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Fun Kids - the UK's children's radio station

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Top 10 Facts About The Commonwealth! - Fun Kids - the UK's children's radio station

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The Commonwealth is an international organisation of 54 countries that work together to promote democracy, human rights and development. Many of these countries have a shared history that dates back to the British Empire. Here are 10 facts about the Commonwealth that you may not have known.

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Your Questions | Commonwealth Games | #Glasgow2026

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Founder

Australian doctor George Bedbrook OBE is widely regarded as the founding father of the Commonwealth Paraplegic Games. After training in orthopaedics at Stoke Mandeville under Dr Guttmann, he returned to Australia where he helped recruit and lead Australia's first team at the International Stoke Mandeville Games in 1957. He was responsible for organising the First Commonwealth Paraplegic Games in Perth, Australia in November 1962, which were only open to competitors with spinal cord injuries.

Dr Guttmann leads members of Britain's team, en route to Perth for the '1962 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games', on the passenger gangway at Gatwick Airport, UK, 6th November 1962. © Getty Images
First Commonwealth Paraplegic Games, Perth, Australia 1962

Participating Nations: 9 (Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Singapore, Scotland, Southern Rhodesia, Wales)

Participating Athletes: 89 (68 men, 21 women)

Number of Events: 89

British Medals (numbers based on the available information):

England 30 gold, 41 silver, 19 bronze.

Scotland 2 gold, 9 silver, 4 bronze.

Wales 1 gold, 3 bronze.

The Cord Magazine celebrating the 1st Commonwealth Paraplegic Games in Perth, 1962
Second Commonwealth Paraplegic Games, Kingston, Jamaica 1966

Participating Nations: 10 (Australia, Canada, England, Fiji, Jamaica New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Trinidad and Tobago, Wales)

Participating Athletes: 94 (72 men, 22 women)

Number of Events: 120

British Medals (numbers based on the available information):

England 64 gold, 50 silver, 30 bronze.

Scotland 11 gold, 11 silver, 21 bronze.

Northern Ireland 2 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze.

Wales 5 silver, 3 bronze.

Lady Susan Masham's gold medal for javelin at the 1966 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games in Kingston
Third Commonwealth Paraplegic Games, Edinburgh, Scotland 1970

Participating Nations: 14 (Australia, Canada, England, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica, Malaysia, Malta, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Trinidad & Tobago, Uganda, Wales)

Participating Athletes: 197 (145 men, 52 women)

Number of Events: 150

Competitions and an exhibition for painting, drawing, sculpture and crafts were introduced to the programme.

British Medals ((numbers based on the available information):

England 48 gold, 32 silver, 23 bronze.

Scotland 27 gold, 29 silver, 21 bronze.

Wales 5 gold, 6 silver, 2 bronze.

Northern Ireland 1 gold, 2 silver, 6 bronze.

Janet Swann's memorabilia from the 1970 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games in Edinburgh Embroidery gift from the West Australian Paraplegic and Quadriplegic Association.
Fourth Commonwealth Paraplegic Games, Dunedin, New Zealand 1974

Participating Nations: 13 (Australia, England, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Malaysia, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Singapore, Wales) and three New Zealand based athletes who received a special invitation from the organising committee.

Participating Athletes: 229 (175 men, 54 women)

Number of Events: 150

British Medals (numbers based on the available information):

England 44 gold, 33 silver, 24 bronze.

Scotland 10 gold, 21 silver, 22 bronze.

Northern Ireland 3 gold, 7 silver, 3 bronze.

Wales 1 gold, 3 silver, 3 bronze.

Embroidered badge for the jacket pocket from the 1974 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games
Janet Swann's memorabilia from the 1974 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games in Dunedin Gwen Buck's certificates from the 1974 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games. Hazel Randall pin badge from the 1974 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games.
Despite their success, because of issues around travel expenses and organisation, the Commonwealth Paraplegic Games Committee decided to discontinue the Games. The Commonwealth Paraplegic Games and International Stoke Mandeville Games Committees were supposed to organise a replacement World Zone Games but this did not happen.

