September 25, 2024
Precisely one 12 months in the past, Badminton England launched ‘Badminton – A Sport for Everybody’ – the brand new 10-year technique for badminton in England.
This technique is on the coronary heart of our imaginative and prescient to make badminton probably the most accessible and inclusive sport in England.
The primary 12 months of implementing that technique was busy, formidable and difficult, and we delivered outcomes on two key strategic priorities: youth and inclusion.
Due to our shared deal with participating younger folks, 421,400 younger folks now play usually, a rise of 30,000 in comparison with the earlier 12 months and 70,000 for the reason that pandemic.
We have now relaunched the Nationwide Faculties Competitors, deepened the affect of the Improvement Fund and expanded our Younger Chief Academy and Nationwide Youth Voice Discussion board to empower the following era to play an lively function within the badminton group. And we’re specializing in our subsequent era of proficient younger athletes, who’re making nice strides on the worldwide stage.
There may be nonetheless a lot to be accomplished, however there may be clearly a wholesome curiosity in badminton amongst younger folks. Subsequent 12 months our flagship junior program, Shuttle Stars, will begin.
We put inclusion on the coronary heart of the whole lot we do, with 35% of our member golf equipment now welcoming folks with disabilities, up from 22% in 2023-24.
In Might 2024, the Nationwide Championships for Juniors with Disabilities had been held, creating a brand new construction to help our efforts. Eight regional disabled coaches help this construction, whereas 311 new juniors and adults with disabilities tried badminton for the primary time.
As a part of our function as GB, we have now submitted our Variety & Inclusion Motion Plan (DIAP), aligned with our EDI technique, which can information our execution over the approaching years.
In March 2024, we celebrated the a hundred and twenty fifth anniversary of the YONEX All England Open Badminton Championships, the oldest top-level badminton event on the planet.
Our dedication to the dual pillars of youth and inclusion was embodied by the improved Birmingham Legacy venture and particularly the Racket Pack Pageant, which concerned ten faculties and hundreds of younger folks from the native space.
The Commonwealth Video games Legacy Mission enabled us to broaden ‘No Strings Badminton’, funded by Sport England, into new and under-represented communities. The venture initially centered on the West Midlands however expanded to a number of different areas, delivering 365 new periods.
After all, it was additionally an Olympic and Paralympic 12 months, with Dan Bethell and Krysten Coombs each getting back from Paris 2024 with Paralympic silver medals – an achievement we’re extremely pleased with.
Reflecting on the previous 12 months, Badminton England Chief Govt Sue Storey mentioned: “I’m completely delighted with the progress we have now revamped the previous 12 months. By working intently with our group, we have now really put our thriving group on the coronary heart of the whole lot we do.
“We knew our plan was formidable and we knew we must work arduous to realize it, and I’m immensely pleased with everybody; employees, athletes, coaches and the broader group, who’ve labored so arduous on our technique. Badminton – a sport for everybody, and we’re displaying how a lot progress might be made after we work collectively, thanks to everybody who has made this primary 12 months so particular, I can’t wait to see what we obtain within the coming 12 months and past.”