Kate and Mandy talk to Anna - an HR expert, a Special Olympics board member and a Pea who is determined to promote healthy and active lifestyles and social opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities, and to promote the Special Olympics as a vehicle for self-accomplishment, achievement, community engagement and inclusion!

Anna’s youngest son Harry and her sister Suellen both have intellectual disabilities and are involved with Special Olympics Australia - a global sporting community for people with intellectual disabilities and a more inclusive and accessible community sports option than the more elite Paralympics. Harry has tried a whole range of sports including bowling, swimming, athletes, tennis and basketball and loves it all! Anna’s sister Suellen has begun trying out equestrian events and is enjoying spending time with new horse-loving friends. At every event, the participants say the awesome athlete oath that makes Kate and Mandy teary – ‘let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt’.

Anna highlights the many benefits of being involved in the Special Olympics, such as preventing chronic health conditions, making new friends, learning life skills, having fun and finding a place to belong. As a board member, Anna has also made stronger links between the Special Olympics and the NDIS so that athletes have more support to get involved and achieve their goals. She also drops an inside scoop breaking news announcement about the Special Olympics 2022 National Games concerning our own peashoot Molly!

Special Olympics is a place of inclusion where everyone is welcome to become involved – as an athlete, volunteer or coach. With 46 clubs around Australia, they offer a breadth of individual and team sports to suit many different interests and needs. Anna encourages everyone to take the first step, come along for the first time and they’ll look after the rest!

Check the website and send an enquiry or call them on 1300 225 762!

Other Pea Business:

·     Buy our book The Invisible Life Of Us to keep it on the bookshelves so all the other Peas can find it!

·     Get a signed copy and deck yourself out in some excellent Too Peas merch here!

·     Listen to our Spotify playlist – Too Peas: Songs Our Guest Peas Love

·     Melbourne forecast for Thursday November 4 – Partly cloudy, 19 degrees

·      Join our Facebook Hangout

·      Find us on YouTube

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