Disabled athletes were unable to participate in Commonwealth Games until the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Canada where over 90 competitors, representing 16 countries, participated in six exhibition events. The 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games were the first Games where disabled athletes were full members of the national teams, making it the world's first all inclusive international sports event.

Para athletes who competed at the Commonwealth Paraplegic Games

Gwen Buck MBE

In 1943, Gwen was hit by a lorry while riding her bicycle which left her with a broken back and severed spine. In 1946, after three years wrapped in a full body cast, she was transferred to the National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital where Dr Ludwig Guttmann helped her become an independent wheelchair user and introduced her to wheelchair sport.

Gwen competed for England at the 1962 Perth Commonwealth Paraplegic Games where she won 1 gold, 1 silver and 3 bronze medals, and the 1970 Games in Edinburgh, and 1974 Games in Dunedin.

Ron Foster

While completing his National Service in Benghazi, Libya, a freak accident caused Ron to be thrown from the lorry he was travelling in, breaking his back. When Ron and Paddy Moran were discharged from Stoke Mandeville, they both took the option of moving to the Lyme Green settlement near Macclesfield, Cheshire.

Ron represented England at the first Commonwealth Paraplegic Games in Perth, Australia in 1962.

James Gibson

James, widely known as Jimmy, suffered a T6 spinal cord injury when a lorry collided with the back wheel of his pushbike in 1955.

He competed at the Rome 1960 and Tokyo 1964 Paralympic Games, where he won a silver medal in table tennis. Read Jimmy's Paralympic profile here.

Jimmy competed at all four Commonwealth Paraplegic Games, representing England at Perth in 1962 before changing to represent his home nation of Northern Ireland at Kingston in 1966, where he won silver in the Men's Doubles Table Tennis, and in 1970 at Edinburgh and in 1974 at Dunedin.

Sally Haynes MBE

At the age of 18, Sally suffered a spinal injury when the horse she was riding in a point-to-point race stumbled and fell. After initial treatment at Northampton Hospital her parents successfully fought for a transfer to Stoke Mandeville because, having lived close to the facility, they were aware of Dr Guttmann and the spinal unit.

She also competed for England at the Perth, Edinburgh and Dunedin Commonwealth Paraplegic Games.

Baroness Masham of Ilton

Susan, Baroness Masham of Ilton, suffered a T5 spinal cord injury when the horse she was riding in a point-to-point race fell and rolled on top of her in 1958. While a patient at Stoke Mandeville, she took up archery before being introduced to table tennis which she describes as her "number one sport."

She also competed in the Perth 1962 and Jamaica 1966 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games where she won gold for javelin.

Paddy Moran

Paralysed by an exploding landmine while serving in Korea in 1951, Thomas 'Paddy' Moran was inspired by Dr Ludwig Guttmann and Stoke Mandeville Hospital to overcome his life-threatening injury.

Paddy won silver in the Wheelchair Basketball Men's Tournament at both the Rome 1960 and Tokyo 1964 Paralympic Games, adding bronze in the same event at the Tel Aviv 1968 Paralympic Games.

Paddy represented England at the Perth 1962 and Edinburgh 1970 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games.

Hazel Randall (nee Terry)

Born in 1941, after becoming disabled when she contracted polio, Hazel went on to become an accomplished Paralympic athlete.

Hazel was also successful at the World Wheelchair Bowls Championships and, representing England, the 1974 Dunedin Commonwealth Paraplegic Games.

Janet Swann

First representing Great Britain at the Tel Aviv 1968 Paralympic Games Janet won silver in the Women's Novices 60m Wheelchair Dash and bronze in the Women's Doubles B Table Tennis. At the Heidelberg 1972 Paralympic Games she won silver in the Table Tennis Women's Singles 3 and bronze in the Wheelchair Fencing Women's Foil Team. The Toronto 1976 Paralympic Games saw her win gold in the Wheelchair Fencing Women's Foil Individual 2-3, silver in Table Tennis Women's Teams 3 and 2 bronze in Table Tennis Women's Singles 3 and Wheelchair Fencing Women's Foil Novice Team. At the Arnhem 1980 Paralympic Games she won silver medals in both the Table Tennis Women's Singles 3 and Women's Teams 4.

Janet competed for England at the Edinburgh and Dunedin Commonwealth Paraplegic Games.

