In August 2026, nine incredible athletes from Lings Disabilities Gymnastics Club will proudly represent our club at the Special Olympics National Games in Birmingham.

The Special Olympics is a sporting organisation dedicated to children and adults with learning disabilities, providing opportunities to compete, achieve, and showcase their talents on a national and international stage. The National Games take place every four years and are the pinnacle of competition for Special Olympics athletes across Great Britain.

The last National Games were held in 2017, where my mum had the honour of taking several gymnasts to compete. The next Games were due to take place in Liverpool in 2021, but unfortunately were cancelled due to the impact of COVID-19 and infrastructure challenges. This means Birmingham 2026 will be the first National Games in almost a decade, making this event even more special for everyone involved.

We are incredibly excited and immensely proud that nine of our gymnasts have qualified to compete. For many of them, this will be the opportunity of a lifetime.

Our club has a very special history. It was founded by my late mother in the late 1980s after my younger sister, who has Down Syndrome, wanted to follow in my footsteps and take part in gymnastics. Mum quickly realised there were no local gymnastics clubs that could accommodate children with special educational needs, so she decided to create one herself.

More than 35 years later, we are proud to say that we remain the only Special Olympics gymnastics club in our county.

When my mum sadly passed away in 2024, I made a promise to continue her legacy and ensure the club would go from strength to strength. Since then, our membership has grown, our athletes have continued to compete across the country, and we have even had gymnasts represent us at the Special Olympics World Games in 2023.

This year marks the largest number of athletes we have ever qualified for the National Games, and while we are thrilled, the costs involved are significant. It is estimated to cost around £3,000 per athlete to attend, covering accommodation, meals, travel, competition fees, and essential support throughout the Games.

We believe that every athlete who has worked so hard to qualify deserves the chance to compete, regardless of financial circumstances. That is why we are asking for your support.

Any donation, no matter how small, will help our gymnasts step onto the national stage, achieve their dreams, and create memories that will last a lifetime. Your generosity will not only support nine athletes attending the Games but will also help continue the legacy of a club that has been changing lives for over three decades.

Thank you for helping our small club achieve something truly extraordinary. Together, we can give every one of our athletes the opportunity they have worked so hard to earn.

From all of our athletes, families, coaches, and volunteers thank you for your support.