Inclusive Skating

2247. Margarita Sweeney-Baird

Wanting to help more people through the joy of skating, Margarita initially took a year-long break from her legal career, to establish a project that would enable aspiring skaters with any form of disability or impairment to participate in the sport. Margarita founded ‘Inclusive Skating’ in 2010 to provide events and activities for skaters with additional needs and has continued to grow the charity, 14 years on since her initial break. Margarita offers individual sessions to introduce beginners to the sport, as well as coaching sessions for aspiring skaters, with the ‘Inclusive Skating’ ethos of inclusion extending to skaters of all ages, backgrounds and forms of disabilities. 

Through ‘Inclusive Skating’, Margarita has organised national events for skaters with disabilities, with upcoming events including the ‘World Inclusive Skating Championships’, ‘World Inclusive Paralympic Skating Championships’ and the ‘World Inclusive Virtual Championships’. The ‘Inclusive Skating’ judging framework is the first in the world to take into account all impairments and disabilities and ‘Inclusive Skating’ acts as the world governing body for skating competitions for people with disabilities. 

Margarita said:

“It’s truly an honour to receive the Prime Minister’s Points of Light Award. The ‘Inclusive Skating’ community is incredible and I am fortunate to be a part of an incredible team. This award is a celebration of the passion for inclusion that drives us all to make a positive impact in the world. I also want to express my gratitude to Points of Light for celebrating volunteers and community engagement and I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to the selection committee for this prestigious recognition. I am both honoured and privileged to be counted among the distinguished individuals who have received this accolade.”

Find out more about ‘Inclusive Skating’