Be Inspired
For our members, sport means so much. They come together, push themselves to their our own personal limits and support each other to tackle challenges and celebrate personal records.
Here are just some of their stories:
Take on a Challenge for BBS: Sian
Sian, an NHS nurse, pushed herself to run half marathons in Stafford, Wolverhampton and Birmingham for her daughters in 2022, despite having never run a half marathon before!
See My Voice: Thomas
Thomas joined BBS’s 2022 See My Voice programme to develop his coaching abilities and gain a level 2 award for sport and activity volunteering.
Active at Home with Natalie Jamieson
Being a part of BBS's Active at Home programme has allowed Natalie to share her passion for fitness with others and teach adaptations to make exercise more inclusive.
Open Water Swimming Melanie Barratt
"Open water makes me feel at peace"
Paralympic champion Melanie Barratt is hoping to become the first blind woman to cross the English Channel solo.
Zac Shaw - Para Athlete T12 Sprinter
Zac Shaw is a visually impaired Para-Athlete for Great Britain who competes in T12 athletics. He wants to show other blind and partially-sighted people that having a visual impairment does not have to be a barrier.
Active at Home with Nick Jones
Nick Jones is the strength and conditioning instructor for British Blind Sport's Active at Home programme and is passionate about helping others with sight loss experience the benefits of a healthy, active lifestyle.
John
Sport plays an important role in John’s life. He wants to help inspire other young people to be active!
Sibel
BBS First Steps is helping Sibel keep active and has empowered her to take part in sport and make new friends! Click here to read Sibel's story.
Frankie
Frankie recently accepted a position with British Blind Sport as our See Sport Differently Workforce Officer to help upskill coaches and volunteers and raise awareness of visually impaired sports. Click here to read her story.
VI Bristol 10K
In September 2021, more than 70 runners and guides took to the streets for the UK's first-ever dedicated 10k race for blind and partially sighted people after local guide runner Colin Johnson asked that The Great Run Company include a race to encourage people with sight loss to take part.
British Blind Sport spoke with Colin Johnson and Chris Blackabee to find out more about the event and how to get involved in VI running.
Alex
Alex has always been interested in sport, but found th
at he didn’t truly know what was out there for him until he discovered British Blind Sport...
Lyn
Physical activity has always been important to Lyn – and then Coronavirus threatened to derail her active life until she discovered British Blind Sport’s online workouts!
Alfie
Alfie started swimming aged 7, but that by no means has meant it's been an easy journey for Alfie and his family. They found it difficult to find inclusive clubs and to get Alfie the amount of training he needed to really progress, but after finding the right support Alfie has absolutely flourished in his sporting career so far...
Julie
Julie rediscovered her passion for exercise during lockdown, thanks to BBS online workouts. Through this, she met Inclusive Fitness Training and started her fitness journey. Julie credits her journey to the efforts and support of BBS and Inclusive Fitness Training, and encourages anyone thinking about it to take that first step and get active!
This is our first video story, so follow the link below and learn more about Julie's story.
Isobelle
My sight had never been that good; I had delayed visual development as a child and I never developed 3D vision, so I wasn’t good at sport at school. I first started to lose my sight about 3 years ago. Hearing this news at 17 years of age was devastating. I was about to step into adulthood, but my world and plans were crashing around me. My life changed in an instant.
Caitlin
Caitlin, 16, has been doing Judo since she was 5 years old. She immediately fell in love with the sport as it was something she found she could get stuck into and feel as an equal to her peers, despite being registered blind and sometimes finding it hard to be included. Caitlin is now taking it upon herself to inspire everyone she knows and meets to take up new activities and give sport a go, no matter what!
Emilio
Emilio, 11, found his love for tennis at a British Blind Sport “Have a Go Day” in Cambridge – before that, he stayed away from sport as he didn’t find anything accessible or inclusive. This Have a Go Day was the start of a wonderful journey for Emilio.
Dave
Dave is a father, IT technician and self-proclaimed lover of the pork scratching who had never been the most active of men. Flash forward a year or so later and Dave has just completed the New York marathon with his wonderful guide runner Bex and he isn't stopping there!
Laura
I have Congenital Coloboma, Microphthalmia, Nystagmus and a small amount of cataract that effect both eyes. I was introduced to BBS and athletics and was selected to represent the GB at the IBSA Youth Games. Sport means so much to me. It's made me part of who I am today; strong, confident and determined.
Jessica
At the age of seven I developed a genetic eye condition called Macular Dystrophy for which there is no cure or correction. I am unable to lead a normal life… but I can ride horses!
Rashid
Being Visually Impaired (VI) can make everyday tasks challenging, but my passion for keeping fit and healthy enables me to tackle many of those challenges head on. My love of sport inspired me to complete a Level 2 Fitness Instruction and Self Development course.
Carmel
I was born with my eye condition. I have mystagmus, photophobia, border line glaucoma and albinism. I went along to a BBS Archery coaching weekend and I was hooked! I qualified to go to the World Para Archery Champs in 2015. Here I amazed myself and got a bronze medal in the VI Category.
Tobias
Tobias' mother tells us about his success at the BBS National Youth Swimming Gala, competing against children his own age and a new found love of sport.