Spotlight on our Ambassador Abbie Breakwell

We’re pleased to share a new short film created for our Ambassador, Abbie Breakwell. Abbie Breakwell: Wheels of Steel was produced as part of Women’s Sport Trust’s Unlocked athlete leadership development programme, of which Abbie is part of the current cohort. Earlier this year, athletes were invited to pitch their stories, and Abbie’s was selected. The film was recently shot by Barn Media on site at Loughborough University.

Unlocked supports elite female athletes to use their stories, experiences and voices to influence positive change. Abbie’s pitch stood out for its honesty, ambition and the powerful message she wanted to share about inclusion in education and sport.

Living with Charcot‑Marie‑Tooth disease, a progressive muscle‑wasting condition, Abbie was often told she could not take part in PE because of her disability. At secondary school, her lessons initially involved watching others or helping with timekeeping, despite her love of sport.

Everything changed when two PE teachers took the time to listen, learn and adapt activities around her needs. With the right support, Abbie discovered that her disability did not have to limit her ambitions. She went on to pursue wheelchair tennis, qualify for the Paralympics and graduate from Loughborough University.

Today, Abbie is determined to make sure other young people have the opportunities she had to fight for. She is passionate about making education more accessible and ensuring sport offers more ways for everyone to take part. As she says, there is always a way – sometimes it just takes the right people to help find it.