The idea
Blackburn Blind Sports provide blind and partially sighted people living across Lancashire and the Northwest the opportunity to play accessible and inclusive blind sports. Since September 2021, we’ve been running weekly blind tennis sessions and since November 2023, we’ve been running weekly goalball sessions.
Sadly due to a lack of funding, we aren’t able to provide our members with all the equipment that is needed to play these sports, for example goalball goals, court marking tape and other equipment. A lot of equipment is also very expensive so the weekly subs we collect don’t allow us to save to purchase this equipment ourselves.
The cheapest goalball goals cost £3,070. A goalball ball costs £81 per ball.
Any donations would enable blind people to play sports with all the equipment they need to get the most out of it. Why shouldn’t blind people be allowed and able to enjoy sports like sighted people can?
What we'll deliver
- Purchasing a Goalball Goal and other equipment
- Arranging transport
- Running the weekly sessions
Why it's a great idea
We are the only club in Blackburn offering Blind and Partially Sighted people the chance to play a variety of different sports that are completely accessible and inclusive.
This improves the physical and mental health of those that attend. It increases their confidence and self esteem and takes them out of isolation. We also create cohesion between different communities and also encourage sighted people to come and play blind sports so they can get an understanding and appreciation for blind people and interact with them.
Due to a lack of funding we are currently having to play a lot of the sports without all the equipement we need, for example goalball goals, balls with bells in them, court marking lines and tape
Steps to get it done
- Purchasing sporting equipment like balls with bells in and tape and string to make tactile court markings.
- Arranging transport as this is the biggest barrier preventing blind people from accessing sport.
- Taking regular feedback and surveys to see how it’s going and benefits of the sessions.
- Entering international and domestic tournaments.
- Increasing sports offered.
