Let’s Skate: Making Ice Skating More Inclusive

British Ice Skating’s Let’s Skate project, launched in 2024 thanks to a major investment from Sport England, aims to grow the opportunities for disabled people to participate in ice skating.

Thanks to the hard work of many clubs, organisations and individuals across the UK the disabled skating community has been growing for many years, and we’re excited to build on this progress to continue making ice skating a sport that’s accessible for all.

What is Let’s Skate?

Let’s Skate is the banner for our work focusing on ice skating accessibility for people with disabilities. From growing the number of inclusive skating sessions at rinks across the UK, to providing more ways for disabled skaters and skating fans to compete, volunteer and further participate in the ice skating community, we’ve got big plans!

The significant funding from Sport England will support these initiatives across England, though we’ll also be promoting broader UK opportunities where appropriate.

Who are the Let’s Skate team?

Let’s Skate is being delivered by a passionate team of BIS staff, working in collaboration with committed volunteers and a network of fantastic partner organisations. Meet the team:

Andy Hibberd

My role at British Ice Skating is EDI and Community Lead; I have a passion for promoting equality and inclusion and have always been heavily involved in sport as a sportsperson, coach and fan. British Ice Skating have set Equality, Diversity and Inclusion as priority for our sport to move forward and this is the start to many great initiatives and projects.

We must make ice skating a more accessible and inclusive place where everyone can enjoy the great benefits ice skating and physical activity has to offer in the right environment.

Keith Hudson

Keith is British Ice Skating's Skate UK Lead and Development Officer as well as a Level 4 International Ice Dance Coach with over 30 years of coaching experience.

Keith has worked on various TV projects such as Eurosport, Dancing on Ice, How to make your body better (Davina McCall) & Cadburys Heroes (YouTube) with Mark Wright & Zoe Hardman (Heart Radio) as well as leading on the Skills project, various camps and assisting on coaches' education for British Ice Skating.

Millie Kelman-Johns

Hi I'm Millie; my role at British Ice Skating is Development Officer (EDI), focusing on our new Let's Skate Project. I am excited and passionate about this project, looking forward to positively changing experiences for people across all communities in a safe and welcoming environment. I believe sport has the power to do this with right direction and I look forward to what we can achieve through this project and the differences we can make for people both within and outside of ice skating. 

Dan Rodenby

My name is Dan Rodenby and my role at British Ice Skating is Development Officer which I started in September 2024. I have a passion for promoting equality and inclusion through the power of sport, so I am excited about the Let’s Skate project and firmly believe it will deliver amazing opportunities for everyone to access ice skating. I want everyone to feel safe, welcome and included in ice skating – and know this project will achieve that and create many brilliant pathways for people to access.

What’s happened so far?

Inclusive Skating Sessions

A number of ice rinks and clubs have signed up to the Let’s Skate project to deliver new inclusive ice skating sessions. We’re supporting them in the planning of their sessions, acquiring specialised equipment, providing training for their coaches and advising on making the rinks themselves more accessible.

We hope to announce further rinks joining the Let’s Skate project with their own inclusive sessions soon – keep an eye on the Let’s Skate webpage and our social channels for the latest news.

Inclusive Competitions

As part of our work to review and develop our competitive opportunities for disabled skaters, an Inclusive Competition Working Group has been announced.

The group will be made up of individuals with lived experiences that can help us shape our plans for inclusive competitions, ensuring we’re developing them in consultation with the disabled community and those who support them.

Updates on the formation of the group and their progress will be coming soon!

Listening & Learning

We are constantly speaking with members of the disabled community and their families to improve our understanding of the barriers to ice skating participation they currently face and how we can reduce them; this has included carrying out a survey and two online discussion sessions to gather information to better guide our work. We’ll also be working to showcase the stories of disabled skaters over the coming year to celebrate their success, share their experiences, and inspire more people to give ice skating a go!

If you’d like to feed into the Let’s Skate project or share your story, get in touch with us at letsskate@iceskating.org.uk

Collaboration & Support

We’ve been building relationships with National Disability Sports Organisations, equipment suppliers, charities, and other disability organisations to better share knowledge and grow through partnership. We’ve already taken big strides thanks to this growing network, including:

• Working with British Blind Sport to deliver an ice skating taster session.

• Developing a partnership with TykeSkater to help secure equipment to support inclusive skating sessions.

• Strengthened relationships with US Figure Skating and Inclusive Skating. 

• Connecting with the disability community through webinars and case studies. 

• Visiting and supporting existing disability sessions.

Training & Education

A key part of the Let’s Skate project is training and education, to ensure we make the ice skating community as welcoming, accessible and supportive as possible. The team are developing resources for coaches, judges and volunteers, as well as already having carried out training for over 500 coaches on inclusive practice.

Meanwhile the upcoming 2025 BIS Coaching Convention, the cornerstone of ice skating coaches’ continuous professional development, will have a key focus on inclusion and accessibility.

Where can I take part in Let’s Skate sessions?

So far, Let’s Skate inclusive sessions are planned for the following rinks, with more details coming soon. Check back on our Let’s Skate page for updates as more rinks and clubs sign up!

Bradford Ice Arena:

Coming in June 2025: Weekly 30 minute skating session with a coffee catch up afterwards.

Oxford Ice Rink:

Launching on Monday 2 June 2025, these sessions will run every Monday from 14:30pm to 15:45pm, open to anyone with a disability or long-term health condition.

Ice Sheffield:

Inclusive Skating Sessions - Mondays (term time) 13:20-14:20 Come and give it a go - try curling, skating or sledge hockey, all in one session!

Inclusive Lessons - Tuesdays 18:00-18:30/18:30-19:00 & Saturdays 08:15-08:45

Inclusive Skate UK lessons with Level 2 qualified coach to work through the Skate UK programme with the assistance of the dispensation model. 

Deeside Leisure Centre:

Happening the first Sunday of every month from 12:30pm to 13:15pm. Open to anyone with a disability and their families/carers - find out more.

We’ll also be supporting and promoting previously established inclusive skating sessions, including:

SPICE at Slough Ice Arena:

Every Sunday 11:15 -12:00

Find out more.

We’ll be keeping you updated with the latest news from the Let’s Skate project; check back on our project webpage for updates and follow us on social media:

BIS on Instagram

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