We have started our project to strengthen the boccia infrastructure in the northwest as part of our long-term goal to create a nationwide infrastructure for the boccia community.

The work will initially be focussed on three northwest counties due to; our limited resource, work that followed the World Championships in 2018 (but then paused due to the pandemic), and where we have an existing club network.

The three northwest counties are Lancashire, Merseyside, and Greater Manchester.

During October, we hosted three Big Boccia Conversation events at community venues in these locations, bringing together representatives from a wide range of partners, local clubs, and service users to talk about their experiences and how we could work together to do more.

This work follows a similar event we hosted in Nottingham earlier this year, which has set the approach we have taken.

Across the four Big Boccia Conversation events, 79 people attended, of which 31 people were service users, and 5 clubs and 25 partner organisations were represented.

Each conversation event was different, but some similar themes emerged around a need to raise the awareness of the sport, develop more places to play, more opportunities to play, and more people to support the delivery. At every event, it was clear there is a real enthusiasm to work together to make boccia more visible and accessible to people locally.

We will be developing delivery plans for each area and will continue to communicate and build each network, sharing our progress.

For more information, contact Kate Moss, Head of Partnerships & Communities