A Staffordshire packaging company has developed an affordable, lightweight Boccia ramp, aiming to make the Paralympic sport more accessible to a wider audience. Lesters, one of the UK’s fastest-growing manufacturers of high-performance packaging, collaborated with Loughborough University and Boccia UK to create the new ramp, which is priced at just £10 and designed for easy transport and assembly.
Using corrugated fibreboard, the new ramp is significantly lighter than traditional models, which are often heavy and costly, limiting their accessibility to athletes and coaches. The project, which took 18 months to complete, has been hailed as a major breakthrough, particularly for grassroots players. The ramp’s low cost and ease of transport mean it can be used more widely in schools, leisure centres, and care homes, opening the sport to new participants.
Greg Burton, head of the design team at Lesters, explained the motivation behind the innovation: “Boccia ramps have historically been expensive and heavy, making them difficult to transport. Our brief was to create a solution that would be lighter, more affordable, and durable without sacrificing performance.”
The new ramp utilises corrugated fibreboard, a material known for its strength and recyclability. “While we normally focus on large-format boxes, our expertise in cardboard allowed us to explore new possibilities,” Burton added. “By combining our knowledge with state-of-the-art CAD software and prototyping tools, we were able to create a product that not only met the required specifications but could be produced and sold at a price point that encourages greater participation.”
Loughborough University’s Dr George Torrens, a Senior Lecturer in Industrial Design and Assistive Products, initially developed the concept, with Lesters refining the design for mass production. Dr Torrens highlighted the importance of the ramp in making Boccia more accessible: “Having an affordable, portable ramp means national associations can distribute them more widely, allowing coaches to bring the sport to new venues. The ramp’s versatility means it could even be used in care homes, where sports participation helps keep people active and engaged.”
He praised the collaboration with Lesters, describing the partnership as “enjoyable and rewarding,” and noted the company’s commitment to completing the project as a not-for-profit venture. “Working with Greg and his team has been a great experience. Their ‘can-do’ attitude has meant we’ve been able to push the boundaries of what packaging manufacturing can do. The fact that Lesters is undertaking this project as a philanthropic activity only adds to their commitment to making a positive impact.”
The ramp’s impact on the sport is expected to be significant, with Boccia UK and Special Olympics Great Britain already endorsing the new design. Interest in Boccia has surged since Great Britain’s Stephen McGuire won a gold medal in the BC4 category at the Paralympic Games in Paris.
The ramps will be available to purchase online through the Boccia UK website, with delivery options available. Greg Burton added that the project’s success could lead to more innovative uses for corrugated fibreboard in the future: “This project could open doors for the use of sustainable materials in other products beyond packaging. We’ve already applied some of these lessons to an all-inclusive golf game, which is also proving popular.”
The new ramp is set to hit the market soon, bringing a new level of accessibility to the sport of Boccia.
