The start of the initiative saw a lunchtime wheelchair rugby exhibition match here at Finsbury Avenue Square opposite London's Liverpool Street Station, which featured the British wheelchair rugby team as well as England rugby star David Strettle.

The exhibition match, which drew a large crowd of interested spectators, aimed to drive up understanding about the fast-paced, aggressive and exciting sport commonly dubbed "Murderball".

Wheelchair rugby was founded in Canada in 1977 and features eight rolling substitutes who make up squads of 12 with eight players on court at any one time.

Norman Brodie, the general manager of Cadbury's London 2012 campaign, said: "We are proud to support ParalympicsGB and the Paralympic sports.

"With wheelchair rugby, it was amazing to see how many people had never heard of this sport but once they watched the skills of the GB team, they were hooked.

"We're delighted to have been able to have reached so many people with a version of the game under our Cadbury Spots v Stripes campaign and hopefully they will go on to become supporters of the game by 2012."

Cadbury and ParalympicsGB have worked together since spring 2009 but Cadbury will now use the national reach and consumer appeal of its Spots v Stripes campaign to put a fresh and exciting spotlight on Paralympic sport.

To this aim Cadbury has signed up British wheelchair rugby player Mandip Sehmi as ambassador for Cadbury Spots v Stripes.

Sehmi, who represented Britain at the Beijing 2008 Paralympics, joins fellow Cadbury Athlete Ambassadors Rebecca Adlington, Shanaze Reade and Tim Brabants.

Sehmi told insideworldparasport: "I've been playing wheelchair rugby since 2001 and it's a fantastic spectator sport as well as being great to compete in.

"It's not just about brute force though, tactically it's a very intelligent game to play, especially as we have to bounce or pass the ball within 10 seconds of receiving it.

"I think it's great that Cadbury is raising awareness of Paralympic sport.

"Many of the games we play may be different to able bodied sport, but are as physically and mentally demanding, and just as entertaining."

ParalympicsGB chairman Tim Reddish said: "The Paralympics have their roots here in the UK at the Stoke Mandeville Games in 1948 and since then Britain has helped develop some of the best athletes in the world.

"Yet, most people still don't know very much about Paralympic sports.

"Along with the Organising Committee, LOCOG, this is something that we are committed to change.

"Working with Cadbury, we want to raise the profile of the sports and the amazing achievements our athletes make and really excite the nation behind the Paralympic Games when they come to London in 2012."

Cadbury's partnership with ParalympicsGB also includes supporting Paralympic Potential Days where athletes can try out Paralympic sports to see if they have the potential and ability to become one of GB's future stars.

To date, 14 Cadbury colleagues have volunteered at nine Paralympic Potential Days and training camps across the country in addition to raising funds for the charitable arm of ParalympicsGB by taking part in the Deloitte Ride Across Britain.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
April 2011: Cadbury sign sponsorship deal with Paralympics Ireland