Amputee Football Association Scotland (AFAS) are looking for new members who love the game of football!

In collaboration with Motherwell FC Community Trust, AFAS are offering a new Amputee Football session open to Junior and Senior players with limb absence.

The first training session will take place on Sunday 10^th September at Firpark Stadium, Motherwell from 11am -1pm.

If you have a passion for the beautiful game, come along and get involved!

Please see this flyer for more details.

Scottish Disability Sport is working in partnership to provide a National event exclusively for children, young people and adults with visual impairments from across Scotland.

The aim of the event is to provide an introduction to sport and engage participants in sport. RNIB, Haggeye, Guide Dogs Scotland and Visibility are supporting Scottish Disability Sport and governing body partners the Scottish Football Association, JudoScotland, Scottish Swimming and Scottish Athletics, Goalball UK and Blazing Saddles to provide a quality experience to participants on the day.  This unique opportunity is funded by the BIG Lottery Fund.

Many people with a visual impairment are not aware of the opportunities available to them in their local area. Scottish Disability Sport Regional Managers will be on hand on the day to raise awareness and support participants to get involved in their chosen sport in their local area. If you would like to have a chat about the event please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sports on offer throughout the day are: athletics, cycling, football, goalball, judo and swimming.

Date: Saturday 11th November, 2017

Venue: Scotstoun Leisure Centre, 122 Danes Drive, Glasgow, G14 9HD

Time: 10.30 am – 4.00 pm

Cost: FREE

If you have a visual impairment or know someone with a visual impairment that would like to get involved in sport and would like to attend please register by telephoning Scottish Disability Sport on 0131 317 1130 or email admin@scottishdisabilitysport.com.

Please note that booking is essential for all participants.

For public transport information please see the SPT website at: www.spt.co.uk

Visual Impairment Engagement Day Flyer

I had the pleasure this week of having a coffee at Fisher and Donaldsons in Cupar with the remarkable Caroline Baird MBE. My specific mission was to meet the new Caroline following her extensive surgery and rehabilitation at the hands of a brilliant medical team in London. From the moment I picked her up at her parents home and bid farewell to her two daughters for a short period it was obvious that Caroline is indeed a very different person. Her posture, mobility, confidence and speech have improved dramatically following a number years of restriction, pain, lack of energy, frustration and loss of confidence.

Almost 18 months ago Caroline and Dr Sammler, her neurologist at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, embarked on a journey that eventfully led to her visit to the medical team in London. Caroline was introduced to different treatments under the expert guidance of Dr Sammler but the returns were disappointing. Deep brain stimulation is routinely used in the treatment of patients with Parkinson’s with incredible success but less so for those with dystonia. Caroline did not hesitate when it was offered to her as an option and she and husband John headed south on a journey that the family most definitely believe led to the return of the Caroline of old. While everybody at home held their breath, the gritty, determined successful Paralympian of the 90s took it all in her stride.

Caroline spent approximately three weeks in hospital under care of the superb medical team. She spent 7/8 hours in surgery over two sessions and ended up with two electrodes in her head and a “box” on the upper part of her chest that controls the whole stimulation process. John has the task of controlling the process under guidance from the London medical team and to date everything has gone exceptionally well. Approximately two weeks after leaving hospital Caroline proudly walked up the Bonnygate in Cupar in her role as a Past Chieftain of Cupar Highland Games to the complete astonishment of fellow Chieftains and friends. Another example of medical progress, the skills and abilities of the medical profession and the determination of a young woman to secure quality in her life free from pain and postural challenges.

During our coffee chat we spoke about the future and despite my efforts she did not buy into my suggestion of a future in bowls preferring instead her own mission to get back on a bicycle. Caroline reminded me that she meant a bicycle and not a tricycle. True to form challenge is always at the forefront of her thinking, with an emphasis on making up for lost time. Her immediate aim is to get back to work with Cornerstone Care where she works as a support worker with tenants with additional support needs.

