Cerebra’s 2,500km Relay Your Way across the UK kicks off in Glasgow
A little boy with a love of horse riding and swimming became the first child to pass the baton from the start line in Glasgow to kickstart Britain’s most inclusive relay.
Cerebra, the national UK charity dedicated to supporting children who have a neurological condition, created Relay Your Way to promote inclusivity in sports and ensure that no child is left on the sidelines.
Over 33 days the baton will journey 2,500km through towns and cities, bringing together thousands of people in a celebration of accessibility, adventure and inclusion.
Eight-year-old Wolfe Gorton boarded Cerebra’s unique fibreglass boat at Pinkston Watersports Centre, Glasgow, accompanied by safety swimmers and glided across the water before passing the baton to paddleboarders, and then on to the shore where it began its journey through Scotland, England, and Wales, finishing up in Windsor.
Wolfe, one of 9,000 young people taking part in the relay, has cerebral palsy and Prader-Willi Syndrome, a rare genetic syndrome that causes decreased muscle tone and some delayed milestones. Sport has been a part of Wolfe’s life since he was young, his love of swimming stemming from early experiences in the pool as part of a water babies group. He also takes part in horse riding since starting off with hippotherapy when he was 14 months old.
Emily Gorton, Wolfe’s mum, said: “Seeing Wolfe take the lead as the first participant of Cerebra’s Relay Your Way was really important for us as his parents. There needs to be a lot more awareness and thought put into how to make sport truly inclusive.
“Wolfe was really excited to go on what he called a pirate boat because he’s obsessed with them!”
Three in four disabled children in the UK are not able to fully participate in PE and school sport. Which is why Cerebra created Relay Your Way so that no child has to ask: “can I take part?”
The Relay Your Way baton – designed by the Cerebra Innovation Centre to be easily carried by wheelchair users, adapted surfers, and frame runners – will be passed between participants over 301 stages to the finish line at Parallel Festival of Inclusivity in Windsor on July 6.
Trailblazer for disability rights and accomplished sportswoman Dr Julie McElroy was also in attendance at the start line of the relay, carrying the baton for a distance on its journey to its first stop at Dunard Primary School.
Dr Julie McElroy said: “My relationship with sport began at an early age thanks to my parents’ determination that I would have the same opportunities in life as my older brother and sister. Sport has helped me grow physically, mentally, and emotionally — a reminder of its power to heal, connect, and transform lives.
“That's why Relay Your Way is so powerful. It isn’t just a relay, it’s an action statement. It celebrates the 1.5 million young people in the UK with disabilities and reminds the world that every child deserves the chance to play, move, and thrive.
“Events like this don’t just raise awareness; they create real opportunity. I’m living proof of what can happen when we believe in potential over limitation and I hope this relay empowers more young people to find their way into sport, just like I did.”
Start date: Tuesday 3rd June 2025, Glasgow
End date: Sunday 6th July 2025, Windsors Great Park
Image credit: Abigail Jones Media