The school of sport and exercise sciences at Loughborough University has announced that The Peter Harrison Centre for Disability Sport – the only centre of its kind in the UK – will be formally launched in January 2005.

The new centre will not be linked to either the government or the politics of sports administration and its primary aims will be to generate new knowledge in disability sport through applied research; to assist in the development of evidence-based practice in disability sport and enhance the national focus for both disabled sport and physical activity.

It has been funded by donations totalling nearly £750,000 over the past five years from the Peter Harrison Foundation.

The head of the school of sport and sport psychology at Loughborough University, Professor Stuart Biddle, believes that the new centre for disability sport will make a considerable impact within the university’s existing sports facilities, networks and partnerships.

“We are extremely pleased to be providing such a valuable and forward-thinking facility to add to the extensive portfolio of research and professional developments at Loughborough,” he said. “We are keen that the expertise in the centre will enhance the world of disability sport through excellent research that feeds into practice.”

The Peter Harris Foundation already has links with a third year student at Loughborough – Daniel Greaves – who is a beneficiary of a Peter Harrison scholarship and recently won gold in the F44/46 Paralympic discus competition in Athens as part of the GB team. Details: www.lboro.ac.uk or www.peterharrisonfoundation.org