Tag: disability

29/04/2024

Multisport Clubs Provide Great Opportunities in the Highlands

By William Moncrieff, Communications Apprentice

This year, sportscotland has dedicated April to celebrating sport around Scotland, particularly physical activity in rural areas. To coincide with this theme, it is worth shining a spotlight on SDS member branch, Highland Disability Sport (HDS).

The HDS branch offers three clubs a week, which give participants a chance to take part in a range of new and exciting activities.

“These sessions are vital in allowing us to offer disability specific sessions, as often we do not generate the numbers for sport specific disability sessions across the Highlands. This is a great place for participants to come along and try lots of different sports”, said Fiona Green, HDS’s Development Officer.

Fiona continues to say that these multisport clubs, “play a vital role in providing a safe and welcoming environment for children to come and try sports that they possibly have never tried before or thought could be an option for them”.

In addition, she believes that trying a range of sports is a valuable experience: “I think it is really important for all children to try lots of different sports. Everyone will enjoy or be good at different things, so by trying many [different sports] they have more chance of discovering the one they love”.

The multisport clubs often provide a sense of community and give participants and their guardians an opportunity to meet similar likeminded individuals.

“They are a great place for participants to meet new people and create friendships. It is also a great place to allow parents and carers to talk”.

The multisport clubs play a vital role in giving individuals an introduction into adapted sports. Once participants who attend the clubs have had an introduction into a variety of sports, they can take the skills that they have learnt and look to apply them in a local club.

“The hope is that if individuals come along to the multi sports sessions and find an activity that they like, they will then have the confidence to continue that activity in a sport specific club in their community or come along to the Highland Disability Sport events”, said Fiona.

Alongside the health and social benefits of attending the clubs, there is also chance for personal development to be a focus point.

“We can help to support individuals into community clubs. With some of our older participants we have supported them to become volunteers at the multisport sessions to help other young people get the same enjoyment that they did from the sessions”, Fiona commented.

There are three multisport clubs a week in the Highlands, being held at Dingwall Academy, Inverness Royal Academy and Culloden Leisure Centre.

To register and for more information about these clubs, visit: https://booking.highlifehighland.com

If you are interested about more opportunities for sport around Scotland, please email Scottish Disability Sport on: admin@scottishdisabilitysport.com or call: 0131 317 1130.

31/08/2023

SDS receive Young Start award from the National Lottery Community Fund

We are delighted to announce that we have received a Young Start award from The National Lottery Community Fund.

This funding will empower more young people (aged between 16 – 24) living with vision impairment, hearing loss, physical and learning disabilities to gain new skills, qualifications and experiences with the support of mentors. We will support young people to become sports coaches and leaders within their local communities throughout Scotland.

The programme is for young people, designed by young people. Young people are truly at the heart of the design, development and review of the programme.

The National Lottery Community Fund Scotland Chair, Kate Still, said:

“We are always keen to support projects that put Scotland’s young people at the heart of the development and running of services.”

Gavin Macleod, CEO of Scottish Disability Sport, commented:

“Scottish Disability Sport would like to thank the National Lottery Community fund for its continued support of our Young Start programme. This funding will make a significant impact on the lives of the young people involved and allow us to help participants meet their full potential through physical activity and sport.”

The SDS Young Start Futures team commented:

“We will be the voice of young people in Scotland. We are the future. We will inspire the future.”

If you (or someone you know) would like to benefit from the Young Start programme, apply before the 18th September at https://sds.justgo.com/workbench/public/events?ref=566174801C7E8E3ECB4E0C0AD63C909A765B94EB where you’ll also find more information.

09/08/2023

Scottish Success at World Para Swimming Championships

After weeks of top-level aquatic competition in Fukuoka, the baton has been passed onto Manchester, as the city gears up to host the World Para Swimming Championships from 31 July to 6 August.

