We are delighted to announce that Pamplona-based Iruña Rugby Club has become our latest Mixed Ability Accredited club! The accreditation plaque was presented yesterday in Pamplona, with high-profile city and sports personalities of attending the ceremony which was...
Partnership oversees growth from project to new team launch. A partnership between national disability charity United Response, Baildon Cricket Club and International Mixed Ability Sports (IMAS) has seen an eight-week project transform into a permanent Mixed...
Anthony Brooke a huge rugby fan from Bradford had always wanted to play the sport, but on approaching clubs was offered the position of water boy or encouraged to play tag rugby due to his learning and physical disabilities. In 2008 in an adult social skills class...
By Dr. Jen Dyer It is widely recognised that disabled people often face barriers to participating in sport and, particularly, in mainstream sport. In fact, it has been noted that sports ‘infrastructure’ is set up to encourage separation of disability sport rather...
With new Mixed Ability activities beginning to spring up in Lancashire and the North West, IMAS were thrilled to be approached by Bidston Sports Ability (BSA) recently. BSA director Peter Jones explained “we run tons of activities out of Wirral Tennis and Sports...
With health inequalities related to disabilities remaining stark and entrenched, it’s no surprise that health outcomes for disabled people tend to be poorer through more preventable chronic and secondary conditions, avoidable hospitalisations, and higher rates of...
Mixed Ability rugby includes both disabled and non-disabled participants playing full-contact rugby within a mainstream club environment. Playing to the 'just another team' ethos all players are members of the club, train weekly and participate in fixtures. The...
IMAS and Mixed Ability Sports Ireland are incredibly excited to unveil the official Mixed Ability Week and International Mixed Ability Rugby Tournament 2022 photobook as part of the event legacy programme. Following the incredible success of a week of fully...
New clubs achieve accreditation. Two community clubs of very different sizes and sports were recently recognised for their dedication to inclusion through their Mixed Ability offers. People’s Park Bowls in Grimsby, supported by 2020 Community Sport have established...
Two pioneering clubs and their journeys to becoming fully inclusive. Picturesque Bingley St Ives golf club in West Yorkshire overlooks the Aire Valley, a route to the beautiful Yorkshire dales. The club has come together with International Mixed Ability Sports...
Since 2019, IMAS has provided experiential learning opportunities for healthcare students and practitioners. The placements have been shown to equip participants with the knowledge, skills and confidence to support disabled patients. This is crucial in reducing the...
The 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) represent an urgent call for action and are at the core of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. There are clear links between IMAS work and the SDGs. Exploring these links is important given the...
Erasmus+. Yes of course! That was my answer when I was asked to participate in the Mixed Ability Rugby for All (MIXAR) project back in 2018. Being able to go abroad and learn from like-minded people, who wouldn't want to do that? As you notice I was immediately...
Cannons and Dynamite blast a road to inclusion in the South East. When Matt Kuhn and Medway RFC President Mark Marriott attended the England Rugby Mitsubishi Volunteer of the Year Award in August 2021, they couldn't have foreseen how a conversation with players...
A few weeks ago, Mixed Ability Accredited rowing club, Bradford ARC, left the chilly climes of the north of England and headed to Turin, Italy, for the first International Mixed Ability Rowing Exchange. Rowers of all abilities shared their experiences and knowledge...
On Wednesday 21st September, IMAS Trainers Bronte and Cam attended an online meeting with the House of Lords, to discuss how sport can be made more inclusive and accessible for young people. This blog is a selection of excerpts from the meeting transcript. We’d...
The benefits of Mixed Ability sports go far beyond increased physical fitness, and even beyond improved mental health. Mixed Ability sports are just a snapshot of the type of society we would like to live in, and when the values of Mixed Ability are taken with us...
Introducing Ellen Buttrick, two-time world champion and our newest IMAS Ambassador! Ellen Buttrick has recently joined the team of IMAS ambassadors, helping to spread the word about the benefits of Mixed Ability rowing. We caught up with Ellen to find out more...
Produced by IMAS Trainers, Katrina, Bronte and Rachel, and Development Managers, Kelly and Imogen. What does International Women’s Day mean to you? International Women’s Day is about celebrating women and what they can achieve if they’re given...
Exciting times recently for Llanelli Warriors Mixed Ability rugby team who were featured on BBC Scrum V on BBC2 at the end of December to celebrate their incredible 25th season. If you missed it, you can watch it again here on YouTube: https://youtu.be/gkhxhMffSe4...
