Club of the Year winners 2024 - Disability Snowsport UK

Our Club of the Month awards celebrated 11 incredible inclusive activity providers during 2024, each a thoroughly deserving winner in their own right. The culminated with our Club of the Year award, where in true Eurovision style, the combination of public and expert panel votes decides the winner.

Following an avalanche of public votes and melting the hearts of our judging panel, we're thrilled to announce Disability Snowsports UK as our Every Body Moves powered by Toyota Club of the Year for 2024.

DSUK work to make participation in the exhilarating world of snowsports more accessible and inclusive to the disabled community throughout the UK. This echoes the Every Body Moves programme goals of championing inclusion and empowering the disabled community to be more physically active in a way that suits the individual.

Paralympic Champion, Hannah Cockroft, who formed part of the expert judging panel said of DSUK - "I could easily be encouraged to give this club a visit! I love that they're making a relatively marginalised and difficult sport to access, easy and accessible to all."

"Equipment and facility is often a huge barrier to people trying snow sports and DSUK are eliminating both of these barriers to ensure that everyone can at least give it a go. Whether you're standing or sitting, you need support or you're independent, everyone was catered to and welcomed."

The charity deliver lessons from centres in Hemel Hempstead, Manchester, Tamworth, Glasgow and Edinburgh amongst others. Utilising a range of adaptive equipment and an expert team of highly trained coaches and volunteers, DSUK are able to personalise each private or group lesson to the participant's individual needs and goal. This inclusive approach ensures that everyone can safely and confidently enjoy their time on slopes, and become part of a supportive and welcoming snowsports community.

On receiving the award, Virginia Anderson, CEO at DSUK, said - "We are absolutely delighted to have been selected as Every Body Moves Club of the Year this year. We're surrounded by wonderful grassroots organisations who were all voted as Club of the Month and they just they showcase their real range of activity that's out there for disabled people and to be active and to take part."

"...skiing and snowboarding aren't always the first things you think about, but they're a wonderfully accessible way to be active. They're great fun, and there's a really great community of people out there. And they're one of the sports where you can take part alongside family and friends."

Baden Knifton, Parasport Engagement Officer at ParalympicsGB said - "A huge congratulations to all our Club of the Month winners in 2024, and to DSUK for being crowned club of the year. The judges were hugely impressed by the vast range of adaptive ways people can participate with DSUK and the ever growing range of initiatives they offer to help grow social, supportive and inclusive communities around the activities. High praise also to all truly incredible staff, coaches, volunteers and wider support networks, whose hard work and passion make all of this possible... thank you!".

A hand over event will take place early in 2025 and we look forward to bringing you more news on that.

Congratulation also go to Ben Howarth and Ability Tennis, who gained the highest number of public votes won our 'People's Choice Award 2024'. Well done to all involved at the organisation and club.

If you run, attend or know of an incredible club or provider who are breaking down barriers to make inclusive participation a reality for the wider disabled community and think they deserve to be recognised in our Club of the Month awards... then drop us a line at info@everybodymoves.org.uk and we'd love to hear more.