It’s funny how every year around this time we always find ourselves saying “I can’t believe it’s nearly (insert the subsequent year) already….”. I’d like to avoid saying this, however, my first calendar year as CEO of GBWR has gone incredibly fast. I am immensely proud of the work put in by the entire team in such a jammed packed year. We’ve had three major GB competitions (European Championships in February, World Games in July, World Championships in October), a condensed domestic league, introduced a new three-v-three format, restructured our development team, and won the bid for the 2023 European Championships with 18 months to deliver it (grab your tickets HERE).
We’ve restructured our league competition for 2023 and we’ll soon be launching the new league branding for all three of our wheelchair rugby formats. The development team have been working hard with clubs individually with the aim of developing them into more visible, resourced, and connected organisations in their communities. Two of our top wheelchair rugby fives teams took part in the first international wheelchair rugby fives tournament in Poland, with the Leicester Tigers bringing home the inaugural Poland Cup trophy. I really do feel that despite the challenging economic circumstances we find ourselves in, the sport is still growing both domestically and internationally.
Thank you to the staff at GBWR and to the board of trustees
I’d like to say a huge thank you to all the staff at GBWR. There have been a lot of changes this year, and it really has been challenging during the multiple transition periods. You managed it fantastically and we are now in great shape to move forward into a new year with new approaches to continue to drive the sport at all levels. Thank you for your patience, and your commitment to the sport and our members.
The GBWR board of trustees continues to work behind the scenes driving our strategy and providing me with ongoing support and guidance to lead this organisation. Thank you for your unwavering support to both myself, and the sport.
Thank you to the GB/Talent athletes and coaches
This year has been packed with competitions and camps. As a decentralised programme, this means spending a long time away from home. While this is part of the sacrifice to involved with a sport such as ours, it doesn’t negate the impact this takes on our personal lives, and on those around us. Thank you for your commitment to the programme and thank you to everyone that has supported our athletes and coaches to do what they love.
Thank you to all of our partners
Thank you to our partners. Jane Emmerson at Get Kids Going, John Pittman and Simon Dalton at RMA Sport, Bill Sweeney, Steve Grainger at the RFU, Darren Carrew and Geraint John at the WRU, and Susan Wheelan at King Power for your continued ongoing support of GBWR. An additional thank you to the RFU, WRU, RFU, NFL, and Mark Featherstone at Goodwood who provided us with tickets for our first online auction which raised just over £2000. These funds have gone directly towards reducing the competition costs for our members for the upcoming league competition. Thank you to everyone who bid for items and helped make it a success. I’d also like to thank Germany, Canada, and France for being part of this year’s Quad Nations in Cardiff which was an incredibly enjoyable competition. We have developed a new relationship with Disability Sport Wales who have been fantastic to work with supporting us across the 2023 Euros legacy work. We are certainly looking forward to developing this partnership to grow wheelchair rugby in Wales. Thank you to Leighton Morris, Sara Pardoe- Flay and the Ani Group team who have been sensational at integrating GBWR further into Wales and driving the inclusion agenda.
Thank you to all our partners and those that have supported GBWR this year. Please accept my apologies if we have left anyone out:
Sam Daruvala and Abby Watling at Tokio Marine Kiln
Kate and George Digweed
Roger and Heather Alwen
Kate and George Digweed
Seven Oaks RUFC
Andrew Brooks and the team at Ascot
Welsh Rugby Charitable Trust
Rupert Moon and Mike Brown
Hogan Lovells
The city of Kitakyushu
Tim Hollingsworth and the Sport England team
World Wheelchair Rugby
Vicky Tolfrey and the team at Loughborough University Peter Harrison Centre for disability sport
Middlesex Sports Foundation
Sally Munday and the U.K Sport team
Alun Griffiths at Priskilly Ltd
Thank you to all our members
A sport is nothing without its members. GBWR continues to grow and thrive because of the commitment of its members. Especially those of you that are committed to running clubs and providing opportunities for people to play wheelchair rugby. Thank you for your commitment to the sport. There are still many of you that I am yet to meet, and I hope to a see some new faces as well as familiar ones at the upcoming league competitions.
I am excited for 2023, as we work towards driving greater awareness of the sport through greater levels of storytelling and highlights at all levels of the sport.
I hope you all have a great festive season.
Jason Brisbane
CEO
Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby
