Happy 1st birthday Every Body Moves

Every Body Moves 1 year on… 

 

Can you believe it's been a whole year since the launch of Every Body Moves? It feels like just yesterday we were gathered in Sheffield, filled with excitement alongside our incredible allies from the disability, sport, and physical activity community. Time flies when you're making waves, doesn't it? 

 

So, here we are, 365 days into this fantastic journey, having transformed the award-winning Parasport UK programme into the collaborative force for change we now know as Every Body Moves, often affectionately shortened to EBM. And what a ride it's been! 

 

Let's take a moment to celebrate some of the key highlights from the last 12 months: 

 

Our amazing launch event saw local members of the disabled community, voluntary groups and organisations in partnership with Move More Sheffield come together to try out over 15 different activities. Toyota ambassador Jonnie Peacock and Paralympic legend Hannah Cockroft also graced us with their presence, ensuring that we marked the occasion in style. 

 

Through our activity finder, we've now ticked over 10,000 inclusive sessions, making it easier for more people to find activities suitable for them in their local area or online. Did you know that disabled people are almost twice as likely as non-disabled people to struggle finding accessible and inclusive activities near them? This statistic drives home the importance of initiatives like Every Body Moves in addressing accessibility barriers. 

 

Our lived experience advisory board took their voices to parliament, passionately advocating for more support and sharing their experiences of accessing ways to be active as disabled individuals. 82% of disabled people can name at least one reason why taking part in physical activity or sport is important to them, showcasing the significant value that physical activity holds beyond just the physical health benefits. 

 

Almost half (48%) of disabled people agree that being part of an inclusive community involved in physical activity is important to them, highlighting the social benefits and sense of belonging that inclusive physical activities can provide. 

The spark that ignited this transformation? Our very first meeting of the Lived Experience Advisory Board back in August 2022. Our focus on centring the lived experiences of the disabled community and integrating co-production into our work has paid off tenfold. 

 

One of the most significant steps forward? Of course this was that decision to rebrand. We wanted Every Body Moves to resonate with every single member of the disabled community, not just aspiring Paralympians. (Although we think they’re amazing too!) The response has been overwhelmingly positive, with 100% positive sentiment since the rebrand! 

 

Our mission? To connect disabled people to inclusive and accessible activities across the UK, sharing the authentic stories, moments of fun and important knowledge that will break down barriers and empower disabled people to become more active. Because movement isn't just about physical health - it's about joy, freedom, and turning the dial on what's considered the norm! 

 

So, whether you're already running inclusive activities or just getting started, we want you on board to empower and enable more disabled people to become more active more of the time. Now is the time to add your sessions, spread your passion, and let's keep this momentum rolling as we approach what will be a hugely significant moment for disability inclusion in sport and physical activity with the Paris Paralympic Games later this year.  

 

If you're itching to get active yourself, we've got you covered too. Dive into our activity finder to discover something near you, and let's make those moves together. 

 

Because Every Body Moves.