Leading sports and leisure caterer, Levy UK, has been selected as the first official fundraising partner for the British Paralympic Association. Through various fundraising initiatives, Levy UK will be supporting ParalympicsGB to take the best prepared team to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
As part of the new partnership, Levy UK will lead the Impossible to Ignore campaign that aims to harness the power of sport, the athletes and Tokyo 2020 to challenge perceptions, break down barriers and ensure disabled people are represented throughout society.
The campaign will raise awareness of ParalympicsGB as a charity and give people a better understanding of everything that taking a world leading team to Tokyo 2020 entails. They want to use Tokyo 2020 as a platform for change by celebrating the athlete’s incredible journeys and turning their successes into meaningful, long-term action while valuing every disabled person in the UK by reminding the nation that they are all ‘Impossible to Ignore’.
With the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games on the horizon, Levy UK will be hosting a charity dinner on 25th March 2020, welcoming a host of celebrity guests, including Chelsea Football Club Ambassadors and Paralympians. Guests will get to experience award winning cuisine from chef Bryn Williams, followed by a live auction and post dinner entertainment from three-time Brit Award winning English rock band Scouting for Girls.
While many qualification events are still to take place, an estimated 250 athletes are tipped to compete for ParalympicsGB in Tokyo 2020, including competitors in the new sports of Taekwondo and Badminton. Research from ComRes suggests that the success of these athletes may have a direct impact on breaking down barriers, shifting perceptions and increasing opportunities for all disabled people.
- 84% of UK adults say the achievements of ParalympicsGB athletes have a positive impact on society overall
- 74% of UK adults perceive ParalympicsGB to be an inspirational sports team – more than any of the other teams listed
- 82% of disabled UK adults believe the Paralympic Games provides positive media coverage of disabled people
The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games starts on the 25th August 2020 and will be the 16th Summer Paralympic Games. It will be the second time the Games have been hosted by Tokyo – 1964 the other occasion.
Mike Sharrock, CEO of the British Paralympic Association, said:
“As we build towards the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, we are thrilled to be working closely with Levy UK who will be championing our Impossible to Ignore campaign.
We believe that the success our Paralympic stars achieve on the field of play can be turned into meaningful, long-term action – turning the nation’s cheers into change and those medals into a movement. The Levy business is deeply rooted in sport and events and they have already shared some of exciting plans which will make this a partnership that truly is Impossible to Ignore.”
Jon Davies, Managing Director at Levy UK, said:
“The Paralympic Games demonstrate how sport can unite people from diverse backgrounds. We are thrilled to be leading the Impossible to Ignore campaign where we will challenge perceptions, break down barriers and ensure disabled people are represented throughout society.
Supporting our people and the wider community is something that we are very committed to and the Paralympic Games is a further positive step in doing this.”