We are pleased to announce that disability sports clubs can now become Clubmark accredited. Over the last 12 months, Clare MacLeod, National Clubmark Manager has worked closely with the EFDS to define an appropriate playing programme for multi-sport disability clubs and other sports such as Boccia and Goal Ball. These clubs can now be accredited by their relevant licensed CSP, using the EFDS as the national governing body.

The Clubmark criteria has also been adapted for these clubs to ensure that the appropriate training has taken place. For example the Sportscoach UK ‘Coaching Disabled Performers' course or the recognised disability inclusion training delivered by the NGB of their specific sport.

The Clubmark Resource Pack and Templates have also been modified to ensure that they comply with the latest guidance and best practice, such as increasing the font size of text and improving the contrast of content.

One such club that is working through the Clubmark process currently is the All Ability Sports & Leisure club in Essex. The club is relatively new and only started working towards EFDS Clubmark at the end of 2007. With the support of sportessex and Helen Offord, Harlow Sports Development Officer, the club has made vast progress with the scheme. With training courses organised and documents tweaked along the way, the club hopes to become accredited within the next couple of months.

Emma Gibson, Club Development Manager for the EFDS has been an integral member of the working party. She said, " Disability Sport Clubs are an integral part of the Player Pathway for many disabled sports people and for a long time these clubs, particularly those who offer more than one sport, have struggled to get support and recognition for what they do. With Clubmark we can not only recognise and champion what these clubs are doing but also ensure that emerging clubs are following a recognised system that works, this is crucial given the current sporting landscape. "

The following Disability Sport Clubs are piloting clubmark with the support from their County Sport Partnership and English Federation of Disability Sport:

• Berkshire County Sport Partnership: WAMDSAD, multi-sport, multi-disability.
• Derbyshire County Sport Partnership: Chesterfield Boccia and Multi - Sports Club
• Essex County Sport Partnership: Harlow All Ability Sport and Leisure Club, multi-sport, multi-disability
• Hampshire and IOW County Sport Partnership: Rushmoor Mallards, multi-sport, multi-disability.
• Kent County Sport Partnership: TADSAD, multi-sport, multi-disability
• Leicestershire County Sport Partnership: Burleigh Inclusive Multi-Sports Club.
• Manchester County Sport Partnership: Bury Goalball Club
• Manchester County Sport Partnership: Manchester Marvels, multi-sport, multi-disability
• Manchester County Sport Partnership: Rochdale Goalball Club
• Merseyside County Sport Partnership: Halton Sport for All, multi-sport, multi-disability.

More information can be found on the Equity Partners page of the Clubmark website or from the EFDS website.