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September 30, 2022
Manchester City FC’s charity, City in the Community (CITC) is continuing its efforts to engage and encourage people with disabilities to play football supported by a donation from automobile manufacturer Nissan. The funds will go towards CITC’s Powerchair Football project, which allows young people with disabilities to play football and compete with other local teams.
Founded in 1986, CITC supports people across Greater Manchester in the UK by promoting healthier lifestyles through football. Through youth-focused programmes, the charity places importance on physical and mental well-being as well as creating brighter futures for young people.
The Powerchair Football project launched in 2013 as part of its One City Disability program, which provides the opportunity for participants to take part in free football and sporting provision relevant to their specific disability. One of the projects consisted of weekly football sessions, which resulted in an improvement in self-esteem and behaviour in students.
According to Activity Alliance, one in five people in England have an impairment and four in five disabled people want to be more active. Identifying a gap in provision for wheelchair users in Manchester, CITC created powerchair football sessions to create a safe and positive environment for young people with disabilities who wanted to play football.
Powerchair football is a competitive team sport that can be played in a gymnasium or on a regulated basketball court. Two teams of four players use powerchairs equipped with foot guards to play football. There are both regional and national leagues that are governed by the wheelchair football association.
“Disabled participants do not always feel comfortable or able to access universal provision, so it is important to provide disability-specific sports for participants with development and participation opportunities,” said CITC’s Senior Partnerships Manager, Sam Dainty.
The project uses sport to enable and advocate for inclusivity. Nissan’s donation will help fund eight new electric wheelchairs specially adapted so that players with a high level of impairment can dribble, shoot and play football in fast-paced matches. The donation is part of the Nissan Possibilities Project, a long-term initiative supporting underrepresented communities at a grassroots level and working towards a world with zero inequalities.
Man City players Aymeric Laporte and Zach Steffen went head-to-head in a Powerchair Football match with two participants from CITC in celebration.
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