Aspire wins at the Charity Awards 2017

Aspire is delighted to announce that it has taken the top prize in the Disability category at this year’s Charity Awards, the longest-running and most prestigious awards scheme in the charity sector.

The spinal injury charity won for its InstructAbility programme, which enables disabled people to become fitness professionals and promote equality and inclusion across the leisure sector.

There are 11 million disabled people in the UK and less than 8 per cent are estimated to be achieving the recommended levels of physical activity.

Aspire works with YMCAfit and hundreds of leisure operators to create more disabled role models working in the fitness industry.

The scheme funded by Sport England has resulted in 300 disabled people qualifying as fitness professionals who have contributed over 40,000 hours of voluntary service to provide over 60,000 sessions to support disabled clients.

Over half have now been offered employment, and 80 per cent of the leisure centres which participated reported a positive impact.

Aspire was presented with the award at a black-tie ceremony at the Pavilion at the Tower of London on Thursday 8 June, hosted by BBC Breakfast presenter Louise Minchin.

Brian Carlin, Aspire CEO and Hilary Farmiloe Aspire InstructAbility Manager