It is our vision that everyone with cerebral palsy is able to access and enjoy being physically active throughout their lives. Approximately 160,000 people have cp in the UK and despite the benefits of physical activity being well documented, barriers still exist for people with cp to be active and enjoy sport. Having an accessible and mobile responsive website was a priority to the charity as it is often the first port of call for people with cp and their families when searching for opportunities, information and support online.

The pandemic and its impact, particularly on people with a disability ⁽¹⁾ highlighted the importance of having up to date and easy to use online platforms. We have responded by putting in place new online opportunities and events such as an equipment rental service, new membership portal and a Club Finder tool so that people can find opportunities close to them with a simple postcode search. Virtual events became crucial in keeping the cp community connected in 2020 and we have held 23 events virtually over the year with the support of ambassadors and volunteers. These included online cafes, an awards ceremony and fundraising events. Virtual events have continued into 2021 including the Spring into Action programme in partnership with Adult CP Hub which was a motivating and supportive 12 weeks programme which took participants on a journey to reach their own activity goals and sporting potential with the support of mentors and experts.

Having a website and new branding was the next step in the digital strategy. It was very important for us that our members could identify with the new branding and enjoy it as much as the activities they take part in. The online lockdown cafes were an ideal opportunity for members to involved in the process from the early stage.

We decided to keep the same title was to provide familiarity and consistency. Referred to as ‘CP Sport’ by our members and regular audience, the logo still includes the full wording ‘cerebral palsy sport’ to provide clarity to new supporters and participants.

The visual identity is modern and vibrant, incorporating colour palettes that were developed with consideration of accessibility for digital and traditional print use in mind and include green which represents cerebral palsy awareness worldwide, a vibrant pink to reflect the confidence, good health and energy CP Sport promote as well as a range of colours across the different areas of work of the charity.

Careful consideration was taken when designing the logo, shapes and icons. Within the logo an ‘O’ is elevated to create movement within the word like a ball being thrown or kicked. This concept created a smiling face as well which sums up sport and enjoyment. The new brand assets and visual identity have been carried through onto the website.

Sandy Drummond Head of Marketing and Communication at CP Sport said,

“We are extremely pleased to be launching our new website and branding this summer as people return to sport and are enjoying so many high-profile sporting events on TV. Creating a user-friendly website was crucial for us in connecting with our members and community. We hope that we will have lots of returning visitors as well as reaching more people with cp that might not be engaged in physical activity yet.”

John Harrison, CP Sport Trustee concludes,

“CP Sport is seeking to reach and support as many people with CP as possible to experience the benefits of sport and physical activity. We also want to increase our support for activity providers to help them to offer accessible and inclusive opportunities. This new website provides a modern, vibrant and accessible platform for CP Sport to re-introduce itself. To shout about who we are, about what we do, and about the people and communities that we support. Creating an easy access point for participants, providers and friends to learn, engage and help bring our strategy to life.” 

1. The Activity Alliance Annual Disability and Activity Survey 2020-2021 made some key findings:

• Twice as many disabled people felt that coronavirus greatly reduced their ability to do sport or physical activity compared to non-disabled people (27% vs 13%)
• The pandemic has made disabled people feel that they do not have the opportunity to be as active as they want to, compared to non-disabled people (29% vs 44%)
• Respondents said the lack of activity has led to both their physical and mental health being harder to manage. Feelings of loneliness and social isolation were frequently voiced
• A fear of contracting the virus (35% vs 13%), the impact on their health (31% vs 13%), a lack of space (23% vs 18%) and support to be able to exercise safely at home (16% vs 5%), have become significant barriers for disabled people, compared to non-disabled people
• Almost a quarter of disabled people stated that they had not received enough information about how to be active during the pandemic (23% vs 13%)