Olympian joins Co-op Special Olympics fundraising campaign
Bleddyn Gibbs is backing the 'Meals That Matter' campaign, which is being delivered in partnership with Coca-Cola Europacific Partners and Special Olympics Great Britain.
The campaign aims to promote inclusion and raise funds for Special Olympics GB, which provides year-round sporting opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities.
Running in Co-op stores across the UK from July 9 to August 5, the campaign will donate 25p from every sale of a special meal deal to support the charity.
The deal includes two Co-op pizzas and a four-pack of 330ml Coca-Cola Zero Sugar or Diet Coke cans for £6.
Mr Gibbs is one of five Special Olympics GB athlete ambassadors featured in the campaign.
The other ambassadors are Alex Rae, Stephanie Gott, Katie Day and Lloyd Martin.
Alex Rae, a double silver medallist in table tennis and a long-time Co-op colleague, said: "Being a part of the Special Olympics Grampian club is amazing, as is working for Co-op.
"The support and encouragement I've had has helped me build my confidence and really believe in myself.
"I'd love for more people with intellectual disabilities to have opportunities like these so they can really see what they can do."
Special Olympics GB supports more than 12,600 athletes across 27 sports, with the help of nearly 6,000 volunteers who create a supportive environment for individuals to thrive through grassroots sport.
The campaign features prominent in-store displays, including digital screens, shelf talkers, floor stickers and front-of-store takeovers, all featuring Special Olympics GB athletes and the campaign's inclusion message.
A dedicated online hub and member communications will support wider engagement.
Holly Firmin, senior community partnerships manager at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, said: "SOGB makes an enormous difference to the lives of athletes with intellectual disabilities and this campaign aims to raise awareness of that.
"It's about showing what's possible when everyone is given the support they need to thrive and why inclusion in everyday life, in sport and in the workplace, really does matter."
In a first for a major in-store retail campaign, 'Meals That Matter' will include Makaton symbols—part of a communication system that uses speech, signs, and symbols to support understanding and expression.
Makaton can help people with communication difficulties connect with others and participate more fully in daily life.
Coca-Cola has been a founding partner and global sponsor of Special Olympics since the movement began, and has supported Special Olympics GB since it launched in Great Britain in 1978.
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners continues this legacy through ongoing support of Special Olympics GB, promoting inclusion through funding, volunteering and unified sports and business programmes.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
a minute ago
- Yahoo
Charlie Dobson shocks Matt Hudson-Smith to win 400m in London
Charlie Dobson shocked Matt Hudson-Smith as he edged victory in the men's 400 metres in front of a sell-out crowd at the Novuna London Athletics Meet. Dobson won the Diamond League final last year and while all eyes were on Olympic silver medallist Hudson-Smith, it was Dobson who swooped through to claim the win in a new personal best time of 44.14 seconds. He said: 'I really enjoyed that one. I kind of set the race up slightly different to how I'd done previously. I got to 200 a couple of tenths faster than I would normally, I hope, obviously I haven't seen the splits yet. 'I just got to the last straight and I felt really good. I thought I'd give it everything. I thought I'd catch a few of them, I didn't think I'd catch all of them.' Asked if Hudson-Smith had any words at the finish, Dobson added: 'He just laughed at me. I couldn't really say much either, to be honest. I was surprised. I'll chat to him after. He's an amazing competitor. 'I love being able to race against him and I'll be honest, I love beating him.' Josh Kerr was another expected to be among the winners but, although he ran a season's best of 3.29.37, Kenya's Phanuel Koech had the measure of the reigning world champion. Georgia Hunter-Bell produced a decisive finishing kick in the women's 800m, running a season's best of 1.56.74 to beat America's Addison Wiley, while Jemma Reekie (sixth) and Laura Muir (10th) were down the field. Morgan Lake claimed victory in the women's high jump with a leap of 1.96m but there was disappointment for Molly Caudery in the women's pole vault as the 2024 world indoor champion cleared 4.60m, some way short of even her season's best of 4.85m, to place fifth. Dina Asher-Smith posted her best time this year in the women's 200m, running 22.25 behind Julien Alfred, with team-mate Amy Hunt third in a new PB of 22.31. The first British quartet of Asher-Smith, Hunt, Desiree Henry and Daryll Neita came out on top in their women's 4x100m relay, running 41.69 seconds to beat second-placed Jamaica, with the second GB entry coming home sixth. The first men's GB team of Jeremiah Azu, Louie Hinchcliffe, Romell Glave and Zharnel Hughes ran 38.08 to finish second to a dominant Jamaican team in the men's 4x100m relay, with the second British quartet taking third. National 400m finals yielded victories for Lewis Davey (44.91) and Victoria Ohuruogu (51.22), with Seamus Derbyshire (48.82) winning a domestic men's 400m hurdle final. Lawrence Okoye had to settle for third in the men's discus with a throw of 67.24m behind Mykolas Alekna's meeting record of 71.70m, while the Netherlands' Femke Bol delivered a comprehensive victory in the women's 400m hurdles, as Britain's Lina Nielsen finished sixth. Noah Lyles was defeated in first 100m since winning gold in Paris last year, running 10 seconds flat as Jamica's Oblique Seville powered home in a time of 9.86. Kenya's Emmanuel Wanyonyi set a new meeting record of 1.42 in the men's 800m, with Britain's Max Burgin taking third with a new personal best of 1.42.36 in a race that had been billed as a world-record attempt.
