BU offered the opportunity for students, staff and the community to hear three Paralympians provide their perspective on disability.
Sprinter Ben Rushgrove, swimmer and sports reporter Kate Grey, and tennis player Lucy Shuker shared their own personal stories at the event to mark Disability History Month 2014.
They also reflected on three questions which considered whether there had been a change of attitude towards disability in their disciplines, society as a whole and looking forward to Rio 2016 Paralympics and beyond.
Over 150 BU students, BU staff and pupils from Poole Grammar School, Poole High School, Leaf Academy and the Bishop of Winchester School attended the event, and had the chance to ask questions.
They also had the opportunity to take photographs and hold a Paralympic medal.
The talk was supported as part of the university’s Fair Access and Equality and Diversity work and a welcome to BU was provided by Bournemouth West MP Conor Burns and Nicola Murray-Fagan, Head of UK Student Recruitment & Outreach.
She said she saw these talks as “an excellent opportunity to put into practice the University-wide commitment to equality and diversity, which is core to our Strategic Plan and our Fair Access Agreements.”
To complement the event, Ben and Kate also visited Hill View Primary School to answer questions from Year 2 and Year 6 students and judge Year 2’s home learning projects on sport, health and fitness.
To find out more about the Equality and Diversity work at the university, email [email protected] or visit the BU Dignity, Diversity and Equality playlist on YouTube.