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family · Wednesday 1 July 2026 · 10:00am 
All Stars Inclusive Summer Scheme - County Armagh 2026
At Various venues including South Lake Leisure Centre · Dromore and Richhill, Co. Armagh
At Various venues including South Lake Leisure Centre · Dromore and Richhill, Co. Armagh
The All Stars Inclusive Summer Scheme is one of the most well-regarded programmes of its kind in the north of Ireland - a free, week-long summer experience for children and young people with disabilities aged 7 to 17, run by the sports development team at Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council in partnership with the Southern Health and Social Care Trust. It is free to attend, open to siblings and friends of participants too, and delivers something genuinely useful: structured, qualified-led activity that builds confidence and independence for young people who might otherwise miss out on the social side of summer.
Sessions run across July and August at venues in Dromore and Richhill, with the programme making use of community facilities across the borough. Activities are wide-ranging and adapted to suit all abilities - think outdoor games, nature walks, football, dance, boccia, kurling, and clay modelling. Qualified coaches and instructors run each session and tailor the activities so every participant can take part properly, not just observe.
The highlight for many is the away day to South Lake Leisure Centre in Craigavon, where the group moves into a larger leisure facility for cycling, swimming, canoeing, and the wheelie boat experience. Previous participants and their parents have praised the scheme for helping children try new things, meet new people, and return home noticeably more independent. Councillors and health trust staff who have observed sessions have described the programme as “worth its weight in gold.”
Because siblings and friends are welcome alongside participants with disabilities, the group is genuinely mixed - which is the point.
The sessions take place at venues in Dromore and Richhill, both towns in Co. Armagh within the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon borough. Dromore sits on the A1 Belfast to Dublin road, about 20 kilometres south-west of Belfast, and is straightforward to reach by car. Richhill is a small market town roughly 10 kilometres north-east of Armagh city. Translink bus services connect both towns to Armagh, Banbridge, and the wider borough. If you are travelling from further afield, confirm the exact venue and any transport arrangements with the organiser when you register - venues can vary by week.
Armagh city itself is only a short drive from either venue and is well worth a few hours - the twin cathedrals, the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, and the Palace Demesne public park all reward a visit. There is more to see in Armagh and across Co. Armagh.
Heading to Various venues including South Lake Leisure Centre in Armagh? Armagh has plenty more to see. Read the Armagh area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.