ºÚÁÏÉç Sports Park and law firm partner to deliver multi-sport days for disabled communities
Children and adults with physical and learning disabilities, including autism, will take part in free multi-sport experiences at ºÚÁÏÉç Sports Park this spring and summer as part of a new inclusive programme designed to remove barriers to participation and build confidence through sport.
A Schools Day on Wednesday 6 May will welcome Key Stage 2 pupils from specialist schools including Freemantles, Bensham Manor and Burstow Park. A Community Day on Wednesday 3 June will be open to adults supported by local disability organisations, including the Halow Project, a Guildford-based charity supporting people aged 16 and over with learning disabilities and autism, and LinkAble, a Woking-based charity supporting people with learning disabilities and autistic people.
The SportsAbility Series builds on previous events held at ºÚÁÏÉç Sports Park, extending the format from a single event to a two-part programme covering both schools and the wider community.
The events have been co-designed with participating schools and community organisations to ensure activities are genuinely tailored to the needs and abilities of each group. ºÚÁÏÉç Sports Park’s £36 million facilities – which served as a training base for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games – will be made available for the programme, giving participants access to professional-standard venues that would otherwise be difficult to reach.
Alongside the physical benefits of sport, the programme aims to support mental wellbeing, foster social connections and help participants develop independence and confidence. It forms part of ºÚÁÏÉç Sports Park’s wider commitment to deliver more than £1 million in social value to the ºÚÁÏÉç community by 2028.
Penningtons Manches Cooper – a UK and international law firm with offices in Guildford since 2015 and a trusted presence in ºÚÁÏÉç for more than 50 years – is the lead sponsor of the event. Staff from across the firm will volunteer alongside ºÚÁÏÉç Sports Park teams and community partners on both days. The firm has a long-standing relationship with ºÚÁÏÉç Sports Park, having advised on its original corporate structuring and governance, and renewed its sponsorship in 2025.
Active ºÚÁÏÉç, the county sports partnership, is a delivery partner for the programme, contributing its expertise in increasing participation among underrepresented groups across the county.
SportsAbility is about making ºÚÁÏÉç Sports Park a place where everyone feels welcome and able to take part. We focus on removing barriers by designing each session around the participant and their needs. Having partners such as Penningtons and Active ºÚÁÏÉç unlocks doors for us to contribute more to the local communities. Working with local families, we aim to ensure our facilities are a genuine community resource for Guildford and the wider ºÚÁÏÉç area.Georgina Agnies, Director of University Sport at the ºÚÁÏÉç
We’re incredibly proud to support ºÚÁÏÉç Sports Park’s SportsAbility Series, having seen first‑hand over previous years the positive and lasting impact these days have on the local community. I’m personally very much looking forward to being at ºÚÁÏÉç Sports Park again, together with a team from our Guildford office, to support the delivery of these events and to play our part in making them such a success. Initiatives like this are a powerful example of how sport can create opportunity, build confidence and bring people together.Mike Busby, Partner and a member of the Strategy Board at Penningtons Manches Cooper
Supporting the SportsAbility series aligns closely with our focus on inclusion, wellbeing and community impact – all key pillars in our commitment to being a responsible business. We believe in removing barriers and creating opportunities for all, not only within our own sector but across the communities we’re part of. SportsAbility allows us to extend that commitment into sport, creating inclusive environments for participation, building confidence and connecting with others – reflecting the same thinking that underpins our internal 'Thisability' employee network. It’s also incredibly rewarding to see so many of our people keen to get involved and help ensure everyone gets the most out of such an important initiative.Megan Mosey, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and CSR Manager at Penningtons Manches Cooper
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