Our Brand Book Everything you need to know about our new brand Annual Report April 2014 - March 2015 This document is available in alternative formats on request. Special Schools Sports Hall Athletics Championships Our vision is: An inclusive society where people with disabilities fully participate in all aspects of life, including sport and physical recreation. Get involved. Take part. 2 Contents Page Highlights 2014 – 2015 5 Board of Directors & Staff 6 Joint Message from our Chairperson & Chief Executive 7 Community Sport & Active Recreation – Improving Health and Wellbeing Active Communities Programme 8 Craigavon Inclusive Leisure Project 9 Fermanagh Inclusive Leisure Project 9 Northern Ireland Community Events Programme 10 Comic Relief Be Active Programme 10 Blind Sports Network NI 11 Active Clubs Programme 11 Performance Sport – Developing Sporting Talent Athlete Support 12 Athlete Classification 13 Mary Peters Trust 13 Our Focus Sports 14 Northern Ireland Wheelchair Basketball Programme 15 Northern Ireland Boccia Programme 16 Education, Training & Volunteers – Supporting Inclusion 5 Star Disability Sports Challenge 17 Training Course Delivery 18 Youth Sport Trust Lead Your Generation: An Inclusive Future Project 18 Sports Facility Access – Developing Inclusive Facilities Inclusive Sports Facility (ISF) Accreditation Scheme 19 Inclusive Stadia Design & Management Guidelines 19 Governance, Communications & Income Generation - Making It Happen Governance 20 Representation 20 Lobbying & Campaigning 20 Staff Restructuring 20 Annual Accounts 2014-15 21 Our Funders 2014-15 22 3 Paralympic Fun Day Our mission is: To ensure that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to live a full, active and healthy lifestyle through sport and physical recreation. Get involved. Take part. 4 Highlights 2014 - 2015 Over 17,500 children and adults from across Northern Ireland got involved and took part in our sports and active recreation programmes Community Sport & Active Recreation • We helped 8,043 children and adults get involved in a range of sports and active recreation sessions in 9 District Council areas as part of the Sport Northern Ireland Active Communities Programme. • We organised 7 events involving 1,100 children and adults with disabilities through the Northern Ireland Community Events Programme. • We ran ‘Inclusive Leisure Projects’ in Fermanagh and Craigavon benefitting 3,730 children and adults. • We organised a Paralympic Fun Day, 3 walking festivals, boccia and wheelchair rugby activities as part of the Comic Relief funded ‘Be Active Programme.’ Performance Sport • We supported talented athletes with disabilities to compete and excel on the world stage. • We helped 8 mainstream governing bodies of sport to be more inclusive of talented young people and adults with disabilities. • We helped increase the number of wheelchair basketball opportunities across Northern Ireland and managed the development of the Northern Ireland team. • We continued to support the development of the sport of boccia supporting 7 clubs and organising Northern Ireland competitions, the Ulster League and Ulster Squad. Education, Training and Volunteers • We delivered the 5 Star Disability Sports Challenge education project to 3,328 children. • We trained 1,010 sports leaders, coaches, leisure services staff and teachers how to better include children and adults in sport and active recreation. • We delivered the Youth Sport Talent Lead Your Generation volunteer project. Sports Facility Access • We helped 18 sports facilities improve access for people with disabilities. • We developed new Inclusive Stadia Design & Management Guidelines 5 Board of Directors and Staff 2014-2015 Board Members Board of Directors Angela Hendra MBE (Chairperson) Barry Macaulay (Vice Chairperson) Janet Gray MBE (Honorary President) Alan Crooks Jan Dinsdale MBE Jason Kennedy June Logan Noel Logan Michael McAteer MBE Darren Cave (Appointed November 2014) Ian McAvoy (Resigned February 2015) Staff Members Kevin O’Neill, Chief Executive Officer Karen Drennan, Finance, Personnel & Governance Manager Catherine McDonald, Finance, Personnel & Governance Manager (Maternity Cover 3rd March-31st Oct 2014) Anita O’Connor, Administrator Elaine Reid, Senior Development Officer, Competition & Performance Aubrey Bingham, Senior Development Officer, Community Participation Philip Robinson, Wheelchair Basketball Performance Officer Odhrán Doherty, Active Clubs Coordinator (Appointed November 2014) Vicki Kennedy, Active Clubs Coordinator (Appointed November 2014) Lisa McCaffrey, Development Officer, Performance (June 2013-November 2014) Patricia O’Neill, Education & Training Officer Roisin Henry, Inclusive Sports & Leisure Officer, Fermanagh (Post ended March 2015) Colleen