Our Projects

David Follett Para-badminton Athlete

WOVN, the Exeter-based sportswear brand, has launched a limited-run jersey designed with and for David Follett, an England wheelchair badminton international who self-funds every part of his career — training, equipment, travel and tournament entries — with no financial federation or sponsor support behind him.

The jersey reimagines the iconic 1995/96 Liverpool goalkeeping shirt, a tribute to a boyhood love of the club that has stayed with Follett since. The design carries his story throughout: shuttlecock silhouettes worked into the pattern, and three feathers "clawing their way across the fabric."

"It represents everything about me," Follett said of the design. "It represents all my interests and loves."

Follett took up wheelchair sport after a road traffic accident in 2007, and found badminton by chance at a taster session. It wasn't the sport he expected to fall for."

Before I played the sport, I thought in my head that it was, as I could say, a feminine sport, or not so masculine, because I was very football-based," he said. "But since playing that, I've completely changed my opinion on the sport."

What followed was a 19-year competitive career: six World Championships, two bronze medals at the European Championships, and a career-best Czech Open last year that produced three finals, a gold and two silvers. He is currently ranked 19th in the world, having started this year at 12th, and is aiming to qualify for a seventh World Championships, in Brazil in 2028.

Badminton has meant more than results. In the aftermath of his accident, Follett said the sport became something he built his recovery around.

"There were days that I had negative thoughts and feelings and didn't want to get out of bed," he said. "But badminton gave me a purpose. Something to get up for in the morning to train for."

That career comes at real personal cost. With no funding, Follett covers his own hotels, flights and entry fees — often between £2,000 and £3,000 per international tournament.

"It's a very expensive hobby," he said. "I don't get any funding, unfortunately."

Every jersey sold goes directly toward funding that journey — training, equipment and the travel required to keep competing at the top level, with the 2028 World Championships as the goal.

The David Follett x WOVN jersey is a limited, made-to-order run, available now at www.wovn.club.