Special Olympics Great Britain and Toyota (GB) are launching a new grant, which provides greater support for the charity’s athletes and volunteer coaches, whilst aiming to deliver an enhanced level of sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
The Toyota Coaching Fund will provide Special Olympics GB’s network of 3,800 devoted volunteers, across England, Scotland and Wales, with access to coaching courses and qualifications in its 27 competition sports. It also aims to bring new volunteer coaches into the Special Olympics GB movement and, in turn, provide even more sporting opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities.
Applications can now be made online by registered athletes and volunteers to receive up to 100 per cent of the funding towards the appropriate sporting qualification.
Email to Apply Now
Laura Baxter, Chief Executive of Special Olympics Great Britain, said: “We’re very grateful to Toyota (GB) for backing Special Olympics GB as a corporate partner, and for enabling the charity to provide greater support to the coaches who work with our athletes at grassroots clubs across the country.
“Providing funding to these coaching courses, which will all be endorsed or delivered by the respective National Governing Body, will enable our coaches to upskill themselves and take more steps towards achieving their coaching goals.
“Alongside this, it ensures that our athletes receive an even greater level of coaching and hopefully allow them to grow in their respective sports.”
Toyota (GB) became a partner of Special Olympics GB last summer, following on from the regional partnership developed with Special Olympics Eurasia in 2017.
In celebration, Toyota worked with fellow Special Olympics GB partner, Ocean Outdoor, to create a Fan Park at Westfield London during the Berlin 2023 Special Olympics World Games. It also created celebratory branding of Team Special Olympics GB medal-winners on digital screens across the country and delivered a campaign with LADbible Media. Activations included a giant mural of tennis player Lily Mills near to her home in Islington.
Stuart Sanders, Toyota (GB) Communications and Product Director, commented: “At Toyota we know the value in training our people so they can enhance their skills and learn new ones, and the same applies to sports training. It’s therefore great to be funding an initiative which will provide an even higher standard of coaching for people with intellectual disabilities who are keen to engage in a sport.”
Special Olympics GB is the UK’s largest provider of all-ability sports training and competition for children and adults with an intellectual disability. Across its 98 accredited clubs, regular opportunities to participate are provided for more than 6,600 athletes, which are delivered by a devoted team of 3,800 volunteers.