Variety, the Children’s Charity, is proud to announce a powerful new partnership with We Do Tennis to launch U-Turn: Voices for Change, an inclusive tennis programme designed to provide much needed access to sports participation for disabled and disadvantaged children. 

This exciting collaboration builds towards ensuring every child, regardless of their circumstances, has the chance to experience the joy, confidence, and empowerment that sport can bring. Despite the many benefits of sports participation, significant barriers remain for disabled and disadvantaged children. 

This partnership is about more than just tennis – it’s about breaking down financial, logistical, and accessibility barriers. Variety’s Voices for Change report, reveals that disabled and disadvantaged young people continue to face significant barriers to sports participation: 

  • Financial obstacles: Adaptive sports equipment alone can cost between £4,000 and £11,000, with 77% of families struggling to afford it. On average, parents of disabled children face extra costs of £581 per month, rising to over £1,000 for nearly a quarter of families. 
  • Exclusion from school sports: Alarmingly, 100% of parents surveyed reported that their child does not participate in school-based sports programmes, with one respondent stating, “School is awful for inclusion – as a wheelchair user, my child was given a stopwatch to time everyone else.” 
  • Limited accessibility: 46% of families report their local sports facilities as only “slightly accessible,” citing a need for better funding, adaptive equipment, and more inclusive spaces. 
  • Transportation: 54% of families struggle to access suitable sports opportunities due to travel costs and accessibility challenges. 

However, where access is provided, the impact is transformative. 100% of children show increased confidence, and 85% report greater independence. Yet, these benefits are not accessible to all, without financial support and increased inclusion efforts, thousands of children remain on the side lines. The U-Turn Voices for Change programme is the start of Variety’s mission to ensure sport is accessible for every child.  

Voices for Change

Laurence Guinness, CEO of Variety, the Children’s Charity, said:

“Sport is one of the most powerful tools for social inclusion, confidence, and wellbeing, yet so many children are still excluded due to financial and accessibility barriers. This programme is a game-changer, ensuring that children regardless of their circumstances, have the opportunity to play, compete, and thrive. Together, we’re not just making sport accessible; we are creating a future where all children are valued, included, and empowered.” 

Tony Knappett, Head of Disability at We Do Tennis and a Variety, Voices for Change Ambassador, said:

“I’m absolutely thrilled that Variety, the Children’s Charity, and We Do Tennis are joining forces to launch the U-Turn Voices for Change programme. This incredible partnership will allow us to take our U-Turn initiative to new heights, creating life-changing opportunities for children with disabilities and in disadvantaged areas to experience the joy of tennis. 

With this expanded reach, we’ll be able to ensure even more children have access to inclusive and empowering tennis sessions. But it doesn’t stop there – this partnership also opens exciting pathways for developing our coaching workforce. More coaches mean more sessions, more smiles, and more opportunities for children to thrive on and off the court. None of this would be possible without the remarkable support from Variety’s Voices for Change initiative. Together, we’re serving up a brighter future.”