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Celebrating the Inclusive Activities Awards
Our 15th birthday was not only a chance to reflect on our Of Course We Can programme but also to celebrate the future of wider inclusive practice in Gloucestershire. As part of our evening reception, we were delighted to present the first ever Inclusive Activities Awards. Co-created by Active Impact and Active Gloucestershire, with input from disabled people, parent carers, and activity providers.
These awards are designed to shine a light on organisations who are committed to embedding inclusive practice across all that they do. More than just a recognition of achievement, they are also a development tool, encouraging providers to keep moving forward, to inspire change, and to ensure disabled children and young people always have opportunities to take part.
As one of our colleagues said on the night:
“It’s not about ‘best’ practice, it’s about ‘better’ practice… continually improving and ensuring that we’re doing everything we can to make the experiences of all children, young people, and families as inclusive as they can be. Change only happens if we work collaboratively, and if we listen to the voices and experiences of local people.”
This year, three organisations received the very first Inclusive Activities Awards: Move More, Gloucester Cricket Foundation, and Creative Sustainability.
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Move More
Some projects take time to find their rhythm, but Move More have embraced the Inclusive Activity Award with such commitment and enthusiasm that it has been a joy to work alongside them and see their rapid progress. Alan’s dedication to children and young people is clear to everyone who knows his work, and the organisation’s willingness to learn, adapt, and embed inclusive practice has made them a trailblazer for this new programme.
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Gloucestershire Cricket Foundation
A few weeks before the awards, we (Active Impact and Active Gloucestershire) visited a Gloucestershire County Disability cricket match and had the chance to talk with several of the players. When asked what they loved most about being part of the team, their answers came quickly and almost identically: “Because we get to play cricket!”
That simple joy said it all. Every player spoke about how relaxed and enjoyable it felt. No pressure to perform, just the pure enjoyment of the game.
After working with Jeanette through the Inclusive Activities Award process, it was no surprise to hear this reflected by the players themselves. Through both the Super 1s programme and the County Disability Team, Jeanette has built an environment where everyone is welcome, encouraged, and able to take part in their own way. Her thoughtful, creative approach to coaching ensures every young person can shape their experience and grow through the game.
We were delighted to recognise the Gloucestershire Cricket Foundation’s commitment to inclusion, and Jeanette’s tireless advocacy for more accessible, joyful cricket opportunities across the county.
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Creative Sustainability
Trying to capture Creative Sustainability’s approach to inclusion is both simple and impossible. On the one hand, it is so deeply embedded in everything they do that it feels natural, instinctive, and constantly evolving in response to each individual. On the other, it is highly visible, woven through every part of their culture and practice, from the first conversation with a young person to the way they support them to set and achieve their own goals. Working with them through the award process taught us as much as we did them. It was a valuable reminder that measuring inclusive practice where it is already strong must be done with care, not reducing it to a tick-box exercise but recognising it as something living, adaptable, and at the heart of an organisation’s ethos.
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It was a privilege to present the very first Inclusive Activities Awards and to celebrate the leadership and development of these three organisations. Each of them demonstrates what’s possible when inclusion is taken seriously, and when children and young people are given the freedom, encouragement, and support to thrive.
In our upcoming blogs, we’ll be sharing the stories of two very special Lifetime Achievement Awards, recognising individuals whose contribution to inclusive practice in Gloucestershire has been extraordinary. You won’t want to miss it.
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In our upcoming blogs, we’ll be sharing the stories of two very special Lifetime Achievement Awards, recognising individuals whose contribution to inclusive practice in Gloucestershire has been extraordinary. You won’t want to miss it.
