BRAND NEW: Our Impact Report for 2024-2025 is out now! See what we’ve been working on over the previous year.

Special Olympics | Inclusive sport in Norfolk

Sport has the power to change lives

Our partnership with Special Olympics Great Britain (SOGB) is helping make that happen here in Norfolk. We create opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities to be active, confident, and connected.

Our partnership with Special Olympics

Active Norfolk is proud to be the only Active Partnership in the UK directly working with Special Olympics GB to grow inclusive sport at a local level. 

Together with Special Olympics Norfolk, we’re breaking down barriers to participation and helping more people with intellectual disabilities experience the joy and confidence that comes through sport.

Our work includes:

  • Supporting club development, safeguarding, and volunteer training 
  • Hosting inclusive festivals and “come and try” events
  • Connecting athletes and clubs with local opportunities 
  • Raising awareness through campaigns and storytelling

"From being a novice and only started skiing at the age of 17 due to a holiday invite, I have grown into an Alpine ski competitor at the highest level in Special Olympics. I’ve competed nationally and I’m off to the world Winter games in March 2025!"
Annabelle Lamb SO Norfolk Athlete and World Winter Games 2025 Competitor – alpine skiing

"Special Olympics has definitely had a positive impact on my life. My biggest achievement to date is representing SO Norfolk and winning a gold medal, which now takes pride of place in my house."
Harrison Taylor SO Norfolk

"Working with Active Norfolk has enabled us to explore partnerships with new sports, access to work with NGBs which we didn't previously have, providing the ability to grow Special Olympics Norfolk more than we could achieve on our own.” Nicola SO Norfolk Volunteer and parent “Special Olympics allowed me to learn at my own pace, giving me the confidence to get up again and carry on. It was fun even when you don’t win or you come last. It has changed my life completely."
Annabelle Lamb SO Norfolk Athlete and World Winter Games 2025 Competitor – alpine skiing
"The partnership has been immensely valuable – it’s meant we can actually crack on and support our club without the huge and sometimes onerous responsibilities that sit on the shoulders of few volunteers. It’s been a massive help." Kay SO Norfolk Volunteer
"I take part in a range of other sports such as swimming and football. Special Olympics Norfolk has improved my overall fitness and coordination, as well as boosting my confidence around other peers."
Harrison Taylor SO Norfolk Athlete – athletics
“This partnership has been a vital and exciting step in the right direction for Special Olympics GB club and community development, and furthermore for the sector by defining a blueprint for National Disability Sport connectivity."
Emma Kane-McGuigan Head of Network, Special Olympics GB

Stories from the heart of Special Olympics

Behind every event are the people who make it matter. Explore stories of athletes, coaches, and volunteers who are helping inclusion thrive in Norfolk. 

Get involved with Special Olympics

Whether you want to play, volunteer, or support the movement, there’s a place for you in the Special Olympics community. 

See how you can get involved with the Special Olympics. Get in touch with us about Special Olympics Visit Special Olympics GB to find out more about and what they do. Find out more about Special Olympics GB Read more about the work we do with Special Olympics in our impact report. Find out more about our work with Special Olympics Explore More
Privacy Overview

Last updated May 2024

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

This Cookie Policy explains how Active Norfolk ("Company," "we," "us," and "our") uses cookies and similar technologies to recognize you when you visit our website at  https://www.activenorfolk.org ("Website"). It explains what these technologies are and why we use them, as well as your rights to control our use of them.

In some cases we may use cookies to collect personal information, or that becomes personal information if we combine it with other information.

 

What are cookies?

Cookies are small data files that are placed on your computer or mobile device when you visit a website. Cookies are widely used by website owners in order to make their websites work, or to work more efficiently, as well as to provide reporting information.

Cookies set by the website owner (in this case, Active Norfolk) are called "first-party cookies." Cookies set by parties other than the website owner are called "third-party cookies." Third-party cookies enable third-party features or functionality to be provided on or through the website (e.g., advertising, interactive content, and analytics). The parties that set these third-party cookies can recognize your computer both when it visits the website in question and also when it visits certain other websites.

 

Why do we use cookies?

We use first- and third-party cookies for several reasons. Some cookies are required for technical reasons in order for our Website to operate, and we refer to these as "essential" or "strictly necessary" cookies. Other cookies also enable us to track and target the interests of our users to enhance the experience on our Online Properties. Third parties serve cookies through our Website for advertising, analytics, and other purposes. This is described in more detail below.

 

How can I control cookies?

You have the right to decide whether to accept or reject cookies. You can exercise your cookie rights by setting your preferences in the Cookie Consent Manager. The Cookie Consent Manager allows you to select which categories of cookies you accept or reject. Essential cookies cannot be rejected as they are strictly necessary to provide you with services.

The Cookie Consent Manager can be found in the notification banner and on our website. If you choose to reject cookies, you may still use our website though your access to some functionality and areas of our website may be restricted. You may also set or amend your web browser controls to accept or refuse cookies.

The specific types of first- and third-party cookies served through our Website and the purposes they perform are described in the tabs below (please note that the specific cookies served may vary depending on the specific Online Properties you visit)