Oxford Brookes Parasport Festival 2025

Join us for the first-ever Oxford Brookes Parasport Festival 2025, a brand-new event celebrating inclusivity, accessibility and the power of sport. 

Date: Sunday 13 April 2025 
Location: Brookes Sport, Headington (Sports Hall & Outdoor Astro Pitch)

The festival is an opportunity for people of all abilities to try adaptive sports, connect with others, and get active. This event is organised by Brookes Sport in collaboration with the Brookes Union’s Disabled Students’ Network. 

Get Involved 

We’re inviting local parasport clubs, organisations coaches and volunteers to participate by running sessions, showcasing their sport, or offering taster activities. If your organisation is interested in taking part, please fill out our Expression of Interest Form by Monday 10 March 2025.

Event Vision 

The festival aims to foster inclusive sports experiences and provide lasting opportunities for students and the wider community. By collaborating with local clubs, we hope to build sustainable pathways for Oxford Brookes students to engage in parasports year-round.

Sophie, our Brookes Union Disability Officer, explains the importance and need for such an event:

“From a young age, disabled people are often made to feel excluded from the world of sport - whether it’s being asked to ‘keep score’ while the rest of the class play, or missing out on PE lessons entirely, we are sent the false message that sport 'just isn’t for us'. 

According to Sport England, only 25% of disabled children participate in PE lessons or sports clubs at school, despite it being a key part of the national curriculum. This absence of inclusive opportunities is a key barrier that prevents disabled people from realising their full potential. 

Our upcoming Parasport Festival aims to highlight the diverse ways disabled individuals can engage in sporting activities, and celebrate local clubs and their athletes, who are working to improve access to inclusive sports. We hope this event will inspire a shift in how people view and support disabled participation, and we encourage everyone, disabled or not, to come along and get involved".

How to Get Involved 

If you’re a local club or organisation wanting to be involved, please complete our Expression of Interest Form (by Monday 10 March 2025).

The form will ask for:

• Club/organisation name
• Contact details
• Type of sport/activity you can offer
• Space/equipment requirements
• Accessibility considerations
• Availability on the event day

The event will be free to attend, but there is a small budget we can put towards travel and other related expenses. We will also provide food vouchers for those volunteering to lead sessions. 

For any questions, please contact Emma O’Hara at eohara@brookes.ac.uk. 

We look forward having you on board!