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City of Newcastle will next month champion the importance of making sport accessible for all via the launch of their campaign ‘Count Us In Sport’.

Former Newcastle Knight Alex McKinnon and Paralympian Rae Anderson will headline the inaugural Inclusive Sports Forum, which is one of five free activities being delivered as part of City of Newcastle's Count Us In Sport program from 8th-15th August.

The events were designed in consultation with City of Newcastle's Access Inclusion Advisory Committee and community members with lived experience of disability.

Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said Count Us In recognises and celebrates the contributions made by people living with disabilities and noted “City of Newcastle prides itself on being a liveable and welcoming community for all people, increasing social inclusion and community connections with events like Count Us In festival in line with our Disability Inclusion Action Plan.”

NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Disability Inclusion and Paralympian Liesl Tesch said with the world's attention focussed on the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games, now was the perfect time to increase awareness of this important issue.

"Participation in sport provides a wonderful experience of community, enabling a sense of belonging and building friendships while also delivering positive benefits for overall health and wellbeing," Tesch added.

"It's fantastic to see City of Newcastle championing the role sport can play to encourage inclusion in our community."

Access Inclusion Advisory Committee Co-Chair Councillor Margaret Wood said Count Us In Sport was a call to action for all sports clubs in Newcastle to take their first, or next steps to becoming a place where all people have a role, belong and everyone can play.

Wood added "while almost 20% of people in Australia live with a disability, only one in four of them participate in sport, and three quarters of those who want to take part believe there are limited opportunities to do so.

"With more than 30,000 people living with a disability in Newcastle, this means that many people in our community are missing out on what sport has to offer.

"We want to turn the tide of these statistics in Newcastle. Count Us In Sport provides opportunities for people with disabilities to seek, find and follow their sports journey, whether that is as a competitor, supporter or taking up a role within a sports club or association."

City of Newcastle will fly the flag for inclusion from 8th August with the installation of a series of banners championing inclusive sports and Paralympic activities.

The Count Us In Sport program will kick on the following day with a Come and Try Inclusive Sports event at No.2 Sportsground and the National Park netball courts, where school students and community members will be invited to participate in a series of sporting activities.

Increasing opportunities for people with disabilities to become involved in grassroots sport will be the focus of the Inclusive Sports Forum at McDonald Jones Stadium on 13th August, where McKinnon and Anderson will share their stories and experiences alongside local clubs already working in this space. Anderson will also speak about her work with Disability Sports Australia including the Accessibility Champions Course available to clubs and associations to support sports inclusion.

Sports clubs, associations and recreational providers with ideas to enhance disability inclusion in Newcastle will have the chance to promote their plans at an Inclusive Sports Pitch night on 15th August, with four grants of up to $2,500 each on offer from City of Newcastle.

The Count Us In Sport program will wrap up with a fun Paralympics Watch Party hosted by Community Disability Alliance Hunter on a date still to be confirmed.

Visit the City of Newcastle website for more information and to book a place at the free events during Count Us In Sport 2024.Image top: Count Us In campaign;  Image above: Paralympian Dylan Alcott, Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes and NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Disability Inclusion Liesl Tesch at City of Newcastle's Count Us In festival last year.

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