Stewarts co-sponsored the 2018 Inter Spinal Unit Games. The event took place at Stoke Mandeville Stadium from 17 to 19 April and was extra special this year as participants celebrated the 70th anniversary of the first Stoke Mandeville games.

The Inter Spinal Unit Games are held annually at Stoke Mandeville Stadium, the birthplace of the paralympic movement. This year participants celebrated 70 years since Ludwig Guttmann founded the games after recognising the value of sport in supporting the independence and healthy lifestyle of spinal patients.

The first Stoke Mandeville Games took place on 29 July 1948 to coincide with the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in London. Sixteen spinal cord patients took part in a wheelchair archery competition aimed at helping them build their strength and confidence as part of their rehabilitation.

The Inter Spinal Unit Games are organised by WheelPower, a national charity providing sporting opportunities for people with physical impairments. More information on WheelPower can be found on their website here.

The opening day focused on participation, with each patient being encouraged to try something new to help develop their confidence and improve their physical and psychological health. Participants received training from leading athletes and coaches and were given the opportunity to try their hand at the 30 different sports on offer including basketball, fencing, shooting, tennis and rugby.

This year, staff and sponsors were encouraged to participate and Stewarts’ Legal Service team took the opportunity to have a go at sports such as basketball and shooting (to varying degrees of success!).

The contest for the overall trophy took place on the second and third days of the event and the competition was fierce. In the end, Salisbury defended their title and were named the winners, with The National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville runners up.

The event was a great success and Stewarts looks forward to continue supporting this fantastic event.

Here’s some further photos of a selection of the sports on offer:

Archery

Boccia

Cricket

Handbike

Javelin

Table Tennis

You can find further information regarding our expertise, experience and team on our Personal Injury pages.

If you require assistance from our team, please contact us or alternatively request a call back from one of our lawyers by submitting this form.

Media contact: Lydia Buckingham, Senior Marketing Executive, +44 (0) 20 7822 8134, lbuckingham@stewartslaw.com