Yahoo
a minute ago
- Yahoo
Blackburn Rovers player ratings with 9/10 in impressive performance
Blackburn Rovers made it back-to-back wins in pre-season as Dion De Neve's first goal gave them a 1-0 win over Everton. Valerien Ismael's side were impressive in the first half. They showed good intensity off the ball and looked a threat when they had it. De Neve scored the winner after just eight minutes, rounding off a brilliant team move. Ryan Hedges played the pass which sprung Callum Brittain in-behind and he crossed for the new arrival to finish at the back post. Both goalkeepers made good saves to prevent any more goals. Balazs Toth denied Iliman Ndiaye whilst Mark Travers impressively picked Harry Pickering's free-kick out of the top corner. Here's how The Lancashire Telegraph scored the players' performances, with a six representing par for the course. (Remember, they're just friendlies!) Balazs Toth - 8 A quiet opening half but a string of saves after the break. The most notable was to deny Ndiaye, low down to his left. Strong in commanding his area. Callum Brittain - 8 No sign of downing tools this week. A really strong performance from the right-back against Premier League talent. Set up De Neve's goal with a great burst down the flank. Dom Hyam - 7 Rock-solid as ever at the back. Kept the ball well and defended strongly. Scott Wharton - 9 Didn't put a foot wrong on his first start of pre-season. Gave Beto very little change and was clever with his distribution. Looked very sharp. Yuri Ribeiro - 6 A few misplaced passes but that's what pre-season is for. Lewis Travis - 7 A little bit of afters in the middle, ensuring there was still some bite to this friendly clash. Strong and competitive in the middle. Sondre Tronstad - 6 Still finding his sharpness in some moments but a good showing in the middle. Ryan Hedges - 7 Really bright in the first half. Played the decisive pass to spring Brittain, which created the goal. Looks far more comfortable on the right. Todd Cantwell - 8 First of all, the work rate and intensity was most notable. Really bought in to the pressing and harrying. Some nice touches on the ball too, including the dummy for the goal. Dion De Neve - 7 Took his goal nicely at the back post, making sure he was in the right position to take advantage. Yuki Ohashi - 7 Must be a nightmare to play against; constantly buzzing around. Some nice link-up play but no real sight of goal. Substitutions (Made on the hour unless stated otherwise) Nick Michalski - 6 Quick of his line and alert to a few situations but not tested in the final half hour. Harry Pickering - 7 Beautiful free-kick looked destined for the top corner but for a brilliant save from Travers. Kristi Montgomery - 6 Started at right-back and then moved into midfield after 10 minutes. Looked comfortable in the middle which is where he's played most recently in the 21s. George Pratt - 7 Did well with a few situations where he read the danger early and snuffed it out. Lorenze Mullarkey-Matthews - 6 Worked hard but didn't see much of the ball. Augustus Kargbo - 6 As direct as ever, running at players whenever he got the chance. That final ball just needs some refinement. Igor Tyjon - 6 Picked up some nice positions playing off the front but didn't have the final action. Makhtar Gueye - 6 Battled with the centre-backs and put himself about. Tom Atcheson (71') - 6 Solid when he came on after looking a little shaky at Accrington. Matty Litherland (71') - 6 Slotted in at right-back with little issue. John Buckley (71)' - 6 One of the most senior heads on the pitch by the time he was on. Controlled an increasingly stretched game. Unused substitutes: Goddard, Batty. Attendance: 11,339
Fox News
4 minutes ago
- Fox News
Caitlin Clark's Fever teammate Kelsey Mitchell weighs in on fan treatment of Angel Reese
