The Adapted Physical Activity Research Unit (APARU) was officially launched on the evening of 7 October 2026 at the University of Worcester Arena, bringing together researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and people with lived experience from across the UK and internationally.
The event attracted delegates from 11 countries in a hybrid format, with participants joining both in person and online. It marked a significant milestone for the University of Worcester, establishing APARU as a centre for participatory research with communities that are too often marginalised from sport, physical activity, and the research that shapes policy about them.
Keynote Speakers
The evening featured four keynote speakers whose work reflects the breadth and ambition of APARU's research agenda:
Dr Michele Mele speaking at the APARU Launch
Dr Michele Mele (University of Sannio, Italy) delivered a thought-provoking address on challenging ocular-centrism in mathematics and sport, examining how assumptions about visual knowledge exclude blind and visually impaired people from participation and inquiry — and what we gain when those assumptions are questioned.
Professor Justin Haegele (Old Dominion University, USA) presented findings from an international research priority-setting exercise in disability physical education, outlining the ten most pressing research questions identified by scholars and practitioners worldwide.
Chris Bright speaking at the APARU Launch
Mr Chris Bright (Breakthrough T1D UK and The Diabetes Football Community) spoke from lived experience about navigating sport with Type 1 Diabetes, drawing on co-produced research with the University of Worcester that has contributed to national policy conversations about inclusion and systemic change in sport.
Dr Emma V. Richardson (University of Worcester) presented research on the Düsseldorf 2023 Invictus Games, examining sport participation, identity, and empowerment among wounded, injured, and sick veterans and serving personnel.
The event was opened by Professor John-Paul Wilson, Pro Vice Chancellor for Research, and Lerverne Barber, Head of the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, both of whom spoke to the strategic significance of APARU for the University's research mission and its commitment to social relevance.
APARU's mission is to conduct participatory, co-produced research working WITH marginalised communities, including disabled people, Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, migrant athletes, women in male-dominated sport, and people living with chronic illness, as equal partners in knowledge production. The launch marked the beginning of an ambitious programme of research, partnership, and community engagement that will develop over the coming years.
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