Last year Elaine Spray Badminton Development Officer Nottinghamshire joined forces with Leicestershire to organise an 'Open Day' event for wheelchair badminton. It was a huge success with wheelchair users and able bodied people of all ages having a great time. There was a varied mix of people from all parts of the country. A wheelchair badminton squad from Macclesfield demonstrated how the game should be played. This fun day identified the need for more wheelchair badminton clubs in the Midlands, and the rest of the Country as the Macclesfield Wheelchair Badminton Club is currently the only one. These players are looking for more clubs in England to challenge them. Nottinghamshire has taken this initiative and the new club has now been formed at the Ellis Guilford Sports College a new facility in Nottingham.

Because Badminton is now a fast growing wheelchair sport that can be played by most people with disabilities, whatever their level. The newly formed Nottingham Blazers have managed to acquire five new titanium sports wheelchairs of various sizes, funded by the “Lord Taveners”. “Awards for All” have supported the club by funding new equipment, & Coach Education, to help run the club, and recently 3 Wheelchair users have gone on to achieve a Level 1 coaching award. This will help to sustain the clubs future; these charities have certainly enhanced the prospects of success.

Elaine who is also the club Secretary, and generally oversees the project, is delighted to see our members having an enjoyable evening. Among one of the most improved players is Owen. The sixteen year old is a local lad, and has really got to grips with wheelchair badminton. Under expert coaching over the last few weeks, Owen has come on in leaps and bounds and obviously enjoys this sport. This young man has a lot of talent and will surely be one to watch out for in the future.

The club is still building and in its first year has a membership of 10 playing members; able bodied players drop in from time to time to support the club. Visitors from Macclesfield and Watford pay regular visits to the club, as there are few Wheelchair Badminton clubs in England to challenge players at present. The club has 2 Level 2 coaches and 3 Level 1 coaches

March 2007 Elaine & Graham club Level 2 coaches will travel to Percy Hedley Specialist Disability Sports College, Newcastle on Tyne to launch a new Wheelchair Badminton Club that will evolve from this badminton Fun Day. 3 of our club players/Level 1 coaches will travel with us, to play and demonstrate how easy it is to play this sport

WheelPower, the national organisation for wheelchair sport, based at Stoke Mandeville Stadium are organising their annual 2 day event for “Inter Spinal Unit Games” aimed at recently paralysed people. Badminton has now been included in their programme, and Nottinghamshire will travel to deliver these sessions, and hopefully interest more new players in this sport.

The club coaches are currently working alongside local Authorities Disability Unit, and are running local Road shows & Badminton Taster Sessions to encourage more members. A great deal of development work is taking place to promote this sport with demonstrations around the county of Nottinghamshire.

Since the launch of this new club, enquiries are being made from other parts of the country has to how Nottinghamshire Blazers have reached this achievement, hopefully we can role this good practice out, to create more  new clubs in the future.

With the 'Four Nations Wheelchair Badminton Tournament' being staged in Cardiff this coming August 07, there will be an opportunity for members of the Nottinghamshire Blazers to play at a higher competitive level.

For more details see their website -

Elaine Spray - Badminton Development Officer Nottinghamshire