Roisin Clear

Presenter: Now, a sports complex in Hatfield has run a workshop to encourage people with physical disabilities to use the gym. Hertfordshire Sports Village ran the workshop on Friday as part of their No Limits 2026 Disability Inclusion Learning Series, led by the Matt Hampson Foundation. Roisin Clear headed down to the event and caught up with personal trainer Ella Beaumont.

Ella Beaumont: My name is Ella Beaumont and I am a personal trainer. I am a full-time wheelchair user myself. I was paralysed at birth with a spinal cord injury, so basically I stopped kicking five days before I was born. And it means I'm paralysed from my chest downwards, so I can't feel or move anything from my chest. But actually, that's never really stopped me. I grew up playing wheelchair tennis and then discovered wheelchair basketball, absolutely loved wheelchair basketball, trained and trained and trained at that, and ended up competing for Great Britain at one point. My aim for this event is hopefully that we can spread awareness of disability, especially within a gym setting.

[In the gym] Eight, nine, ten. You got that, you got it.

Roisin: Ella is also a No Limits 2026 Sports Ambassador. This is an initiative run by Herts Sport and Physical Activity Partnership, all in aid of getting more disabled people into sport.

Ella Beaumont: I don't think there's enough current knowledge of disability within gyms at the moment, and I always think there can be improvements. I think I read a stat, did some research recently: there was only 11.3% of fitness instructors had a disability, and I think that's insanely low.

Roisin: At the event, there were a range of activities that people could pick from to try out. These were adapted gym activities. In one corner, we had one-handed rowing. In the other, we had people manoeuvring in a wheelchair. Then we had skipping in a wheelchair and one-handed skipping. I caught up with some attendees to find out how they were getting on.

Attendee: So rather than twisting, you basically just want to try and get tension on the rope. That's one.

Attendee: We're using a mono rope, which is essentially like a small metal stick or pole that's got a skipping rope attached in a U, and there's a bit of grip in the middle. It's designed for people who have one limb or some sort of amputation to still do skipping, and it's incredibly hard.

Roisin: I also chatted to Ella about how she felt disability was represented in the fitness space.

Ella Beaumont: I sometimes do think that disabled people are underestimated, but then also it's the other scale. Sometimes we expect every disabled person to be a Paralympian, but that's not the case. The biggest thing I would say to someone who is able-bodied who was wanting to maybe help a disabled person in a gym is just talk to the disabled person. It's all about communication. That disabled person knows their body the best.

Presenter: Roisin Clear there, chatting with personal trainer Ella Beaumont.

Presenter: So, an event took place in Hertfordshire yesterday to encourage people with visual impairment to take part in sport. It was led by former Paralympian cyclist Lora Fachie. Our reporter Roisin Clear went down to the event at Watford Leisure Centre to check it all out.

Sonny: My name's Sonny. I work with Stevenage Football Club Foundation, which is the charity side of the football club. We're introducing sessions for visual impairment that I'm going to be running over the next few weeks. Coming from a visual impairment kind of side of it, it's good because we want that inclusivity. Even for me, it's not being left out, being included. Also, on the flip side of it, making people who might not have a visual impairment aware of what it's like, and to kind of put them in those people's shoes who do have it, to see how it is.

Roisin: This was just one of the activities at this event at Watford Leisure Centre, all in aid of finding out what it's like to do sports as a visually impaired person. Aside from blindfolded footy, we had a very interesting talk from Lora Fachie, who's been a para world champion twice in para-cycling tandem. On top of that, we learned about loads of different para sports and how they're made accessible for those who are visually impaired. I also heard from others about what impact events like these make for the disabled community. For example, here's Emily, who's the development manager at Saracens Foundation.

Emily: We're a charity that works alongside the Saracens Rugby Club, and my role within the foundation is to support the projects that are for SEND, so any disabilities, and we have a range of projects, from sporting projects to employability. So the reason I'm here today is to make sure that what we are doing is as inclusive as possible, and just how do we highlight that as much as we can, to make sure that we're doing the right things, yeah, but to make sure that everyone knows that we're doing the right things, and they feel comfortable and safe to come along and join in and get as much out of it as they can. And I'm looking forward to doing some more and learning some more. I've already picked up loads of different little tips. We were breaking down, like, a lunge into every key element that builds up, because it's very easy to say "let's do a lunge", but for those that have never seen a lunge, they don't know what that looks like. We have to break it down step by step by step, to make sure that they're in the right positions and they're safe, and they're doing it in the way that makes the most sense for them.

Roisin: I also spoke to Dan, who's part of Herts Sport and Physical Activity Partnership.

Dan: I think from this campaign itself, what we want to create are meaningful opportunities for individuals with a disability. And that's not just putting an event on for the sake of putting an event on. That is ensuring that at that event, those individuals that attend will get something meaningful out of being at that event itself.

Roisin: And the event served as a reminder that sport doesn't have to just be about competition, but inclusion too.

Presenter: That was our reporter, Roisin Clear, there.

