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Will Mellor motivates disabled people to be more active
Actor Will Mellor has been in Birmingham to raise awareness of the Together We Will campaign, which aims to encourage and motivate disabled people to be more active.
The campaign, which was launched in July, is supported by Mellor, whose sister had Marfan’s syndrome. He was in Birmingham visiting Villa Rockets Powerchair Football Club.
Around 200,000 people have an impairment or long-term health condition in England’s second largest city, with only 13.5 per cent of disabled people reportedly taking part in sport or physical activity for the recommended 30 minutes per week.
Eight National Disability Sports Organisations are working together with the English Federation of Disability Sport to deliver the campaign, with backing from Sport England.
According to Sport England, the number of disabled people taking part in physical activity has dropped by 2,400 year-on-year, while the overall population’s participation figures has grown by 340,000.
Speaking about the campaign, Mellor said: “I’m proud to be part of this campaign which aims to encourage disabled people to be more active. It’s about everyone coming together to have fun and become healthier.
“My sister had Marfan’s syndrome, which affected her physically as well as with her learning. She sadly passed away in 2013, but I recall fondly how much we loved being active as a family together. Therefore, I’m really looking forward to meeting our ambassadors and hearing their stories. We can all make a positive change and support more people to reap the benefits of an active lifestyle.”