An appeal to help a group of footballers from Milton Keynes represent their city at the first Special Olympics GB National Games this summer has been launched by a local charity.
MK Dons Community Trust – the official charity of MK Dons FC – is calling on football fans and local organisations to back its inclusion football squads in their dream to represent the club on a national stage for the first time.
It comes after the Trust became a registered member with Special Olympics GB, so participants with learning disabilities at its weekly sessions delivered in Woughton on the Green, could play in regular competitive matches.
Players are already set to make their Special Olympics debut in Cambridge next month in the Eastern Region Football Competition.
But the group is now eyeing its biggest target when Birmingham’s Alexandra Stadium – flagship venue of the 2022 Commonwealth Games – hosts a five-day multi-sport festival including athletics, football, gymnastics, boccia and swimming in August.
Hannah Bladen, Head of Community Development at MK Dons Community Trust, said the charity’s affiliation with Special Olympics GB will broaden the playing and life experiences it can provide to participants the programme engages.
Hannah said:
“Partnering with Special Olympics GB is a huge step in the right direction for our inclusion football programme.
“It will connect participants to new playing opportunities, but more crucially engage them with new experiences to develop skills which can be applied both on the pitch and in the real world.
“We see first-hand, every week, the power that playing football in an organised environment has on participants. It’s helped players secure new employment by establishing new-found confidence to speak to others, and helped them create new friendships which otherwise wouldn’t have existed.
“Our goal is to represent the city at the Special Olympics GB National Games, but this will require external support to cover associated costs.
“To any individual – or organisation – that has been moved by the stories of our inclusion participants, we would love to hear from you and help fulfil our players’ dreams.”
Founded in 1978 by Chris Maloney MBE, Special Olympics GB provides year-round sports training and competition for children and adults with learning disabilities.
The charity operates across England, Scotland and Wales, and delivers 27 different sports including skiing, boccia and judo. Its work is supported by a network of 3,500 volunteers and 6,500 athletes annually.
If you’d like to learn more about how you can back MK Dons Community Trust’s efforts to reach this year’s National Games, please email Hannah Bladen or Georgina Fielden via Hannah.Bladen@mkdonscommunitytrust.com or Georgina.Fielden@mkdonscommunitytrust.com.
