Special Olympics Mayflower 400 Commemorative Games

Aim

In April 2020 as part of Plymouth’s Mayflower 400 celebrations SOPD are hosting the first ever ID International Special Olympics Games.

Who Are We?

• Special Olympics Plymouth & District (SOPD) is a self-financing volunteer organisation whose mission is that anyone with encouragement, support and access to resources can have a positive sporting experience, raising their self-esteem, improving health and wellbeing and giving them opportunities to improve physical fitness and motor skills.

Why is the Special Olympics (SO) Mayflower 400 Games so important?

• The Special Olympics Mayflower 400 Commemorative Games will unite Plymouth with other Special Olympic groups from America, Holland and Great Britain who will compete in a unique International Special Olympics event in Plymouth UK.
• These games will be the first International Olympic Games held in Plymouth and it will be the showcase for Learning Disability sport in the city, South West and the UK. This will put Plymouth on the map for Disability Sport and could be the first step in bringing the Special Olympics World Games to the UK, it will a phenomenal occasion.
• This will be the spark which will ignite Plymouth and the region to enhance, empower and change lives of people with a Learning Disability through active participation in sport.
• This historic event which will not only be fun, bring lasting friendships and a great adventure but will be a massive inclusion and awareness promotion for Plymouth, the South West Region and SOGB.
• We are in a unique position to contribute to health improvement and equality for people with Learning Disabilities and their families. Sport is particularly important in promoting physical and emotional health, as many health problems are directly associated with inactivity.
• The games will create an explosion in physical activity and a future legacy of increase participation in sport within the Learning Disability community.

Your pledges will help make this event a reality:

• To change lives.
• Highlight the abilities of people with intellectual disabilities and support a shift in attitudes towards disable people.
• Counteract the isolation experienced by people with Learning Disabilities.
• Improves self-esteem, an important factor in coping with life, especially bullying.
• Provides a forum for developing greater awareness and lasting relationships between disabled and non-disabled people.
• Offer an opportunity for people with Learning Disabilities to enhance personal confidence, improve health and well-being, develop courage, develop social skills, friendships with other athletes and promote inclusion.
• Champion the promotion of awareness, integration and the realisation that people with a Learning Disability have a real worth and should be forwarded the dignity and respect of society.
• Help towards the venue costs e.g. Life Centre, Nuffield (Devonshire), Plymouth College and the Manadon Community Hub.
• Competition officials.
• Volunteer training.
• Medals

Why are we the right people to deliver this?

• Special Olympics is the third arm of the Olympic Organisation (the IOC), part of the Olympic family but without such a high profile.
• In 2011 we launched a local charity called “SPECIAL OLYMPICS PLYMOUTH & DISTRICT “ (SOPD) whose aim is to provide year-round sport coaching, training and competition for adults and children with Learning Disabilities, regardless of their ability.
• The club has grown over the past 8 years from an initial group of 11 to now having a club membership of over 300 athletes.
• Learning Disability is the biggest disability group in the country, 2% of the population.
• Provide quality sports training 48 weeks per year to encourage fitness, commitment and discipline through sport.
• To provide as many Special Olympics athletes as possible, with the opportunity to participate, train and compete in local, Regional, National and International events.                                                                       

• Please visit our Website: http://www.sopd.org.uk

This project successfully funded on 10th July 2019