Caz Walton OBE (nee Bryant)

Representing England, Caz first competed at the 1966 Kingston, Commonwealth Paraplegic Games before going on to Edinburgh in 1970, where she won 11 medals including 5 golds and Dunedin in 1974, where she was the most successful women's athlete adding a further 5 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze medals in fencing, field events, pentathlon, table tennis and track events.
References

https://www.disabilitysport.org.uk/commonwealth-paraplegic-games.html

https://paralympichistory.org.au/article/australia-perth-commonwealth-paraplegic-games/

https://paralympicanorak.wordpress.com/2013/01/23/the-first-commonwealth-paraplegic-games-perth-australia-1962/

https://paralympicanorak.wordpress.com/2013/01/30/the-second-commonwealth-paraplegic-games-kingston-jamaica-1966/

https://paralympicanorak.wordpress.com/2013/02/06/third-commonwealth-paraplegic-games-edinburgh-scotland-1970/

http://canadasports150.ca/en/british-empire-games-commonwealth-games/1994-commonwealth-games-victoria/36

https://www.paralympicheritage.org.uk/james-gibson

https://www.paralympicheritage.org.uk/caz-walton

https://www.paralympicheritage.org.uk/gwen-buck

https://www.paralympicheritage.org.uk/hazel-randall

https://www.paralympicheritage.org.uk/sally-haynes

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Brief history of the Commonwealth Paraplegic Games

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There were four Commonwealth Paraplegic Games, which took place between 1962 and 1974.

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Commonwealth Games: "We hace to keep it going" says Dame Laura Kenny

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Commonwealth Games: "We hace to keep it going" says Dame Laura Kenny

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Commonwealth Games: ‘We have to keep it going,’ says Dame Laura Kenny

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Dame Laura Kenny has called on cities to step up for the 2030 Commonwealth Games after Glasgow became hosts for the 2026 edition.

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Glasgow 2026 and Commonwealth Sport Foundation

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Glasgow 2026 and Commonwealth Sport Foundation

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Glasgow 2026 and Commonwealth Sport Foundation 🤝

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British Isles / United Kingdom / Great Britain 

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British Isles / United Kingdom / Great Britain 

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https://www.britannica.com/place/British-Isles

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https://www.britannica.com/topic/Commonwealth-association-of-states

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Axe 6. Les pays du Commonwealth : héritages, unité, diversité

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Axe 6. Les pays du Commonwealth : héritages, unité, diversité

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Le Commonwealth of Nations rassemble des pays qui partagent un patrimoine linguistique et un héritage politique complexe.

Quelle place occupe-t-il dans l’aire anglophone ? Comment les pays membres parviennent-ils à y évoluer tout en affirmant leur singularité culturelle ?

Représenter le Commonwealth de sa conception à aujourd’hui

Dans quelle mesure le Commonwealth, devenu véritable organisation internationale et réseau d’associations de la société civile, s’est-il affranchi de ses origines impériales et coloniales ? Quel rôle les événements sportifs et culturels (Commonwealth Writers’ Prize, Jeux du Commonwealth, etc.) jouent-ils dans la fabrique d’une identité d’appartenance au Commonwealth et dans la promotion des valeurs que l’organisation s’est progressivement données ? Quelle visibilité le Commonwealth a-t-il parmi les citoyens de ses États membres et sur la scène internationale ?

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Commonwealth Games faces uncertain future

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Commonwealth Games faces uncertain future

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Commonwealth Games faces uncertain future – DW – 04/16/2024

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Australia has pulled out of hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games. Malaysia and Singapore have decided against stepping in. Is there a future for an event that some feel is a relic of empire?

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Glasgow confirmed as 2026 Commonwealth Games Hosts

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Glasgow confirmed as 2026 Commonwealth Games Hosts

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https://www.commonwealthsport.com/news/4153255/glasgow-confirmed-as-2026-commonwealth-games-hosts

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#UNITE Commonwealth Games Federation, Athletes campaign

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#UNITE Commonwealth Games Federation, Athletes campaign

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https://www.commonwealthsport.com/news/3923146/celebrating-commonwealth-day

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTHJmZhN8PU&t=1s