Panathlon Challenge

In October, as part of our Social Value programme, CHC handed over a cheque to Panathlon Challenge, which they plan to use for events and teacher training. This is a national charity that gives children with disabilities and special needs opportunities to engage in competitive sport that they are so often otherwise denied. Panathlon relies on funding from commercial sponsors and charitable trusts and are proud to have a number of sporting patrons, all with a paralympic pedigree. We are delighted to support their work in Blackburn and Darwen this year.

Aimed at children and young people aged between 5 years and 19 years, Panathlon provide multisport, swimming, boccia, football, 10-pin bowling, cricket and a range of impairment-specific programmes which take place across 44 English counties, 12 unitary areas in Wales and is new to Northern Ireland.

In 2023/24, a record 66,706 young people participated in their events – the majority through competitions held externally with other schools, with additional participants with their in-school virtual programme. This programme was launched in 2020 in response to the pandemic, and empowers schools to run their own Panathlon competitions safely on-site. It was widely embraced by schools who have continued to engage despite the ending of Covid-19 regulations.

We will be following their events and teacher training closely. For more information about the charity please visit www.panathlon.com/about/