A Wiltshire Paralympian has joined a new inclusive sports organisation as one of three ambassadors.

Louise Hunt-Skelley is originally from Wanborough and represented Team GB at both the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Paralympics and earned 13 singles titles and 41 doubles titles in wheelchair tennis.

She also debuted at Wimbledon in 2015.

Hunt-Skelley was born with Spina Bifida, a developmental disorder that causes limited movement in the lower limbs.

She is a lifelong wheelchair user and has been playing wheelchair sports since she was 5.

After retiring in 2021 she went into public speaking and commentating and has given speeches to local communities such as Kingsdown School in Swindon and Wanborough Scouts.

She has commentated at the Paralympics and this year will also be her eighth time commentating at Wimbledon.

Now she is joining her husband and Paralympian Chris Skelley MBE and fellow wheelchair tennis Paralympian Jordanne Whiley MBE as ambassadors to new firm RB Inclusive Sports.

Skelley has ocular albinism and competed in visually impaired judo in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, where he won gold for Team GB.

Whiley has osteogenesis imperfecta and competed in London 2012 and Rio 2016 where she won silver and bronze for Team GB.

RB Inclusive Sports was set up by young Team GB wheelchair tennis player Ruby Bishop from Norfolk.

Bishop says on her Twitter that the organisation is ‘aiming to provide sporting activities to children and young people with disabilities and increase participation within sport.’

 

According to research by the Activity Alliance’s annual Disability and Activity Survey, 77% of disabled people they asked said they wanted to be more active and only a third of them agreed that they see ‘people like them’ playing sport and being active.

Sharing her comment on the news, Bishop says ‘I’m really pleased to have someone like Louise join my new company.

The work Louise does to ensure inclusion and education around disability is amazing. I’m super happy that she will be able to provide her knowledge, excitement and expertise within the RB Inclusive Sports company.’

Hunt-Skelley reacted to the news on Twitter by quote-tweeting the announcement tweet and responding with a strong arm emoji and a heart emoji and Bishop says the organisation hopes to be hosting taster sessions for inclusive sports by September.