Sports Park and Law Firm Get Together To Support Disabled People

Published on: 13 May, 2026
Updated on: 13 May, 2026

Children and adults with physical and learning disabilities, including autism, are taking part in free multi-sport experiences at Surrey Sports Park, Guildford, as part of a new inclusive programme designed to remove barriers to participation and build confidence through sport.

The first event was held on May 6. A Schools Day welcomed Key Stage 2 pupils from specialist schools including Freemantles in Woking, Bensham Manor in Thornton Heath and Burstow Park in East Surrey.

A Community Day on Wednesday, June 3, will be open to adults supported by local disability organisations. These include the Halow Project, a Guildford-based charity supporting people aged 16 and over with learning disabilities and autism, and LinkAble, a Woking-based charity supporting people with learning disabilities and autistic people.

The SportsAbility Series builds on previous events held at Surrey Sports Park, extending the format from a single event to a two-part programme covering both schools and the wider community.

The organisers say the events have been co-designed with participating schools and community organisations to ensure activities are genuinely tailored to the needs and abilities of each group.

Surrey Sports Park’s £36 million facilities – which served as a training base for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games – has been made available for the programme, giving participants access to professional-standard venues.

Alongside the physical benefits of sport, the programme aims to support mental wellbeing, foster social connections and help participants develop independence and confidence. It forms part of Surrey Sports Park’s wider commitment to deliver more than £1 million in social value to the Surrey community by 2028.

Penningtons Manches Cooper, a UK and international law firm with offices in Guildford, is the lead sponsor of the event. Staff from across the firm have volunteered alongside Surrey Sports Park teams and community partners on both days.

The firm has a long-standing relationship with Surrey Sports Park, having advised on its original corporate structuring and governance, and renewed its sponsorship in 2025.

Active Surrey, the county sports partnership, is a delivery partner for the programme, contributing its expertise in increasing participation among under-represented groups across the county.

Georgina Agnies, Director of University Sport at the University of Surrey, said: “SportsAbility is about making Surrey Sports Park a place where everyone feels welcome and able to take part. We focus on removing barriers by designing each session around the participant and their needs.”

Mike Busby, partner and a member of the Strategy Board at Penningtons Manches Cooper, said: “We’re incredibly proud to support Surrey Sports Park’s SportsAbility Series, having seen first‑hand over previous years the positive and lasting impact these days have on the local community.

“I’m personally very much looking forward to being at Surrey Sports Park again, together with a team from our Guildford office, to support the delivery of these events and to play our part in making them such a success. Initiatives like this are a powerful example of how sport can create opportunity, build confidence and bring people together.”

Megan Mosey, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and CSR Manager at Penningtons Manches Cooper, said: “Supporting the SportsAbility series aligns closely with our focus on inclusion, wellbeing and community impact – all key pillars in our commitment to being a responsible business. We believe in removing barriers and creating opportunities for all, not only within our own sector but across the communities we’re part of.

“SportsAbility allows us to extend that commitment into sport, creating inclusive environments for participation, building confidence and connecting with others.”