How can blind people play sports?
VICTA Changemakers Blindness Awareness Month This article is about sports and how visually impaired or blind people play them. There lots of different kind of sports VI people play such as football, goalball, baseball and much more. They can be played through sound, communication and connection. There are different levels of VI classification which participants can take part in – for example B1 is for someone who cannot see at all, B2 means they can see little bit, B3 is someone who can see bit more and B4 is someone who is partially [...]
Things I learnt training for the London Marathon
VICTA Changemakers Blindness Awareness Month On the 21st of April, along with my guide runner, I set out to compete the 2024 TCS London Marathon. I had raised the money for charity (VICTA), done the training and now, it was time for the real thing. Weirdly I don’t remember much about the day itself. I remember the noise though. The cheering and shouting of thousands of families. There were kids banging tambourines in no apparent rhythm and timpani drummers playing in perfect synchronisation. There were out of tune recorder players and brass bands [...]
The Paralympics from a blind perspective
VICTA Changemakers Blindness Awareness Month We are Scarlett and Eliza, two blind swimmers who competed at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. From the enjoyment of what started as just a hobby, to one day achieving your dream, our journey through the sport has given us many experiences that we shall never forget, and taught us valuable skills both in and out of the pool. We are sharing our experiences of the Paralympics from a blind athlete's perspective - not from the sights, but the sounds and feel of the Games. We know that no [...]
Be inspired. Park runs and marathons as a blind runner
Running or jogging is considered one of the best cardio exercises out there. Just 5-10 minutes a day can help to build strong bones and muscles, while lifting your mood and energy levels. For many, outdoor running can also decrease feelings of loneliness, isolation and depression. However, when you have a vision impairment, it's not as simple as just popping out for a quick morning jog on your own. So how can we enjoy the benefits of outdoor running while keeping safe? One answer to that question is guide running. The activity, which uses a ramble tag, enables [...]
New opportunity – Discover your Paralympic potential
Do you have a vision impairment? Ever dreamt of competing in a Paralympic Sport? Let Paralympics GB help you discover your Paralympic Potential at a come and try day in Autumn 2023. The Paralympic Potential programme is the first step in finding what your future Paralympic sport could be. If you want to find a competitive pathway and unlock the opportunities that sport offers, then now is your time to discover your Paralympic Potential. They are hosting come and try days that will include Judo, Football, Goalball, Rowing, Swimming, Cycling, Alpine Skiing, Nordic Skiing, Athletics [...]
Be inspired. We chat with Cath Gilby – Head of Para-Performance at the FA
VICTA was privileged to attend the 10 year anniversary of St. George’s Park, celebrating 10 years of success in English football. We were excited to join the celebrations and find out more about the FA's involvement supporting players with vision impairments. The FA are championing disability sport and have high hopes for the blind and partially sighted teams. We were lucky enough to meet Cath Gilby, Head of Para-Performance, who chatted to the VICTA Student Portal about the teams, her role in disability sport and getting more people involved. Watch the interview below and have a think about [...]
Pushing through your limits – my return to goalball
By Jack Tomlin I recently joined Winchester Goalball team. I have loved goalball since I was 11 and was a passionate member of my school team, but when I left school, I also left goalball. I missed the sport and the friendships that came with it and this year, I knew I wanted to join a team. I got in touch with Winchester and decided to attend their next training session. My excitement soon turned to apprehension when I realised that I would have to get the train by myself, with a change at a busy station. Like [...]
No limits lifestyle – White water kayaking blind
By Sam Roberts Hi everyone, my name is Sam Roberts and I am a Young Ambassador for VICTA. I live what I call a 'no limits lifestyle' where I tell myself every day that there is nothing we can’t achieve, the only person that is stopping you from reaching your goals is yourself. Over the last six months I have been working hard on progressing my white water kayaking skills, with the ambition of taking on the white water of the River Dee. No limits means pushing your boundaries, reaching further than you’ve ever reached before and never [...]
Unstoppable – Clubs & activities for VI young people, By Erin Wynne
(Picture: Black and white action shot of Erin show jumping) By Erin Wynne, age 16 Do you believe that being visually impaired means a fabulous and fulfilling life is off the table? That visual impairment stops us from having fun and being active? Well, I can tell you for a fact it doesn’t. Here’s what I’ve learnt. Misconceptions So many parents believe/are told that their visually impaired (VI) and blind babies won’t have a good life; that they won’t be able to do a lot of activities or have independence. My parents were devastated when they [...]
Be inspired. Meet the England Men’s Partially Sighted Futsal Team
We were lucky enough to meet the England Men's Partially Sighted Futsal team at their training session and chat to them about the game, their experiences and ambitions! It was clear from seeing the team train that they're going from strength to strength and are on track for big things in the IBSA World Games in Birmingham in 2023. Talking to the players about their journeys into Futsal and how being part of the team has helped them to grow not only as players but also off the pitch, has been truly inspirational. In terms of having a [...]