Roisin: This is City News and I'm Roisin Clear.

Military leaders are gathering in the UK to iron out how to ensure peace in the event of a ceasefire in Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelensky says yesterday's call with Donald Trump was positive, and believes a lasting peace can be achieved this year. The leaders discussed America possibly taking over Ukrainian power plants, which the White House believes would offer the best protection against further Russian attacks.

Defence suppliers claim that they risk being held back by British banks' ethical investment rules. Sir Keir Starmer also boarded a submarine in an attempt to showcase the UK's nuclear deterrent.

And French authorities say that one person has died trying to cross the English Channel in an overloaded migrant boat. Three people had to be lifted from the water, with more people rescued from on board.

Doctors at three hospitals in Gaza say Israeli airstrikes overnight have killed at least 40 Palestinians, including children. Attacks hit several homes in the south, as well as a town in the north. Israel hasn't commented yet, but says it only targets Hamas militants. A ceasefire broke down this week.

In the UK, Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch is launching the party's local election campaign in Buckinghamshire.

Kemi Badenoch: But we know that these elections will be extremely difficult. But we also know why they matter. These elections will decide who runs your local services and how much you pay for them. Who fills the potholes on your roads? Who collects your bins? Who sets your council tax?

Roisin: In UK sport, Wales captain Aaron Ramsey says he's on the road to recovery after surgery on a hamstring injury. The problem has ruled the football player out of the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan and North Macedonia.

And finally, Coyote vs Acme could be released more than a year after it was shelved. The movie, which stars John Cena and Will Forte, became a casualty of Warner Bros' post-pandemic cost-cutting measures.

I'm Roisin Clear. More news to come.

Madeline: I'm Madeline.

Roisin: And I'm Roisin.

Madeline: At the age of 20, I found out I had a rare condition called familial hCG. I had to jump through hoops to find out what was going on with my own body. It was one of the hardest times of my life.

Madeline: So it's 9am and I'm in the oncology unit at Charing Cross Hospital for my monthly tests for my hormonal condition. All I was told by the doctor was that the female body is still a bit of a mystery.

Roisin: On The Second Opinion, we're talking about women's health and breaking down taboos, so we can learn more about our bodies from each other. Each week we will hear about women's daily experiences...

Interviewer: How did you first realise that there might be something going on?

Guest: Interestingly, I was convinced, even up to the point where I woke up from surgery, that I didn't have it. I was just convinced that I didn't have it.

Roisin: ...and speak to experts to tackle the questions that have too long gone unanswered. And that's not all. We want to be a community for all women who are trying to navigate their health and bodies. Join us on our channels for Q&As with medical professionals, community support and health-related news.

Madeline: Tune in to The Second Opinion, wherever you get your podcasts.

Jonny: Hi, Rosie.

Roisin: Hey, Jonny.

Jonny: This is City News. Thanks for joining us.

Roisin: Coming up on the programme, we've got tales of river rage on the Thames, as a man has been found guilty of dangerous driving while shouting abuse at onlookers.

Jonny: And when I say carnival, what comes to mind? Delicious food, banging music, and dancing all day.

Roisin: Yeah.

Jonny: Well, Hackney Carnival brought that all, but it's been cancelled this summer, and East Londoners wonder if it will ever make a return.

[Later in the programme]

Jonny: I tell you what, Rosie, I've had a BFI membership for almost a year, and I confess I've only used it about once or twice.

Roisin: You know what, Jonny, I've got to say the same, actually. But after hearing Lena, I'm definitely going to start using it again. Brits waste approximately £688 million a year on unused subscriptions. That's a lot of money.

[End of the programme]

Roisin: That's all we've got time for today. But one last thing I wanted to say: we've got a birthday in the studio. Jonny, happy birthday to you!

Jonny: Thank you.

Roisin: So, have you got any plans?

Jonny: I might find some time for a quick drink and a curry later on.

Roisin: Well, that sounds lovely. Enjoy! That's what we have time for. You've been listening to City News.

[Report from Westminster]

Presenter: Roisin Clear's been at Westminster for City News.

Roisin: I'm outside of Parliament now for the Comedy on Prescription roundtable. Lu Jackson, founder of charity Craic Health, is here alongside Stroud MP Dr Simon Opher, and together they are leading the event. People also in attendance include comedians, talent agents and business leaders.

Emily Britton, founder of Totally Unprescripted and attendee of the event, said: "When made accessible to everyone, performing arts sessions that include comedy and improv can be totally transformational in helping people gain confidence. The power of creative escapism, even for a short time, is the antidote we can perpetuate to counteract things like excessive screen time, isolation and mental health difficulties."

Lu Jackson and Dr Simon Opher started this initiative as a potential way to alleviate the strain on mental health services on the NHS. Lu Jackson told me that, according to NHS figures, 8.7 million people in England took antidepressants in 2023 to 2024, an increase of 2.1% compared to the year before. There are hopes that social prescriptions will take the brunt of the cost, and we'll be able to find out more from this roundtable.