Join British Rowing to help #FillTheSeats at Rio 2016

British Rowing is supporting the global campaign, backed by the IPC, Rio 2016 and Coldplay, to buy Paralympic tickets for Brazilian children.

With a week to go until the start of the Paralympic Games in Rio, join us in supporting the global fundraising campaign to buy tickets for 10,000 Brazilian youngsters to attend this month’s Paralympics.

To help support #FillTheSeats, go to their fundraising page and share the initiative via social media using the hasgtag: #FillTheSeats.

Rio 2016 content hub

To find out more about our para-rowers in Rio, head to our dedicated Rio 2016 hub.

Launched last week by Greg Nugent, former London 2012 Marketing Director, and co-founder of Inc. London and followed by US Paralympians Tatyana and Hannah McFadden, the #FillTheSeats campaign originally aimed to raise USD 15,000 to send 500 youngsters to the Games.

However, after raising over USD 20,000 in just one week, the IPC and Rio 2016 have asked that the campaign stay open so that more tickets can be donated to local Brazilians as a gift from the world.

The IPC and Rio 2016 have confirmed that up to 10,000 tickets can be purchased by the campaign at a price of USD 30 each to include transport, food and unforgettable sport.  All funds are being donated to the Paralympic Movement’s global governing body and the Agitos Foundation. The money raised will pay for Brazilian children and people with an impairment to attend the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games which open next Wednesday, 7 September.

British band Coldplay who performed at the London 2012 Closing Ceremony have also thrown their support behind the campaign via Twitter describing it as an “amazing idea”.

The programme will be managed as part of Transforma Educacao, the Rio 2016 official education programme, and will target children from across the State of Rio de Janeiro.  Their journeys will be co-ordinated and facilitated by a team of trained staff who have been working on the overall programme.

Xavier Gonzalez, IPC Chief Executive Officer, said: “We’d like to thank Greg for coming up with the campaign and for Tatyana and Hannah for being the first to back it. This campaign proves the Paralympic spirit is global and the idea of Brazilian youngsters and people with an impairment going to the Paralympic Games is inspiring.”

“We have decided to support #FillTheSeats because all money raised will be spent on taking people who maybe cannot afford a ticket to the Games.  We want them to be part of history and part of Latin America’s first Paralympic Games.”

“Having full stadia at the Paralympics is hugely important for the athletes and we encourage the whole Paralympic Movement and the world to get behind and support this campaign.”

The Rio 2016 Paralympic Games will take place between 7 – 18 September, with the Regatta being held between 9 – 11 September.