sunshine and explore the outstanding grounds. I do not know how Hannah Hodgson does it! It was the perfect setting – a beautiful sunny Sunday morning, stunning location and another wonderful group of runners. All fundraising for Power2Inspire!
We would like to thank everyone – fundraising opportunities like this, make the world of difference to the people we work with. It enables us to talk to thousands of young people in schools across the country, run inclusive sports events and raise awareness to make sure inclusion is at the top of the agenda.
It also helps supports wonderful heritage venues, such as National Trust’s Ickworth. We were pleased to hear so many families pledging to return to explore the house further.
You might guess that I enjoyed being the commentator! At least my hat proved a hit.
The next Hoohaah 10k is on Sunday 12th June at Shuttleworth. There are a few tickets available for runners who turn up on the day. You can also come along and cheer or get in touch if you would like to help marshall. You can find out all the details on the hoohaah website here.
Thank you to Hannah and her Hoohaah team; to Active Training World for sorting the timing and the commentator’s list; to Barr Ellison to sponsoring the series; the National Trust for sharing this special location; and above all to the runners for fundraising for Power2Inspire!
We’ve had a busy month. Not only have I been on the microphone at the Hoohaah 10k; we hosted Games2Inspire at Balgowan Primary School where a Year 4 wheelchair user shared his joy of being able join in; and we received feedback from a family at our Super Sensory 1K who said that they were able to play together…at last!
Inspired? Then Get Involved!
If you would like to support us in our mission to “embed inclusive sport in the sporting, education and community landscapes” then we would love to hear from you.
We’re always looking for opportunities to collaborate with new venues and corporate sponsors. Get in touch to find out more.
Click the button here to find out more.
With special thanks to Active Training World for their fantastic photography. All photos used with permission
Celebrating Diversity
Our Founder and Chief Ambassador, John Willis, shares how he celebrates diversity within the charity’s work.
At Power2Inspire, we celebrate diversity by hosting inclusive and adaptive sports games that work for everybody. I was born without fully formed arms and legs, and when I was young, I was left on the bench. I would’ve loved to have been involved with accessible sports and being unable to was incredibly frustrating. That’s why I’ve made it our mission that no-one else has to experience this.
Our ultimate goal, first and foremost, is not to compete with extreme elite level sports games, but to have fun. Often, I believe the elite sports we see on television distorts our view of what sport is really about – and for us it isn’t money or competition, it’s fun and the feeling of being included.
I believe the most important factor to celebrating diversity is ensuring everyone can be involved. We do this by adapting rules so that the sports are truly inclusive. We once worked with a young girl in a year three class who used a wheelchair and had profound disabilities. She desperately wanted to be involved with sitting netball like the rest of her class, but was apprehensive as to how she could. In order to ensure everyone was included, we placed an exclusion zone around her meaning that only she could catch the ball, making it safer and allowing her to join in with the fun. She went on to enjoy the game, and score the winning goal – there wasn’t a dry eye in the house! My view is, if it’s not working for someone – simply change the rules so that it does.
We adapt all of our events so that no-one is left out. We recently held our Festival of Inclusive Golf which plays under Texas scramble rules. These rules lend themselves to inclusion and collaboration, meaning that everyone is included and contributes to the team’s score, no matter their ability. Similarly, our Festival of Inclusive Tennis uses smaller rackets and sponge balls if needed, to ensure everyone gets the chance to play.
We even adapt our Super Sensory 1km route, not only to make it accessible for all, but to make it fun and interesting. By introducing sight, smell, touch, taste and hearing stations we ensure there is something for everyone, and it always promises a fun, family day out.
As a charity we are constantly trying to find ways to make sports more accessible but still enjoyable and fun. It’s extremely important that everyone is afforded to opportunity to enjoy sport together – no one should be left on the bench like I was.
If you would like to help us to continue delivering sports events for the community, designed to be accessible for everyone, we’d love you to be involved by volunteering, sponsoring your own event or donating to help us raise vital funds.
Inspired? Then Get Involved!
If you would like to support us in our mission to “embed inclusive sport in the sporting, education and community landscapes” then we would love to hear from you.
We’re always looking for opportunities to collaborate with new venues and corporate sponsors. Get in touch to find out more.
Likewise, if you would be willing to help us raise funds through a sponsored event, do get in touch. We’ve loads of ideas if you need inspiration!
Click the button here to find out more.
John Willis
Founder & Chief Ambassador, Power2Inspire