ADAPTIVE SPORTS
THE POWER OF SPORT AS REHABILITATION
Police UK Disability Sports, PUKDS, is a self-funded, community interest company with a mission to assist serving or retired police officers and staff
who have either been injured, are living with a disability, an illness, poor mental health or neurodiversity, to engage in adaptive/disability sport
those who have been negatively impacted by physical and/or mental health injuries and help them to rebuild their confidence and self-esteem. Working in collaboration with existing charities and police treatment centres, PUKDS aims to deliver a programme of support through collective sports participation based on individual needs dictated by an individual’s particular conditions; such work can accelerate recovery. Gary understands that by providing an improved wellbeing service, reducing recovery times, in turn reduces sick days and early retirement through stress and burnout. Gary and PUKDS are campaigning
PUKDS was founded by Gary Callier, a former royal engineer in the British Army and a serving police officer. Through the power of sport, Gary has found an ally in his battle with multi- level facet joint degenerative disease, hip cam deformities, sciatica, fibromyalgia, anxiety and depression. As a former British Soldier, Gary has participated in the Invictus Games in 2022 and 2023 with a total medal haul of three gold, three silver and one bronze.
police community to help officers and staff who are living with injuries, disability or poor mental health.”
“My mission became to bring the power of sports recovery to the police community to help officers and staff who are living with injuries, disability or poor mental health.”
In an eureka moment for Gary – he felt the transformative experience of sport recovery and witnessed its benefits in those around him at the Invictus games. “I started PUKDS after I was inspired by the Invictus Games and the support provided to veterans by Help for Heroes and the Royal British Legion,” he said. “I identified that policing has no disability sports programme. My mission became to bring the power of sports recovery to the
Wheelchair rugby is at the heart of the sporting events that are supported by PUKDS, it is a core value of the recovery that brings people together under a team sport where reward and competition go together with rebuilding confidence. For details of all PUKDS events and upcoming matches, visit www.
policeukdisabilitysportcic.co.uk/calendar. It is Gary’s hope that by providing a safe environment for members of the policing community to take part in adaptive sports he, and his team at PUKDS, can reach
for an enhanced Special Leave facility for officers with disabilities, poor mental health or neurodiversity, so they can participate in police disability events as part of their recovery, which would ultimately pay off by reducing recovery times and improving all round wellbeing. Eventually Gary would like to see an inclusion to this end stipulated in the Police Covenant.
To learn more about PUKDS, including on how to donate and about its upcoming events and
matches, visit
www.policeukdisabilitysportcic.co.uk
Details can also be found on how to support a petition launched by Gary, proposing a policy that allocates a portion of funds seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act to organisations that support the welfare, recovery, and wellbeing of serving and retired police officers and staff who are injured, living with disability or mental health issues and need ongoing support.
13 | POLICE | JUNE | 2024
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