This year, we were delighted to announce a new award category: the Spirit of Inclusion Award. We are thrilled to announce that the winner of the 2023 award is South London Orienteers.

The Spirit of Inclusion Award has been introduced to recognise the success of club initiatives or projects that aimed to reach currently under-represented groups in orienteering.

Here, we share how the club's introduction of wheelchair accessible courses at the London City Race provided the perfect stepping stone to securing new stakeholder relationships.

South London Orienteers

Making the sport more accessible for all is a key focus for our work going forward at British Orienteering. The introduction of Wheelchair Accessible courses to urban events, allows those with lesser mobility to move from the sidelines and be a part of the action.

Using insight from the fantastic pioneering work that Ruth Ker did in this area for the Harrogate City Race in 2023, Alan Leakey and SLOW introduced a successful Wheelchair Accessible course for their 2023 London City Race. The insight gained from the race and the work in Harrogate has allowed British Orienteering to develop a relationship with disability charities, those with lesser mobility and partners, resulting in a ‘best practice’ document for clubs and members to use when considering introducing these courses into their events.

We are hopeful that a Wheelchair Accessible course simply becomes another option to plan when courses are created and welcoming those who may not have had the chance to orienteer before into our sport, alongside the offer which already exists in Trail Orienteering.

SLOW are busy planning the London City Race for 2024 in a fantastic area – one which ‘on paper’ may seem tricky for a Wheelchair Accessible course to fit. However, Alan, has already spent months visiting the site to ensure that all participants have a way around the area, be it on foot or on wheel, and we can’t wait to see what SLOW have planned for 2024!

Congratulations to South London Orienteers on winning the first of the Spirit of Inclusion Awards!

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It’s important to us, to recognise the other clubs and individuals who were nominated for the Spirit of Inclusion Award 2023. Here they are, alongside some of the comments regarding their contributions over the past year.

Nominees for the Spirit of Inclusion Awards 2023

Snack and play Bishopbriggs Orienteering - Kirsty Ryman, Clyde Orienteers

“Using a primary school in east Dunbartonshire for snack and play – a children’s camp, surveyed and mapped by Clyde. Kirsty delivered sessions throughout the camp introducing children and teachers who had not heard of orienteering to orienteering which was warmly received.

As a result, greater links have been developed in east Dunbartonshire with more schools and the scouts have been developed and more initiatives reaching out to a black spot for orienteering will be carried out. Clyde are overseeing a litter picking orienteering experience for all Glasgow colleges and universities aimed at special need children in March.”

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Next up, we will be sharing details of the winner of the Continued Contribution to Orienteering Award. Check our website or social media daily for the latest updates.