Athletes from ParalympicsGB are heading into their local communities this week to support community causes that are close to their hearts.

Following a huge drive from socially conscious athletes who took part in a first Changemaker week after the Olympic Games, Great Britain’s Paralympians are also set to be out in force to give back to the communities that have supported them on their journey.

The Changemaker initiative is a partnership between The National Lottery’s operator, Allwyn, ParalympicsGB, Team GB and UK Sport to support athletes who want to help projects they are passionate about – with many Paralympic stars being closely connected to important social causes that have affected them personally throughout their life.

Whether accessibility, grassroots sport, sustainability, mental and physical wellbeing, LGBTQIA+ inclusion or any other initiative – athletes are being empowered and supported to make a difference to the things that matter to them.

Since the close of the Olympic Games and until the week following the Paralympics, over 100 athletes from ParalympicsGB and Team GB from The National Lottery-funded world-class performance programme are going out into their communities to get involved with their own good cause projects.

After inspiring the nation in Paris, the Para Swimming squad are returning to Manchester to support accessible swimming lessons for children with disabilities, Table Tennis stars Will Bayley MBE and Bly Twomey are helping their own club with food recycling, mental health and social mobility sessions, and Boccia legend David Smith will be back in his native Wales to advocate for fair and equal access to sport for all.

This is being made possible by the new operator of The National Lottery, Allwyn, which has pledged to make a difference through its annual £1M Social Value Fund.  

Our Paralympians and Olympians have also been invited to apply for a newly created ‘ChangeMakers Fund’ just for athletes, with The National Lottery’s operator Allwyn providing £100,000 for athletes to create their own projects which will positively impact their local towns and cities.

Athletes are also set to receive tailored support and training to make a difference, as today UK Sport announce the latest ‘Powered by Purpose’ programme, an initiative delivered in partnership with The True Athlete Project providing opportunity for ParalympicsGB and Team GB stars to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to turn success on the field of play into long-term positive impact for communities.

Role models from Paris will be part of the ‘ChangeMakers Cohort’ – fresh from medal success at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the nation’s biggest sporting stars now become a pioneering group of athletes supported by The National Lottery to drive positive social change.

Championing the initiative is five time Paralympic medallist Will Bayley: Bayley says: “The support we get from The National Lottery as athletes is phenomenal, it allows us to be our best and train to be really focused on our performance goals. Paris was really special for me, and my clubmate Bly, but now what we want to do is take the excitement around the Games forward and make a big difference.

“As athletes we are really passionate about having a wider impact and I see this first hand in the difference my club makes in Brighton.  The support from The National Lottery means we are in a position to engage our local community, drive positive change and change lives.

“That’s why the change Maker initiative is so important, it’s empowering for athletes to know you have support behind you to do what you’re passionate about. Whether it is disability access for sport, sustainability and recycling, working with vulnerable people who are local to us and bring them together to change their lives for the better – it’s an integral part of my club, and who I am as an athlete.”

Dave Clarke OBE, CEO of ParalympicsGB, reflected on the initiative:

“We know that ParalympicsGB athletes are not only incredible role models during competition, but they have a unique lived experience and affinity to social impact and the wider power of sport to make a positive difference. The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games was another powerful showcase of what our athletes can achieve with world class support around them, and we owe heartfelt thanks to The National Lottery and the players who make it possible. We are all looking forward now to how we can sustain a positive impact and give back, and that’s why the ChangeMakers initiative is so exciting.

“ParalympicsGB athletes are incredible role models, and we are proud to be part of ChangeMakers where they will be well supported to give back to the causes and projects they care about. Seeing athletes from such a diverse range of sport out in their communities so soon after the Games, really making the most of the positivity around it, is a special opportunity and one that really shows the power of Paralympic and Olympic sport in this country.”

Dame Katherine Grainger, Chair of UK Sport said:

"Our athletes have always been driven by more than just medals – they are passionate about making a difference beyond the field of play. The next edition of the Powered by Purpose initiative, which will open for applications from our Olympians and Paralympians, will help athletes to effectively champion causes that are deeply personal to them. Thanks to the support from The National Lottery and Allwyn, these athletes are empowered to create meaningful change, whether it’s advocating for accessibility, supporting mental health, or promoting inclusivity. Their dedication to giving back reflects the very best of British sport – using their platforms to inspire and make a lasting impact on society."

Andria Vidler, CEO of National Lottery Operator Allwyn, added:

“We are delighted that our Paralympians are coming home and making a difference to good causes which are close to their hearts as part of The National Lottery’s ChangeMaker initiative. Allwyn’s annual Social Value Fund has made it possible to support our fantastic ParalympicsGB and Team GB athletes in making an even bigger difference through ChangeMakers, and that is something we are incredibly proud of.”

National Lottery funding continues to support elite sport – helping athletes to be the best they can be through training camps, world-class facilities, support staff. The support for our elite athletes has helped turn Team GB and Paralympics GB into Olympic and Paralympic powerhouses, regularly towards the top of the medal tables. These inspiring performances help to inspire grassroots participation in sports and fitness across the country, Since The National Lottery began in 1994, over £6.7BN of National Lottery funding has provided vital support to grassroots organisations that are the backbone of sport in this country.

The National Lottery raises on average £30m every week for National Lottery-funded projects.  This is the power behind the social impact that The National Lottery makes across the nation – from arts, to heritage, to community, to sport and our elite athletes. The £1M annual Allwyn Social Value Fund is designed to enhance and support those initiatives and is not being funded by money allocated for National Lottery Good Cause funding or National Lottery players.

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