Campaign Ambassador - Imogen Brown

Name: Imogen Brown

Sports/Activities: Swimming, Cricket and Ballet

Locality: Hertsmere

I started to learn to swim aged 3, but my sporting journey didn’t begin for another 11 years, when in 2022 I joined the Special Olympics, and in 2024 I joined the Paralympic pathway. Now I'm training 4 times a week with Potters Bar Swimming Club and over the past year I have started going to the gym twice a week as part of my fitness routine.

It's not just swimming I love, I also really enjoy playing cricket and joined the Herts Harriers Disability Cricket Club in 2018 before joining the Herts County Disability Cricket Team in 2023. I have also attended ballet classes since I was 5.

Autism and learning disabilities are hidden disabilities, so I have found that some people are not very understanding of the difficulties that I have. Disabled people can also struggle with access to separate sessions at swimming pools, so I had to join a mainstream club to be able to swim several times a week. This was, and still remains a challenge for me, as not everyone is understanding of my difficulties and this can leave me feeling left out socially. I am lucky my parents have pushed to find opportunities and inclusive clubs for me to join. Organisations like Special Olympics, ParalympicsGB and Herts County Cricket have been a massive help in creating areas where I feel I can develop and enjoy playing sport with likeminded people.

Next in my development is the Special Olympics National Games in August 2026 and possibly the World Games in 2027 or 2031. Also, the National Junior Paralympics Swim Championships where I'm really looking forward to seeing if I can beat my times and win some medals.  Additionally, I will be playing lots of cricket and making more friends, as this is one of the best things about taking part in sport.