Fixtures Mark Milestone Almost Two Years Since Club Was Established

The Irwin Mitchell Leeds Boccia Club (IM Leeds Boccia) has competed in its first ever National Boccia League fixtures at the weekend at Armley Leisure Centre – a major step for the club since it began in September 2015.

The law firm behind the club, Irwin Mitchell, has spent a long time working closely with Boccia England and West Yorkshire Sport to support disabled sports in Yorkshire. Boccia, a Paralympic sport, is an accessible and fully inclusive sport which involves players rolling, throwing or kicking a ball towards a jack from a sitting position. If players are unable to throw or kick they can use an assistant and a ramp together with various aids for support.

Since it was established the club has been holding weekly sessions during term-time at Armley Leisure Centre on Wednesdays 5-6pm. The players learn about the game and practice the different skills involved.

These skills were put into full effect at the weekend when the team played four fixtures; two against Scarboccia and two against Hambleton. In the first round, the team lost 14-3 to Scarboccia and 7-2 to Hambleton.However, the second round brought more joy as IM Leeds Boccia were convincing winners in both games, winning 6-4 against Hambleton and  4-3 against Scarboccia.

Specialist Medical Negligence lawyers, Samuel Hill and Lauren Bullock from the firm’s Leeds office, were the driving force behind the formation of the club.

Sam said: 

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“To compete in our first National Boccia League fixtures is a giant step forward for the IM Leeds Boccia Club. Lauren and I are proud to support the club but it wouldn’t have been the success it is without the players and the coaching from Kevin Barraclough, a parent volunteer.

“At Irwin Mitchell, we are proud to support disabled people who want to be involved in sport and it is great to see an inclusive sport like Boccia, being recognised and participated in.

“Lauren and I are proud to have built on the success of IM Leeds Boccia. Locally we run sessions at Pinderfields Spinal Injuries Unit to assist patients’ rehabilitation as well as running taster sessions for various special schools and charities.”

“We look forward to competing in many more fixtures and, more importantly, helping people embrace sport and to look to the future after they have suffered serious injury or disability.” Samuel Hill - Partner

The law firm has a history of supporting Paralympic sport, and was recently announced as Official Legal Services Provider of the World Para Athletics Championships London 2017.

The Championships will take place at the London Stadium between 14 to 23 July and will be the biggest sporting event staged at the Stadium since the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012.

The values of the Championships are closely aligned to Irwin Mitchell’s commitment to disability sport and its campaign, ‘Don’t Quit, Do It’.

Irwin Mitchell launched their ‘Don’t Quit, Do It’ campaign a few years ago to highlight their clients’ abilities and engagement with disability sport, and to encourage others to get involved.

There are 12 million people with disabilities in the UK but only one in six takes part in sport regularly and this is something the campaign wants to change, with the help of high profile events like the World Para Athletics Championships London 17.

To find out more visit about this campaign, click here.

If you are interested in getting involved with IM Leeds Boccia or want any more information on our involvement with disability sports please contact Samuel Hill on 0113 394 6783 or Lauren Bullock on 0113 394 6827. IM Leeds Boccia meets every Wednesday during term time at Armley Leisure Centre between 5-6pm.