Help get our Special Athletes to World Champs!

Hello!

We are Team England Special Abilities Unified Pom!

This year we have been selected through a pilot process to become the first ever Team England Special Abilities Unified Pom Team in history. Our National Governing Body 'Sport Cheer England' has appointed our Coach, Gina Stafford as the Team England Special Abilities Unified Pom Manager.

This is a very big deal, it means that we will represent England at the International World Cheerleading Championships in Disney World Florida, USA April 2024. This competition is commonly described as the 'Olympics of cheerleading'. Here, we will get the chance to compete against other countries that may enter a team into the Special Abilities Unified Pom Section.

This opportunity is particularly special because the team will be unified. This means that we will have non- disabled athletes present in our routine to help us as we represent our country on the world stage. We are so proud that we are showcasing such an amazing level of inclusion.

Competing at the World Championships is a costly opportunity. The approximate cost per athlete is around £2000 and we have 9 athletes. Each disabled athlete will need a parent/carer or chaperone so this instantly doubles our costs. We also would love to be able to support our unified partners with the same kit etc that we will have so that we really do look like a truly cohesive team when we head out to the states!

Our athletes are true ambassadors of the sport of cheerleading. Each dancer has a different Special Educational Need or disability. Some of disabilities that our athletes have include: ADHD, autism, learning difficulties and different chromosomal disorders. Despite these percieved barriers, every athlete has given it their all on the dance floor in the past three years of competitions.

We would appreciate any donation at all, we know we have a long journey ahead of us with raising money but we want to let you know now that we are already so grateful for any way that you can help us.

Please follow our instagram account @teamenglandspecialabilitiespom to watch our journey to worlds. Should you wish to contact our coach further, there are relevant contact details in our instagram bio.

This opportunity really is what dreams are made of and we hope you can help us with this once in a life time trip!