Connolly, Inclusive Sports & Leisure Officer, Craigavon Linsey McKeown, Inclusive Community Coach, Belfast David Purdy, Inclusive Community Coach, Belfast Judith Brennan, Inclusive Community Coach (Older People with Disabilities) – (Appointed June 2014) Geoff Scott, Fundraising & Marketing Manager (June- December 2014) Mark Montgomery, Inclusive Futures Co-ordinator (Appointed June 2014) Claire McVeigh, Senior Development Officer, Access & Training (Resigned September 2014) 6 A Joint Message from our Chairperson and Chief Executive This year has been one of our most challenging However, on a more positive note, following the since our charity was launched back in 1998. restructure we expect to return to a breakeven Despite the call by the Northern Ireland Assembly position next year and we have launched a media for increased sports opportunities for people with and lobbying campaign which has successfully disabilities following the success of the London highlighted the devastating impact that the 2012 Paralympic Games, large reductions in reductions in funding are having on the lives of government funding this year have resulted in the disabled people across Northern Ireland. organisation incurring a significant deficit for the first time in its history. We understand and acknowledge that in a time of reduced public expenditure in Northern Ireland, that As a result of this and further anticipated cuts some level of cuts are inevitable but we believe the next year, the Board of Directors took the level of cuts we have experienced are inequitable difficult decision during the year to begin to cut and are having a disproportionate impact on programmes and to reduce the number of staff we people with disabilities, who as a ‘group’ are highly employ by five posts. underrepresented in sport and active recreation. This has had a dramatic impact on our work with We know from experience that sport and active the number of people benefitting from our sports recreation transforms the lives of disabled people and active recreation programmes dropping from for the better and we call on the Northern Ireland 20,500 last year to 17,500 this year, with a much Executive and other agencies to prioritise the needs larger reduction expected next year. of disabled people during difficult times. Kevin O’Neill Angela Hendra MBE Chief Executive Chairperson 7 Community Sport & Active Recreation Improving Health and Wellbeing The Lord Mayor of Belfast Nicola Mallon takes part in a Sit Fit session at City Hall. Active Communities Programme Key Achievements: A range of sports and activity sessions involving 8,043 children and adults were organised or • We helped 8,043 children and adults supported in 9 District Council areas during the get involved in a range of sports year as part of the Sport Northern Ireland Active and active recreation opportunities Communities Programme. in 9 District Council areas as part of In the Belfast area the programme was delivered the Sport Northern Ireland Active directly by three Disability Sport NI coaches in Communities Programme. partnership with Belfast City Council. The activities provided were varied but included, armchair • We organised 7 events involving 1,100 aerobics, badminton, boccia, new age kurling, children and adults with disabilities multi-sports sessions, target golf and walking. through the Northern Ireland Community Events Programme. Disability Sport NI also supported the delivery of the Active Communities Programme in the • We ran ‘Inclusive Leisure Projects’ in Castlereagh & Lisburn District Council consortia Fermanagh and Craigavon benefitting area; the Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon 3,730 children and adults. District Council consortia area and in the Cookstown, Magherafelt & Dungannon District • We organised a Paralympic Fun Council consortia area. Day, 3 walking festivals, boccia and wheelchair rugby activities as part of the Comic Relief funded ‘Be Active Programme.’ • We launched a new ‘Active Clubs’ Programme. • We helped the Blind Sports Network NI organise 2 activity taster days. Sit Fit in Belfast with Disability Sport NI Active Communities Coach Judith Brennan 8 Community Sport & Active Recreation Improving Health and Wellbeing Craigavon Inclusive Leisure Project Craigavon Inclusive Leisure Officer Colleen Connolly (Second from left) takes a break with participants during her walking festival in Lurgan Park. Now in its third year of operation, the Craigavon Inclusive Sports & Leisure Officer, Colleen Connolly, Inclusive Leisure Project is a partnership between working closely with Craigavon Borough Council, the Disability Sport NI and Craigavon Borough Council, Southern Health and Social Care Trust and a range funded by Sport Northern Ireland, and designed of local schools,