Spieren voor Spieren wins Dutch F1® Allwyn Global Community Award to transform lives through adaptive sport

The F1® Allwyn Global Community Award 2026 trophy presented to Monique Maks (Director) and Ronald de Boer (former footballer and ambassador) of winning local charity Spieren voor Spieren at the FORMULA 1® HEINEKEN DUTCH GRAND PRIX 2026 in the Netherlands. GNW

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The F1^® Allwyn Global Community Award 2026 trophy presented to Monique Maks (Director) and Ronald de Boer (former footballer and ambassador) of winning local charity Spieren voor Spieren at the FORMULA 1^® HEINEKEN DUTCH GRAND PRIX 2026 in the Netherlands.

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ZANDVOORT, Netherlands, Aug. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Spieren voor Spieren has been named the Dutch winner of the F1^® Allwyn Global Community Award at the 2026 FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN DUTCH GRAND PRIX. The non-profit, which works to transform the lives of 20,000 children with muscular diseases in the Netherlands, has been awarded €100,000 from Allwyn, the multi-national lottery-led entertainment company. The judges were impressed by how Spieren voor Spieren uses sport to promote inclusion and long-term positive change. The full €100,000 donation will support the 2026 Spieren voor Spieren Day on 30 August; an annual event for 600 participants, where children with muscle diseases and their families can safely enjoy sport, play and new experiences.

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In the Netherlands, 20,000 children battling muscular diseases face the daily loss of mobility and independence, whether that’s walking, playing or breathing independently. Spieren voor Spieren – which also visits Formula 1^® race weekends annually with its young ambassadors – changes this reality by accelerating research, improving access to earlier diagnoses and innovative treatments, and investing in sport and physical activity programmes that help children with muscular diseases stay active.

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The Spieren voor Spieren Day, which will be bolstered and expanded by the donation, is an annual event that brings together hundreds of children and their families to push their limits, play sports, climb, dance, make new friends, and meet elite athletes. Themed Everything Upside Down – in celebration of unexpected moments and new experiences – it provides a day like no other, filled with joy, energy and empowerment.

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Spieren voor Spieren’s relationship with Formula 1^® will continue to make a lasting impact through this Award. Several of the foundation’s young ambassadors, children living with muscular diseases, attend a race weekend annually with their families. For these children, whose daily routines are often dictated by medical treatments and physical challenges, the track offers a rare escape: a day defined not by limitations, but by speed, spectacle and the opportunity to be part of the global Formula 1® community.

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Aleš Veselý, CEO of Allwyn Czechia and F1^® Allwyn Global Community Award judge, said: “Spieren voor Spieren’s mission perfectly embodies the Award’s focus of empowerment and inclusion, creating an environment where children and their families can experience genuine connection with others facing similar challenges. The combination of sport, family engagement and community building makes the project highly visible, emotionally compelling, and strongly aligned with the spirit of the F1^® Allwyn Global Community Award.”

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Ellen Jones, Head of ESG at Formula 1^® and F1^® Allwyn Global Community Award judge, added: “At Formula 1^® we recognise that sport has the unique power to inspire and connect children, families, and communities. We are proud to award Spieren voor Spieren this accolade because its initiative perfectly embodies our commitment to inclusion, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to participate and thrive in the sporting experience.”

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Monique Maks, director of Spieren voor Spieren, said: “We’re incredibly proud and grateful to receive the F1^® Allwyn Global Community Award. Every day, 20,000 children in the Netherlands live with the effects of a muscle disease. We stand beside them during the biggest challenge of their lives, but it’s a challenge we can’t overcome alone. Because this is about more than medical breakthroughs — being part of everyday life matters just as much. This Award makes that possible for at least one day during our annual Spieren voor Spieren Day.”