More than 20 organisations from across Nottingham came together on Tuesday 21 July for the latest Big Boccia Conversation, hosted at Harvey Hadden Sports Village.
Organised by Boccia England in partnership with Nottingham City Council, the event united local partners with a shared ambition to grow boccia and create more opportunities for disabled people to participate in the sport.
Representatives from a wide range of organisations attended, including the NHS, Everyone Active, Notts County Foundation, Active Nottinghamshire, Mencap, CP Sport, and local colleges and universities. The breadth of organisations represented highlighted the city’s collective commitment to making sport more inclusive and accessible.
As one of Boccia England’s priority locations for place-based development, Nottingham is a key focus for investment, collaboration and long-term growth. Bringing together partners from across health, education, local government and the voluntary sector marks another important step towards building a stronger, more connected boccia community.
The Big Boccia Conversation programme provides local and regional partners with the opportunity to share ideas, identify barriers to participation and agree practical actions that will increase opportunities for people to play, volunteer and engage with boccia.
Attendees also heard from Nottingham athlete Rachael Ross, who shared her personal journey in the sport. The England BC2 player spoke passionately about the impact boccia has had on her life and the importance of creating more opportunities for disabled people across the city to discover and enjoy the sport.
The conversations have already led to tangible next steps. The first priority will be the delivery of a Boccia Festival in September as part of National Boccia Day, providing people of all ages and abilities with the opportunity to try boccia, meet local clubs and explore volunteering opportunities in the most inclusive sport in the world.
Partners will continue working together to increase the number of places where people can play, strengthen local delivery networks and create a sustainable pathway for boccia across Nottingham, ensuring more people can benefit from everything the sport has to offer.
If you were unable to attend the Nottingham Big Boccia Conversation but would like to be involved in the city’s growing boccia network, please contact Stacey Monk-Reed at sreed@bocciaengland.org.uk.