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A.F. Blakemore Partners with Disability Sport Wales

February 03, 2020

A.F. Blakemore becomes National Community Partner of Disability Sport Wales

A.F. Blakemore is delighted to announce that it has become the national community partner of Disability Sport Wales. 

The major focus of the partnership, which will run for three years, will be on supporting Disability Sports Wales in the delivery of their Insport Series events across Wales. 

A.F. Blakemore is looking for all of its 226 Welsh SPAR stores (93 company-owned and 133 independent) to be associated with at least one of the regional Disability Sport Wales Insport events, either by providing volunteers or promoting the work of DSW instore.

The Insport Series is a range of events that encourages thousands of disabled children, young people and adults to try out new sports for the very first time.

The events are designed to showcase what is available locally, provided through inclusive clubs or by local authorities. The emphasis is on having fun and there is provision for everyone regardless of their impairment or their experience of being active or playing sport.

Local authorities, national governing bodies of sport and insport clubs support the events across Wales, with each event varying in size. Sports include those such as archery, football, cricket, table tennis, wheelchair basketball, bowls, cycling, tennis, wheelchair rugby, karate, wheelchair racing, boccia, golf, judo and gymnastics.

Disability Sport Wales CEO Fiona Reid said, “It is a privilege to be working with a partner such as SPAR to deliver these powerful events – through their support Disability Sport Wales will be able to enhance the connection between disabled people and physical activity (including sport) of their choice, which is provided locally. It is a really exciting opportunity.”

A.F. Blakemore Group Marketing Director Sarah Ellis said, “A.F. Blakemore is committed to making a significant, positive contribution to local communities, and we hope that by working together with Disability Sport Wales we can make a real difference in the areas our SPAR stores serve.

“We are delighted with the partnership and look forward to seeing the programme of sports events inspire people across Wales.”

The launch of the partnership was celebrated on 27th January at the Sport Wales National Centre in Cardiff with a game of wheelchair basketball.

Attendees from A.F. Blakemore included Group Marketing Director Sarah Ellis, Group Finance Director Scott Munro-Morris and Group Board Director Tom Blakemore as well as independent SPAR retailers and representatives from company-owned stores.
 

Wheelchair basketball game

Teams from Disability Sport Wales and A.F. Blakemore/SPAR demonstrate their competitive spirit in a game of wheelchair basketball

 

Andy receives trophy

AFB Business Development Executive Andy Morgan accepts the winners’ trophy on behalf of his wheelchair basketball team

 

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