My Story

About Phab

Phab provides safe and fun places for people to feel independent, meet new friends and gain confidence, together.

The history of Phab

The idea of Phab was born during a National Association of Youth Clubs holiday conference, held in 1957 at Avon Tyrrell outdoor activity centre in the New Forest. The conference was for young people aged between 15 and 18 and included a young disabled man called Terry Rolfe who asked for “opportunity, not pity for disabled people”, and that they should be given a chance to share in a programme of exciting activities on equal terms with non-disabled people.

This heartfelt request led to the foundation of Phab, first as part of the National Association of Youth Clubs and, from 1974, as an independent charity with the late Lord Snowdon as our Patron.

From those early days, Phab benefited enormously from the active help and support of the late Lord Morris of Manchester, at the time Alf Morris MP for Manchester Wythenshawe, whose work led to the first disability rights legislation; the 1970’s Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act, who became the UK's first minister for disabled people in 1974.

From there Phab grew to provide the network of Phab Clubs that span England and Wales today, and hold Phab Adventures where disabled and non-disabled people get to fulfil Terry Rolfe’s ambition of taking part in all manner of exciting and challenging activities together. There’s even more Phabulous plans in the pipeline, keeping Terry’s dream alive in the 21st century.

About the London Marathon

The London Marathon has become an annual, inspiring and colourful fixture in the world’s sporting calendar since the inaugural race on 29 March 1981: a celebration of fun, fundraising and fancy dress.

Over the years more than a million people have completed the 26.2-mile course – which runs from Blackheath to The Mall, with a spectacular finish in front of Buckingham Palace, showcasing the very best that the capital city has to offer.

What’s more, these participants have raised over a billion pounds for charity and there have been countless amazing tales of human achievement throughout the event’s history – living up to its aim of helping participants ‘to have fun, and provide some happiness and sense of achievement in a troubled world’.