Footballer Genny strives for Deaflympics fundraising target

The Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council has pledged to help a young Great Britain Deaf Football player to reach her Deaflympics fundraising goal.

Councillor Phil Riley is supporting the fundraising efforts of Genevieve O’Hara, who works at The Deaf Village North West, in Blackburn.

31 year old Genevieve is part of the Great Britain Deaf Football squad flying out to Tokyo in November to take part in the Deaflympics.

Genevieve, who has been playing football since the age of five, explained:

I’m so excited to have been called up to represent Great Britain on an international stage.

Unlike other sports, deaf sports and deaf athletes do not receive direct government funding, so as a team we have to fundraise ourselves to cover training camps, competition fees, insurance, kit, nutrition and recovery, equipment, accommodation, as well as admin and operational costs and, of course, travel to Tokyo.

Genevieve works as a Deaf Wellbeing Officer at The Deaf Village Northwest, providing outstanding support and opportunities to her deaf peers.

Debra Cartlidge, Chief Executive and founder of The Deaf Village North West, commented:

Everyone at the Deaf Village is immensely proud of Genny and is backing her all the way to Japan. She and her teammates have been working hard to reach their fundraising goals, and we’re grateful to the Council for helping amplify Genny’s fundraising.

Councillor Phil Riley added:

Genevieve is an absolute inspiration to not just our local deaf community, but to all young athletes with dreams of playing on an international platform. I want to help her share her story to boost her chances of raising all the money needed to get the Deaflympics football squad to Tokyo.

Anyone who would like to support Genevieve’s fundraising for the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics can do so via People’s Fundraising online: https://www.peoplesfundraising.com/fundraising/GBDF

The first Deaflympics games, held in Paris in 1924, were the first ever international sporting event for athletes with a disability. The event has been held every four years since, apart from a break for World War II, and an additional event, the Deaflympic Winter Games, was added in 1949.

This year’s Deaflympics will begin on 15 November, and run until 26 November.