Third Sector Awards – Highly Commended

We are delighted to announce that International Mixed Ability Sports (IMAS) has been ‘Highly Commended’ at the esteemed 2016 Third Sector Awards.

The Third Sector Awards is a national accolade that showcases the talent, innovation and success of not-for-profit organisations, be they large or small, registered charities or social enterprises. The award evening was held at the prestigious Lancaster Hotel, Hyde Park, London, on Wednesday 14th of September.

This award is meant to be an opportunity to showcase something new or different, extending the reach of the charity or introducing a new way of working. The Mixed Ability model, which creates social inclusion through the promotion of sporting and educational opportunities mixing together disabled and non-disabled participants, has been acknowledged for its role in breaking down barriers and stereotypes about disability as well as promoting positive social change.

Last year IMAS organised the inaugural Mixed Ability Rugby World Tournament in Bradford, attended by more than 400 players with and without disabilities from ten different countries. The next International Mixed Ability Rugby Tournament (IMART2017) will be held in the Basque city of Vitoria-Gasteiz in August with more than 600 players expected and delegations coming from as far away as Colombia and Hong Kong.

Martino Corazza, IMAS Director says: “It is an incredible honour to be awarded among well-established national charities which carry out a commendable work on a daily basis. Mixed Ability was the only sport project among the 109 shortlisted, and this fact highlights how sport can be an effective vehicle for social change. This gives us strength to be even more committed to creating joint opportunities for disabled and non-disabled people, rejecting segregation and differentiation. We are also very proud to represent Bradford as the City, which in the last few years, has become central in promoting inclusive sport in England and across the world”.

This week also brought the news that IMAS has been shortlisted for the global 2016 Beyond Sport Awards in the Social Inclusion category alongside projects from Malawi, USA, and Colombia

The winners will be announced in London during the award night on the 19th of October.