Matt's World Boccia Challenger

My name is Matt Berry and I need your help to continue my journey with the Great Britain Team.

I am 28 years old and have the life-limiting condition Duchenne muscular dystrophy and I am a Great Britain Athlete in the sport of Boccia. I am the current Boccia BC3 English National Champion and UK Champion and have a current World Ranking of 21.

In September 2024, I have been nominated by Boccia UK to represent Great Britain at a World Boccia Challenger in Olbia. There will be many high-level players at this competition and it would be amazing if I were able to attend.

However, Boccia UK, as a small governing body with limited resources, are unable fund this competition for any of the Great Britain Team. So, I have been asked to pay for myself and my on-court assistant’s, flights, accommodation, food, and competition entry.

Consequently, I am now having to fundraise in order to attend this important and exciting competition and I really appreciate any donations to help me to achieve this.

Please read on to learn more about me and my achievements in Boccia.

Boccia is a disability sport, similar to bowls. As I am unable to throw the balls, I use an ‘assistive device’, in other words a ‘ramp’ to propel the ball onto the court. I have a ramp assistant with me who moves the ramp to where I need it to point. Then using a head-pointer, which I designed myself, I release the ball from my ramp.

I’ve been playing Boccia for over 15 years and for the last 6 years I have been training twice a week at Eastergate Parish Hall. I also train regularly at St. Mary's Church Hall, Clymping.

I have won numerous trophies and medals, at a domestic and international level, as an individual, in a pair and as part of a team. Highlights include winning Gold in Slovakia in 2017 by beating the 2020 Paralympic champion in the final, Silver at the 2019 UK Championships and, in 2022, Gold at the UK Challenger and Gold at The National Finals.

Having played internationally for England, for many years, in 2023 I was recruited into Boccia UK to be part of their new Transition Squad.

Last August I was selected to represent Great Britain for the first time at a World Challenger in Poland, where I won the Silver medal, narrowly losing 4:3 to the World Ranked number 8 from Hong Kong, in the final. In May 2024 I was selected by Great Britain for my second competition in Finland, where I won the Bronze medal.

Both these competitions were funded by UK Boccia. But in order to compete in Olbia, I have to raise the money myself, so any and all donations are gratefully received.

Thank you for your support,

Matt