Leeds Powerchair Football Club score visit from Paralympic Champion

Reigning Paralympic Champion Hannah Cockroft is set to visit Leeds Powerchair Football Club (LPFC) on Sunday June 16, as the club open their doors to encourage more people to get active.

The visit has been arranged by Parasport powered by Toyota, an online hub to empower disabled people to become more active. As one of the first clubs to register on Parasport.org.uk, the club were the lucky winners of a competition draw to ‘Win a Paralympian’.

The open session, which takes place from 11am – 2pm on Sunday June 16 at Morley Leisure Centre (LS27 9JP), will provide an opportunity for new people to try powerchair football and to recruit new players to join the club.

Powerchair football is a mixed sport, suitable for all ages, offering a fast-paced, skilful game which provides a huge adrenaline rush to those with complex motor or cognitive skills.

Hannah Cockroft said “I’m really looking forward to having a go at powerchair football for the first time! It’s great to see men, women, boys and girls all able to play on the same pitch and I hope Sunday’s event will give local people the opportunity to try something new. My message to anyone interested is to get in touch with the club then come along and have a go!”    

Paul Gorman from LPFC said: “We are hugely excited to welcome Hannah Cockroft to our open session on Sunday June 16, and for her to see what Powerchair football is all about. It’s such a fun sport and so easy to get involved, we’re always ready to give people a warm welcome and we’ve never turned anyone away.”

The club first formed in October 2012 as a direct result of the London 2012 Paralympic Games, where Cockroft won her first two Paralympic gold medals.

Now home to over 25 players aged from eight to their mid-50s, it was initially formed by a group of parents and carers who wanted to build and develop a platform for people with complex physical impairments to enjoy the beautiful game of football.

The club is run totally by local volunteers who provide coaching, team management, refereeing, chair maintenance and fundraising.

Parasport powered by Toyota is the online destination for disabled people to discover and share the physical activities best suited to them, increasing awareness of physical activity opportunities that are available for disabled people in their local area.

Recent research shows that inactivity is more common for those with a disability or health condition* (42%) than those without (21%). Parasport helps to address this challenge by encouraging disabled people to try new physical activities.

To find out more, visit https://parasport.org.uk/opportunity/leeds-powerchair-football-club