Arriva Trains Wales are proud to announce that they will continue to be the official community partner of Disability Sport Wales (DSW), the national organisation for the development of sport and physical activities for disabled people, over the next two years.
The partnership is an exciting opportunity for Arriva Trains Wales as they remain supporters of DSW’s Community programme by continuing to make an active contribution to the growing success of the organisation and to the well-being of disabled people and athletes across Wales.
The DSW community programme has again made a significant impact in 2015 with a 7.6% rise in participation figures with over 1.1 million sports opportunities being delivered annually. In the first year of the partnership between Arriva Trains Wales and DSW other significant increases include a 7.3% rise in the number of clubs that deliver community sport whilst membership of sports clubs have also risen by nearly 5% to over 17,000, The programmes have been supported by coaches who now number in excess of 3,000, a rise of 23% in just twelve months.
The continued support of Arriva Trains Wales until April 2018 will enable Disability Sport Wales to expand its community programmes and further develop grassroots opportunities across Wales, particularly focussing on new marketing campaigns, events and inclusion training.
The extended partnership reflects Arriva Trains Wales own commitment to inclusion and diversity across the communities that it connects.
Samantha Hawkins, Financial and Commercial Director at Arriva Trains Wales said:
“Over the year we have been extremely impressed with the extensive range of accessible community activities that Disability Sports Wales provides in the local communities that we connect to and the resulting benefits for all those who take part. We are delighted to be able to extend our community partnership over the next two years and we look forward to the supporting all the exciting community projects that Disability Sports Wales has in the pipeline.”
Pippa Britton, Chair of Disability Sport Wales, said:
“We are delighted that Arriva Trains Wales will continue as our official Community Partner for the next two years. Disability Sport Wales has grown significantly over the last decade, and we believe that with the continued support of Arriva Trains Wales we will be able to develop even further, helping us to maximise our potential and realise some of the great opportunities ahead within community sport. We will look to expand our reach and continue to make sport more accessible, appealing and inclusive to all as well as benefitting the next generation of Welsh champions.”
Peter Curran, Sport Wales Corporate Director, said:
‘’This is a prime example of how sport and business can work together to benefit community sport programmes across Wales and the results speak for themselves – DSW has been able to create more opportunities for disabled people to engage in sport. It’s through partnerships like the one between DSW and Arriva Trains Wales that we’ll reach our vision of community sport where opportunities fit local needs and make sport more accessible and inclusive, eventually creating a generation hooked on sport for life. An ambitious journey but one that is achievable if we pool our resources and expertise as a community.”
Jon Morgan, Executive Director of Disability Sport Wales: http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/ArrivaTW_IZB_JonMorgan.mp3
Paul Tapley, Head of Marketing, Arriva Trains Wales: http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/ArrivaTW_IZB_PaulArriva.mp3
