A Bath sports club has had its future secured thanks to a £24,000 donation from Omaze, the charity fundraising company.
Alex Johnson with Liz Davies and Romans team members | Photo © Tim Gander
The funding for Bath Romans wheelchair basketball team is the first time Omaze has sponsored a grassroots sports team, and will cover training, coaching and tournament costs for the next three years.
It also includes Omaze-branded home and away kits, which the young players helped to design, and will wear in tournaments against teams from across the country.
The club, run by not-for-profit organisation Nova Sports, provides expert training for young people with a range of disabilities and neurodivergences, as well as non-disabled siblings, and in just four years, has built a vibrant community for players and their families.
Jenny Johnson, who launched Nova Sports alongside husband Alex, said the Omaze funding has come as a “fantastic boost”.
She said: “This will not only mean our players will turn up to matches looking the part and feeling confident, but the main benefit is the fact it will cover the team for three years.
“Thanks to this fantastic boost from Omaze, we now know we can enter the tournament series again next season, and we can commit to these kids that their club isn’t going anywhere.
“That’s such a weight off for us as an organisation, but it’s also nice security for the players to know they can keep playing the sport they love.”
James Oakes, President of Omaze, said: “We’re delighted to make this donation on behalf of the Omaze community.
“Bath Romans show that grassroots sport is about so much more than simply winning and losing – it’s about togetherness and belonging.
“We’re looking forward to seeing this fantastic, welcoming and inclusive club continue to thrive.”
Jenny and Alex met at the University of Bath in 2012 while studying Sport and Social Sciences.
Since 2017, they have dedicated their lives to creating truly inclusive sports provisions for people with disabilities and neurodivergences in Bath and the surrounding area.
They started Bath Romans in 2021, and the club has had a huge impact on everyone involved.
Jenny said: “We’ve heard one word multiple times from parents of players – belonging. It’s become like a big family.
“The parents have their own WhatsApp chat away from the coaches, they bring tea and coffee to training sessions when the sports hall gets cold, and they organise lovely social stuff at Christmas. It’s very wholesome and it means a lot to everyone.”
Alex, who coaches the team, said: “Many of these kids don’t join in PE at school because they’re not catered for.
“We create an environment where they can be happy, where they thrive, where they can make friends. They see each other beyond the training sessions, and they have this real sense of identity and community.
“They go back to school with medals they can show off to their friends for the first time. It gives them something truly unique that they’ve probably not found anywhere else.
“It’s fantastic for everyone involved with the team to have this support from Omaze.”
Chrissie Aldridge, whose daughter Ana joined Bath Romans in 2021, said the club has made a big impact on the 14-year-old.
Chrissie said: “Ana has ASD, as well as mobility issues, she has always loved sports but because of her difficulties she was often sidelined or not asked back after trial sessions, Romans changed all of that.
“Romans have given Ana a sense of belonging, a club that actively wants her, a sense of pride and a fierce competitive streak we didn’t know she had in her.
“As a family, it is wonderful to watch her grow and thrive as a player and as a person. We are hugely thankful to Omaze for giving our kids a secure sporting future.”
