The opening of Greenbank Sports Academy in 1999 by HRH Princess Anne was the fulfilment of a long held dream of Greenbank to provide accessible sports facilities for disabled people.

It took almost 20 years to raise the £3 million needed to construct the building, including a mammoth fundraising effort by Greenbank founder Gerry Kinsella and his colleague Vinnie Ross to push from Lands End to John O’Groats in a tandem wheelchair in 1989, which raised approximately £30,000.

Construction funding was eventually secured from Sport England, European Regional Development Fund, Foundation for Sport and the Arts and Charitable Trusts.

The Academy has now operated successfully for more than a decade and we are still true to  our original ideal with the provision of disability sport at the centre of what we do.

The Academy covers its running costs by trading in the local community and raising charitable income to enable us to offer a comprehensive programme of disability sports activities.