Back to Ballin’
Building Inclusive Wheelchair Basketball in South London
With funding from the National Lottery, we embarked on an initiative to get new players into the game by going into areas rather than waiting for them to come to us. Following the old adage of ‘if you build it, they will come,’ We started running free sessions in the neighbouring borough of Lewisham to attract new players from inner city areas who had no local access to wheelchair basketball. We partnered with London Thunder, who provided the court space, and we provided the chairs. The funding helped us pay for all of this and helped get over fifty people active again. We also helped the club access some funding so it can restart under its own name for the 25-26 season, ensuring that there is wheelchair basketball available in that area.
The sessions are a graveyard shift on Sunday night, but players continue to turn up to play ball, socialise and listen to music while they do so.
Next stop…your area!
(Only 10.8% of disabled Londoners meet the recommended levels of physical activity. This rate is much lower than the 21.2% participation among non-disabled people, while Lambeth demonstrates a generally active population, disabled residents, including those from Black, Asian, and Multi-Ethnic backgrounds, face significant challenges in accessing sports and physical activity. More targeted data collection and inclusive programming are needed to address these disparities.)
Want to come down? Get in touch for more info.
Brixton Ballers Wheelchair Basketball Club is proud to share an update on our “Back to Ballin’” project, made possible with the support of National Lottery funding. The project helped to strengthen inclusive sport opportunities across South London, bringing communities together through wheelchair basketball in accessible, community-focused spaces. Our partnership with London Thunder opened up the sport to a new group of participants.
Weekly Sunday Evening Sessions
A core part of the Back to Ballin’ project has been our regular Sunday evening wheelchair basketball sessions, which take place: Location: London Thunderdome, Millwall
Time: Sundays, 8:00pm – 10:00pm
These sessions are open to people of all abilities and experience levels. The later time slot has been especially popular, making it easier for participants with work, education, or family commitments to stay active and involved. Sessions focus on skill development, gameplay, and social connection in a supportive and inclusive environment. Our next regular sessions will be starting in January 2026!
Positive Impact in the Local Community
The Back to Ballin’ project has had a strong and growing impact within the local community. By reducing barriers to participation and providing consistent opportunities to play, the project supports:– Increased access to inclusive sport
– Improved physical activity and wellbeing
– Confidence-building through teamwork
– Stronger community connections
New players continue to join alongside regular members, helping to grow a diverse
and welcoming wheelchair basketball community.
Greenwich Festival 2025
In 2025, Brixton Ballers were proud to take part in the Greenwich Peninsula Festival, delivering wheelchair basketball demonstrations and interactive sessions for the public.The festival provided a fantastic opportunity to showcase inclusive sport in a high- profile setting. Visitors of all ages were able to try wheelchair basketball, meet players and coaches, and learn more about how to get involved with the club and also be signposted to the nearest community sessions. Well over 200 people got to try out the sport for the first time.
Corporate Engagement with Decathlon
As part of the project’s outreach and sustainability work, Brixton Ballers also delivered Corporate engagement sessions with Decathlon Sports.Using our Sunday evening sessions at the London Thunderdome as a base, community players worked alongside corporate participants to experience wheelchair basketball together. These sessions promoted inclusion, teamwork, and a deeper understanding of disability sport while strengthening partnerships beyond the court.
Looking Ahead
Thanks to the support of the National Lottery, the Back to Ballin’ project is helping Brixton Ballers Wheelchair Basketball Club to grow participation, expand partnerships, and strengthen our role within the community. We look forward to welcoming even more people into wheelchair basketball and continuing to build inclusive opportunities for everyone.Get Involved
If you’d like to join a session, partner with us, or find out more about wheelchair basketball at Brixton Ballers, get in touch or visit our training page.