Indiana Fever player Kelsey Mitchell spoke about the perceived treatment of Chicago Sky star Angel Reese by fans. While speaking to reporters at the WNBA All-Star game, a reporter asked Mitchell her thoughts on the "negativity" directed toward Reese, "as a Black woman." "I think it's important to make sure that we keep it less about color and more about just human to human," Mitchell answered. "I think if you just have decency and common decency about what we do as women on the floor, you know that Angel Reese is a bad woman on and off the floor. And we as women have to represent that." When asked what Mitchell would say to the fans who direct negativity at Reese, Mitchell said, "God bless you." "I hope your spirit is in heal a stage to where you don't have to make these comments cuz it's really bashful. Um we as women. We come on here and we try to compete and connect and use hoop to, you know, express ourselves," Mitchell said. "Like it's not always going to go our way and the people that bet on us and the people the nasty comments that we get about the people we do and don't play with, it's like it's disrespectful to what we trying to do, like give us the benefit of the doubt and I hope that people see us as humans." Reese is one of the league's more popular and polarizing players, and has built a passionate following largely on her ongoing rivalry with phenom Caitlin Clark dating back to their college days. Clark's and Reese's rookie season in 2024 saw the league break multiple viewership and attendance records, particularly due to games featuring Clark and the Indiana Fever. Reese was criticized for a gesture at the end of the 2023 NCAA women's basketball championship game where she pointed to her ring finger to taunt Clark after Reese's team won. The moment boosted Reese's public profile and incited polarizing attention, with many of Clark fans hurling criticisms at Reese online. However, one instance of alleged mistreatment of Reese was investigated and not substantiated. After a reported incident of fan harassment against Reese during the Fever and Sky's first game of the season on May 17, the WNBA launched an investigation into the matter. But the league announced 10 days later that the allegations of "hateful comments" were "not substantiated." "We appreciate the swift and thorough process undertaken by the WNBA to investigate these allegations, which were not substantiated," the Fever said in a statement. "At Gainbridge Fieldhouse, we are committed to providing the best possible basketball experience for players and fans where hate speech has absolutely no place. Indiana is home to the world's greatest fans, and we look forward to an exciting season of Fever basketball." Added the WNBA, "Based on information gathered to date, including from relevant fans, team and arena staff, as well as audio and video review of the game, we have not substantiated [the report]. The WNBA is committed to fostering a safe and inclusive environment for everyone and will continue to be vigilant in enforcing our fan code of conduct." U.S. Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind, called on the WNBA and the Fever to apologize to Fever fans after that investigation found no evidence. "(Reese) accused the Indiana Fever fan base of being racists. They investigated it. They said those accusations were false. The least that she could do is apologize to our great state and the fans that show up at these games and say, 'I'm sorry, I was wrong.' Obviously, she's not going to do that," Banks said Tuesday during an appearance on OutKick's "Don't @ Me with Dan Dakich." "Those are awful accusations. They weren't true. The fans weren't shouting racial slurs towards Angel Reese or opposing players. I mean, where is Caitlin Clark? Where is the Indiana Fever? Where is the WNBA saying that that investigation? There shouldn't have been an investigation. The allegations were false. Where's the apology? It's disappointing." It is unclear whether Reese notified the WNBA to prompt the investigation. Sky head coach Tyler Marsh found out about the reports "when everyone else did." However, Reese has said in the past that Fever and Iowa fans have been racist toward her. "It's so demeaning to our state and to the fan base to go through something like that. The least they can do is apologize to the fans," Banks added. "That's the kind of garbage that gets thrown around all the time." Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
