RO Group of Charities Deliver Inclusive Multi‑Sport Festival for SEND Schools

On Monday 29^th June, Gosling Sports Park played host to groups from four SEND schools – Colnbrook Primary (Watford), Middleton Primary (East Herts), The Collett (Hemel Hempstead) and Southfields (Hatfield) who came together for a high‑energy multi‑sport festival designed to give pupils new, confidence‑building experiences in sport and physical activity. Each school brought 8-12 children with learning difficulties, including Autism, Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN), who rotated through a carousel of four inclusive sports: adapted tennis, wheelchair basketball, boxercise and dance.

The day was initiated with strong support from the RO Group’s charity arm, The Graham Rowlandson Foundation a trust whose primary focus is advancing social welfare in Hertfordshire through targeted philanthropy addressing disability, ill-health, and economic hardship. It was delivered by three of their beneficiary charities, Herts Tennis Foundation, Herts Disability Sports Foundation (HDSF) and Electric Umbrella, as part of the No Limits 2026 campaign. Their ongoing commitment to supporting SEND provision across Hertfordshire has opened the door to meaningful sport opportunities for hundreds of children — and the schools attending this event represented just a small part of the network they champion.

Pupils engaged brilliantly across all four activities, trying new skills, meeting peers from other schools and experiencing adapted formats that ensured every child could take part fully. Staff and supporters highlighted how valuable days like this are in building confidence, social connection and long‑term engagement in physical activity for young people with additional needs.