Special Olympics Suffolk (SOS) is the Suffolk branch of Special Olympics Great Britain (SOGB). SOGB is the largest provider of year-round sport training and competition for all people with an intellectual (learning) disability.
Special Olympics is recognised as the third member of the “Olympic Family”, in addition to the Olympics themselves, and the Paralympics.
Special Olympics Suffolk was founded in 2014, with our first event being an athletics meeting held at Northgate Sports Centre in Ipswich in the September. We were formally launched on 16th November, 2014 at the Waveney Gymnastics Club in Lowestoft. At that stage SOS were only involved with two sports, Artistic Gymnastics and Athletics.
Since our formation, Special Olympics Suffolk has broadened it’s reach to now include (in addition to Artistic Gymnastics and Athletics), Alpine Skiing, Badminton, Boccia and Football in our portfolio of active sports. This has led to Suffolk athletes competing in a variety of towns and cities across the UK including: Ipswich, Lowestoft, Bournemouth, Sheffield, Cannock, Stirling, Wimbledon, Norwich, Aldershot, Brentwood, as well as abroad in Switzerland and the UAE.
In October 2019, we initiated the first cohort of our Athlete Leadership Programme (ALP). This initiative is designed to provide support to selected athletes to help them to realise their leadership potential. This project is being generously supported by ‘Wots Up Ipswich’. We hope to extend this programme in the future.
Special Olympics Suffolk aims to:
- Increase opportunities and participation in sporting activities, training and competition for people with an intellectual disability (ID) in Suffolk
- Support established clubs and, assist in the development of new clubs or groups, who provide (or are seeking to provide), opportunities for participants with an ID
- Provide competition opportunities for Suffolk athletes at a regional, national and international level
- Provide countywide coordination and signposting of sport for people with an ID
Special Olympics Suffolk is fully supportive of Suffolk’s ambition to be the ‘Most Active County’ in England.
Special Olympics Suffolk will play a key part in helping to achieve Suffolk’s ambition to be the ‘most active county’ in England. You can download our flyer here – SOS Flyer
You can also download the SOGB Guide on Sport and Physical Activity for People with a Learning Disability for more information. ELDSA easy read FINAL
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Here is a picture of our Steering Group, taken at the May Meeting in 2016.
Special Olympics Suffolk 