The English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS) has launched a new Charter for Change, designed to ensure many more disabled people can reap the benefits of being active for life.

The charter looks to establish three priorities for all those organisations an companies involved in – or connected with – providing sports in England:

• Everyone involved in providing sport or physical activity will support disabled people to participate

• Disabled people will have the same opportunity as non-disabled people to be active throughout their lives• All communications about sport and physical activity will promote positive public attitudes towards disabled people’s participation

Organisations will be asked to commit their support to the charter, which being launched today by EFDS’ honorary president, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, at an event at the Houses of Parliament today.

“Being active has so many social, health and economic benefits for everyone,” Grey-Thompson said.

“It is concerning that more organisations do not prioritise disabled people’s activity in their work. We know it is not one simple change needed to improve the continual low numbers of active disabled people. It could involve many short or long term changes.”

In January, figures released for Sport England’s Active People Survey 8 showed 121,700 fewer disabled people participated in the period October 2013-14 since the previous recording.

The main reductions were in swimming, athletics and fitness and conditioning.

The gap between non-disabled and disabled people’s participation has widened, with less than half the number of disabled people taking part in sport or physical activity for 30 minutes once a week, compared to non-disabled people.

However, research shows that most disabled people are not as active as they would like to be and that demand is not being met. EFDS’s Lifestyle Report released in 2013 found that seven in ten disabled people want to increase their physical activity.

The Charter for Change is a result of EFDS and its partners’ rising concern over the low participation rates and the increased gap between disabled people's and non-disabled people’s activity.

Barry Horne, chief executive of EFDS said everyone, especially those within government, sport, fitness, health, education, third sector and media, as well as those in wider communications, have the power to change minds and increase the number of active disabled people.

“Through research, we can see the obvious trends in barriers, behaviours and attitudes in sport and physical activity for disabled people,” he added.

“To improve participation, organisations need to firstly, address their own strategies and delivery methods, and then commit to make the changes. Showing commitment to our Charter will help to raise awareness of disabled people’s right to be active, with the long term goal to see many more active disabled people.”

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