The Hargreaves Foundation supports Brighter Opportunities for Special People

The Trustees of The Hargreaves Foundation are pleased to announce their support towards Brighter Opportunities for Special People (BOSP), awarding them funding to contribute to the delivery of inclusive swimming lessons for children and young people with disabilities.

BOSP are a small independent Essex charity with over 32 years of experience in supporting children unable to access participatory sport. Their state-of-the-art hydrotherapy pool, adapted changing and hoist facilities, and highly qualified Support Workers and high staff ratio, ensures children’s medical and behavioural needs are met while accessing activities normally just the premise of their able-bodied peers.

Recognising the discrimination and barriers to mainstream activities ill and disabled children face, BOSP will use funding from The Hargreaves Foundation to provide over 350 specialist inclusive swimming sessions that help to maintain and/or develop physical ability and psychological wellbeing. This will also provide over 1000 hours of respite for the families and carers of these children, who resultingly become marginalised and vulnerable to depression, family breakdown and social exclusion. 

One mother shared this on her son’s experience, “I’ve noticed such a big improvement in his overall strength, co-ordination, and mobility, and his confidence has grown so much. He absolutely loves the sessions, I cannot thank BOSP enough for providing him with these opportunities and for all your care and support”.