One in five people in the UK are either deaf or hard of hearing. One in three deaf adults do not participate in sport or physical activity, compared to one in 20 adults without a disability (source: Sport England Active Lives Survey 2023), making the deaf community one of the least active groups.
To help more people with hearing loss enjoy exercise and participate in sport, we’ve partnered with UK Deaf Sport in a new campaign timed to mark UK Deaf Awareness Week (6 – 12 May).
Appearing across 123 screens in five cities, the 40 second spot features the GB Deaf Women’s Futsal team who competed in the Winter Deaflympics in Turkey this year. In the clip, they are seen training with coach John Atkinson, using sign language as they cannot only be guided by sound.
An estimated 14.2 million UK adults will have hearing loss greater than 25 decibels by 2035 (RNID). This means supporting the work of bodies like UK Deaf Sport is even more important.
The Deaflympics celebrate 100 years old this year, with the next Summer Deaflympics taking place in Japan in 2025. Let’s see how many deaf and hard of hearing people we can help become more active before then.
‘Now I know what it feels to be famous’
The aim of Ocean’s alliance with Special Olympics GB is to shine a light on young people and children through the prism of sport. Sporting hero Lloyd Martin is no exception. He has just set a new Guinness World Records title for being the youngest person to complete a marathon (II2 male).
Lloyd is part of the Special Olympics GB movement through Ascot United Warriors football club and Prime Acrobatics gymnastics club in Woking.
Fresh from his record breaking run in the TCS London Marathon, we surprised Lloyd with his very own billboard in London’s Leicester Square. Lloyd’s moment of fame was shared across social channels, reaching 1.626 million on X.
You can’t help but be uplifted. It certainly made my day.
TCS London Marathon on X
TCS London Marathon on X: ““Now I know what I feel to be famous.” 😎 Lloyd Martin completed the 2024 TCS London Marathon to become the @GWR holder for the youngest person to complete a marathon (II2) (male). On Monday, we set up a surprise for him in Leicester Square… @SOGreatBritain | @OceanOutdoorUK https://t.co/8M8vqLkwxp” / X (twitter.com)
We hope Lloyd’s record-breaking marathon will inspire many more young people to have the confidence to have a go.
Levelling the playing field
These two initiatives are the latest in Ocean’s #DareToDream programme. It links all four of our IOC-recognised partners in a national effort to tackle bias and discrimination, by making opportunities more accessible to diverse and marginalised groups.
Childline Sports Day – an Olympic effort
The UK media industry supports multiple good causes, including coming together annually to compete in the NSPCC’s annual Childline Sports Day.
On 7 June in Manchester, Glasgow and London, some of media’s biggest brands will take on a series of gladiator style games and competitive challenges, with profits directed towards Childline’s work with vulnerable children and teenagers.
As Official Media Partner of Team GB, Paralympics GB and now Childline Sports Day, Ocean is assembling a line up of inspirational Olympians to cheer on the teams and give out the prizes.
The guest athletes include gold medal winning swimmer Kathleen Dawson and four times para alpine skiing medallist Brett Wild (Glasgow); Rio 2016 silver medal swimmer Siobhan-Marie O’Connor and para-taekwondo silver medallist Beth Munro (Manchester); and Olympic champion swimmer Matt Richards and Paralympian shot putter Vanessa Wallace (London).
To register a team to take part in any of the Sports Days, please email: ChildlineSportsDay@NSPCC.org.uk
Let the Games begin
Our summer sports schedule will include live coverage from the Paris Olympics and Paralympics, and Ocean will be hosting official fan zones across the country.
To find out more about Ocean’s partnerships and the sponsorship opportunities available, contact kevin.henry@oceanoutdoor.com