This year, the UK will see its first-ever Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Games after charity Headway Worcestershire was awarded £50,000 from The National Lottery Community Fund.
Part of a share of £4.5million in lottery funding for communities across the country to celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in June, the event will see people with brain injuries taking part in events testing their sporting attributes and building on their life skills, creativity and cognitive awareness.
It is hoped that the ‘Queen Elizabeth II Games for People with an Acquired Brain Injury’ will raise the profile of brain injuries in the community. Headway’s local groups offer individuals and families support, including brain injury rehabilitation programmes, carer support, social re-integration, community outreach and respite care.
Taking place in Worcester in August, the Games have been developed to address what Headway sees as unfairness in UK sport, which excludes people with brain injuries from competing in the Paralympic Games if they show no physical disability.
Mandie Fitzgerald, chief executive at Headway Worcestershire, said:
“The Acquired Brain Injury Games will provide a fun way to acknowledge the wonderful skills and talents of the people we support, while also ensuring adults with an acquired brain injury know about the valuable support Headway Worcestershire and other charities offer in the community.
“We would like to say a heartfelt thanks to the National Lottery Community Fund for helping us stage this event as part of our Platinum Jubilee celebrations, and for giving us the opportunity to educate and inform the wider community about the impacts of an acquired brain injury.”
Learn more at Headway Worcester.
Looking for a brain injury expert?
NRC Medical Experts provide expert witnesses and specialists in neurorehabilitation to provide court reports and clinical oversight when individuals have suffered brain injuries
Learn more about our expertise in Brain Injury Rehabilitation>>