Introduced to Para sport by Disability Sport Fife (DSF), Caroline’s first representative honour came as a member of the Scottish Junior Squad that competed in the British Junior Swimming Championships at Stoke Mandeville. She was encouraged to try athletics and very quickly it was evident this was where she would excel. Caroline’s first major representative honour came as a member of the Scottish Youth Team that travelled to the World Games in Miami in 1989. Caroline then went on to win 5 Paralympic medals of which 4 were gold. Her first Paralympic selection was Barcelona in 1992 and she returned with a gold medal. Further honours and medals followed in Atlanta and Sydney. She also won gold at the World Championships in Berlin in ’94 and Birmingham in ’98. For over a decade Caroline was recognised as the world’s leading sprinter in the T36 Class. She achieved times and set standards that had never been envisaged for a T36 athlete with cerebral palsy. Caroline was the true superstar of women’s athletics for her generation. She pushed the boundaries and raised the standards in the T36 class under the guidance of coach, John Oulton.

Spending time with Caroline is always a pleasure and this occasion was no exception. She inspired me as an athlete and continues to amaze me as a friend of many years. Coffee time was a pleasure and one particular phrase sticks in my mind “waking up every day and experiencing the changes that have happened is like a dream come true”. Well done Caroline and her medical team plus of course her devoted husband and family who have been behind her throughout her life. Disability Sport Fife is fiercely proud of this great athlete role model.

Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife

The morning of Monday 7 August saw over 200 family and friends arrive at St Modan’s High School for the send-off of the Forth Valley Special Olympics team. The team, made up of 53 Athletes, 29 Coaches and a 1 to 1 carer makes up the 82 delegation members of the Forth Valley Special Olympics Team 2017. FV athletes and players will compete in the sports of athletics, indoor bowls, boccia, golf, football and swimming within the six-day competition.

The Special Olympics, this year held in Sheffield, is largest multi-sports event for athletes with intellectual disabilities and is held every four years. The Special Olympics represents a huge opportunity to showcase the abilities of children and adults with a learning disability allowing them to compete at a national level, achieve personal bests, as well as enable them to make friends, travel and socialise. More than 500 athletes are heading from Scotland to participate in the Games to join over 2,500 competitors from across Great Britain.

The official send off for the Forth Valley team did not disappoint, with a host of family and friends, as well as the Clackmannanshire Provost Tina Murphy, Stirling Councillor Alasdair Tollemache and local, regional and national partners waving the team off.  Tina Murphy gave best wishes by throwing Scottish ‘good luck’ teddies into a sea of excited athletes.

Forth Valley Disability Sport would like to thank all family and friends that have supported their fundraising efforts, and the many local companies and funders that assisted the team including M-Line for transport, RJM Sports for team kit, Awards for All, Schuh Trust and EDF Energy. Also a special mention to the local and regional clubs within Central Scotland who have worked extremely hard to ensure our FV athletes attended the Special Olympics this year: Forth Valley Flyers, Falkirk Indoor Bowling Club, Right on Target Boccia Club, Bridge of Allan Golf Club, Stirling City All Stars and Enable Arion Swimming Club.

Lastly a BIG thank you to Forth Valley Disability Sport, especially Graham Harvey and his team, for their continuous efforts to ensure that the FV athletes and clubs gain the best possible experience at the Special Olympics this year. Please follow the ongoing success of the Forth Valley team on their twitter @ForthValleyDS.

The Special Olympics will be hosted in the city of Sheffield from Monday 7th to Saturday 12th August. Tuesday 8th August sees the opening Ceremony take place at Sheffield United FC.

For more information on the Forth Valley Special Olympics team please contact Graham Harvey at info@fvds.org.uk, or for more information on disability sport in Central Scotland contact Cheryl Willet (Scottish Disability Sport Regional Manager) at cheryl.willet@scottishdisabilitysport.com.