Diverse activities on offer at inaugural Adaptive Sporting Event

Diverse sporting activities were on offer for staff and officers from West Mercia Police to try on Wednesday (16 October) as part of our inaugural Adaptive Sporting Event. 

This new event was a chance to participate in diverse sports activities, whether competing or spectating, offering a day to challenge themselves, experience new things, and support colleagues in a welcoming, inclusive environment. 

Organised by Police UK Disability Sport (PUKDS) community interest company (CIC), competitors joined in the sporting challenges at our HQ in Hindlip. 

Temporary Chief Constable Richard Cooper, who opened the event, said: “I am a huge sport fan, so I warmly welcome Police UK Disability Sport to our HQ today. The benefits of sport are well known, and it is fantastic to work alongside this organisation who offer so much to serving and retired police officers, staff and volunteers. 

"It is important that sport is accessible to everyone, and I hope today will be an opportunity for officers and staff to try something they perhaps haven’t done before”. 

PUKDS are on a mission to deliver a platform for serving and retired police officers, staff and volunteers who have either been injured, are living with a disability, illness, mental health or neurodiversity to engage in adaptive/disability and fully inclusive sports and activities throughout the UK. 

However, this inaugural Adaptive Sporting Event was fully inclusive, inviting all staff and officers to try out some of the many events on offer including wheelchair rugby, wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball and badminton, and wheelchair and walking cricket. 

Gary Callier, the founder of PUKDS, said: “Police UK Disability Sport are here in Hindlip today with West Mercia Police to stage a multi-sport event for adaptive and fully inclusive sports.  

“We will be running some taster sessions today, looking at wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby, sitting volleyball, badminton and developing wheelchair cricket.  

“It will be a lot of fun and after today we hope to build alongside West Merci Police one of our PUKDS adaptive hubs here for the region and we are looking at running national events, a national police league and some community events as well”. 

Detective Inspector Chris Spencer from Warwickshire Police added: “I manage the sports club at Warwickshire Police, I’m really pleased to be here today. It’s fantastic to being involved with Police UK Disability Sport, this is something we are looking forward to having our members in Warwickshire involved with.  

“Thank you to West Mercia Police for inviting me along and I’m looking forward to experiencing some of the sports on offer today”. 

JI/JF, Corporate Communications