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9 Dec 2022 | 14:14

The Panathlon Challenge has been unveiled as the winner of the ‘Sport for Social Change’ category at the 2022 SJA British Sports Awards, supported by the Sport for Development Coalition.

The award highlights the amazing work of organisations across the UK that are using sport and/or physical activity to create a positive impact on local communities and individuals in need. It is co-ordinated by the Sports Journalists' Association and Panathlon was selected as the winner by a panel of judges including representatives from Sky News and the Press Association.

Panathlon CEO Ashley Iceton (pictured below right) was at the ceremony in London to collect the prize and said: “We are hugely thankful to the panel for choosing us as winners of this award.

Panathlon SJA 3

“Thank you also to every school and staff member who has supported our competitions and every pupil who has participatd in our competitions. Also thanks to all our Young Leaders who have guided the youngsters and helped to officiate the competitions.

“Last academic year saw us set a new record of over 50,000 children with disabilities and special needs taking part in our competitions across England and Wales. In 2022/23, we are on course to give even more children opportunities to take part in competitive sport that they are so often otherwise denied."

Panathlon SJA 2

Hitesh Patel, Executive Director of the Coalition, presented the award to Panathlon after reading out a shortlist which also included Access Sport, Alive and Kicking (Ball library network), Goodgym, Greenhouse Sports and Levelling the Playing Field.

He told the packed audience: "The judges commented how incredibly inspiring it was to learn more about how so many organisations in the UK are using the power of sport to create a positive impact - especially in a cost-of-living crisis."

Panathlon Challenge is a grassroots charity established to offer competitive sporting opportunities to young disabled people. For over 20 years, it has delivered multi-sport competitions, training courses and coaching days for severely disabled children and those with special educational needs. The charity delivers a range of multi-sport programmes suited to either primary, secondary or 16-plus young people which additionally includes bespoke appropriate competitions for swimming, boccia and football. Last academic year 52,476 children with disabilities and special needs took part in Panathlon’s sporting events across England and Wales – giving them the opportunity to take part in competitive sports they are so often otherwise denied.

Read more about the awards at sportsjournalists.co.uk.