24th-30th April 2008 saw the first ever Inclusive Fitness Week. On the Sunday the Inclusive Fitness Initiative (IFI) team took part in the Sheffield 3km Fun Run to raise awareness of Inclusive Fitness Week, a nationwide event that emphasised that physical activity really is for everybody. The IFI team, including two toddlers, joined forces with Sheffield Royal Society of the Blind to complete the fun run at Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield.
Uniformed in specially designed IFI t-shirts, the whole team stayed together and walked the route, accompanied by disabled people who have supported the IFI in the past. The Sheffield Royal Society for the Blind (SRSB) joined the IFI to show their support of inclusive fitness and physical activity. SRSB supports over 3,000 people in the Sheffield area, offering children and adult activity groups, home and residential care for blind and partially sighted people. Amongst the team was Eric Cooper who is a member of the SRBS and also a proud endorser of the IFI. Eric was introduced to an IFI accredited site in Sheffield about 3 years ago. This opportunity led him to walk on a treadmill the equivalent of 1 full marathon and a half marathon at 82 years old and registered blind; Eric is an ideal advocate to show that exercise really can and should be for all.
The IFI has been working with the fitness sector since 2001, supporting facilities to offer an inclusive provision, addressing issues related to building access, the provision of inclusive fitness equipment, staff training and the marketing message delivered by the fitness industry. In doing so, the IFI has accredited 183 facilities across England to date with a further 200 to be in place in the next 12 months, there is 3 IFI sites in Sheffield.
The Great Fun Run took place in the heart of Inclusive Fitness Week, which brings together the IFI, accredited facilities and the fitness industry as a whole to ask the question, why aren’t more disabled people participating in physical activity than do so at present? Accredited IFI Mark facilities are staging over 100 events and activities throughout the week, across the country encouraging disabled people to try the facilities on offer.
Sue Catton, The IFI’s National Director stated,
"Physical activity has undoubted benefits for the whole population, yet only 8.8% of disabled people are physically active. It is critical that both service providers and the population at large realise that there are opportunities out there for disabled and non disabled people to exercise together. The Inclusive Fitness Initiative consistently champions this message and through our involvement in the Sheffield Fun Run, have hopefully ensured that people throughout Sheffield are made aware of the high quality opportunities available to them throughout the city."
