'Heroes of Hope' pay a heartwarming visit to the DP World Tour Championship

On Friday, the DP World Tour Championship was graced by a special visit from the Heroes of Hope, led by their passionate founder, Hollie Murphy.

Hollie, who has lived in the UAE home for the past 14 years, has been a beacon of hope for children with special needs in the region.

Reflecting on her journey, Hollie shared with Khaleej Times: "When I first moved here, there wasn't much available for children with additional needs.

"Over time, I realized how important it was to give them access to sports and services just like any other child. So, I set up after-school clubs for kids with additional needs, and anyone in the community who wanted to enjoy sports. It just took off from there."

It wasn’t long before Hollie realized that her true calling lay in this mission.

"I decided my heart and passion were in this, so I resigned from teaching and focused on turning the vision into a full-time sports academy. Now, nearly five years later, that’s exactly what it is."

Today, Heroes of Hope runs an impressive range of daily programs for children with additional needs, offering 23 weekly sports sessions across multiple disciplines, including running, cycling, swimming, and golf.

As Hollie says, "You name it, we do it – we always say yes."

Every weekend they host competitions giving the children the chance to thrive, compete, and experience the joy of sports.

The Heroes of Hope program is offered free of charge, thanks to partnerships with various events and event companies, including collaborations with DP World and the DP World Tour to deliver its initiatives.

Participants range in age from 3 to 46, with the oldest member, Richard, a powerlifter and avid golfer.

What began with just 12 members has grown to nearly 300 registered participants at Heroes of Hope, a non-profit sports academy that relies on donations to sustain its programs.

The academy operates independently, without support from government bodies or corporate sponsors, and regularly hosts social events for the children.

Hollie said: "Children of determination often don’t receive as many invitations to social gatherings as other children, so these events are very important. The academy is not affiliated with schools or other school groups; it is entirely volunteer-run. All of our coaches donate their time, as do the support and admin staff."

The students have a wide range of cognitive and intellectual disabilities, with some also having physical disabilities.

"We try to keep it as inclusive as possible," Hollie emphasized. "We don't exclude anyone—it's all about inclusion."

This year’s partnership with DP World involves the golf program, which started three years ago. Last year, two members, Marwan Al Khaja and Thomas O'Brien were awarded Tommy Fleetwood Academy scholarships, a special prize for their dedication. However, this opportunity has not yet been repeated for the 2024 participants.

Twelve students participated in this year's golf program, several of whom have been part of the initiative since its inception.

“We’ve seen a lot of progression, particularly in their confidence,” Hollie said. “We’re also starting to see their competitive spirit emerge.”

For more information about Heroes of Hope, visit www.heroesofhopeuae.com.