Descending on the northern powerhouse are 546 swimmers from 67 nations around the globe – as the world’s best para swimmers set their sights on world titles, records and personal bests, one year out from the Paris Paralympic Games. Seven Scots will make a splash in the 2002 Commonwealth Games venue as part of a 28-strong Great Britain team, which features multiple Paralympic and World Champions. There were multiple medallists and finalist from the Scottish swimmers who were part of the GB team. Congratulations to all swimmers on their excellent performances

Relays

49 points mixed 4x 100m medley relay Stephen Clegg and his teammates finished 4^th

49 points mixed 4 x 100 medley relay Stephen Clegg and his teammates finished 4^th

34 points 4x100m Medley 34pts Relay, the quartet of Sam Downie, Faye Rogers and Ollie Carter with teammate , Maisie Summers-Newton came 6^th

34 points 4x100m Medley 34pts Relay, included Sam Downie, Faye Rogers and Ollie Carter with teammate , Grace Harvey came 8^th

S14 4 x 100 mixed medley relay Scott Quin and his teammates finished in Silver medal position

Individual Finalist

Faye Rogers (Grampian)

S10 100 metres freestyle – 7^th & Scottish Record

S10 100m butterfly – Gold & European Record

S10 200IM – Bronze

S10 400m Freestyle – Bronze

Toni Shaw (Grampian)

S9 400m freestyle – Bronze

SM9 200 IM – 7^th

S9 100m butterfly – 5^th

Stephen Clegg (Lothian)

S12 100m freestyle- Silver

S12 100 back – Gold

S12 100m fly – Silver

S12 50m freestyle – 4^th

Scott Quin (Lothian)

SB14 100m Breaststroke

Sam Downie (Lothian)

S8 400m freestyle – 7^th

S8 100m backstroke – Bronze

Louis Lawlor (Glasgow)

S14 100m backstroke – 6^th

Ollie Carter

S10 400m freestyle – 5^th

Speaking of the competition as a whole, Paul Wilson, Scottish Swimming Disability Performance Development Manager said:

“It’s fantastic to see the success of our Scottish Para Swimmers as part of the Great Britain team at the World Para Swimming Championships in Manchester this past week. There have been a number of standout performances.

If you or anyone you know would like to get involved in swimming please contact: admin@scottishdisabilitysport.com or Telephone 0131 317 1130

06/05/2023

Wheels to Water 2023

Do you have a physical, vision, hearing or learning disability? Wheels to Water is coming back to Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park this June where you can experience the thrill of getting on the water in a safe and inclusive environment.

Date/Time: Saturday 24th June 2023, 11am – 3pm

Registration: Free

Venue: Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park

Come and join us with your family and friends where you can try inclusive cycling and a range of watersports!

Wheels to Water is a partnership event involving Scottish Disability Sport, Scottish Canoe Association, Royal Yachting Association Scotland, Scottish Cycling, and Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park.

For more information and to book in, visit https://wheelstowater2023.eventbrite.com/

30/08/2022

Summer Activity Success in Grampian

Children and Young People with disabilities from across Grampian had an amazing summer thanks to Scottish Government funding.

As part of the Get Into Summer funding available through councils, Grampian Disability Sport and the Grampian Regional Manager were able to secure £8,000 through Moray Council and Aberdeenshire ClubSport to run 14 outdoor adventure activities and activity days in the 2 local authority areas.

Additionally, SDS worked with Aberdeenshire Council’s education team to put on a further 16 activity days and sessions for young people living in Aberdeenshire.

Activities were offered as full and half day options at various activity centres, and standalone sessions in water sport disciplines were also up for grabs.

Our young people, who often face challenges and barriers when trying to access adventure and experience appropriate risk, had the opportunity to try a number of different activities including climbing, archery, clay pigeon shooting, surfing, karting, laser tag and off road driving.

Combined, 415 outdoor adventure opportunities were offered to children and young people aged 8 – 17 with disabilities and additional support needs living in Moray & Aberdeenshire.

Helen, parent of 2 children who attended the Moray activities, said “It was lovely meeting other families with similar struggles, and we can’t wait for paddleboarding and surfing this week! It’s made our summer holidays a little brighter!”

Paddleboarding in particular has been so successful this summer that a number of families have invested in their own equipment, and we’re investigating setting up a monthly session with one of the providers after an overwhelming number of requests from families.

Thank you to Live Life Aberdeenshire, Moray Council, Aberdeenshire ClubSport and Aberdeenshire Council for distributing the funding that made this possible.

If you, or anyone you know, lives with a physical, sensory or learning disability in Grampian or Shetland & is interested in getting involved in sport, please get in touch with Alison on alison.shaw@scottishdisabilitysport.com or 07828 744 848.

21/01/2022

Grampian Schools’ Sportshall Event Success

Grampian School pupils descended upon Aberdeen Sports Village to take part in the annual Sportshall Athletics Festival after a year’s break

Despite concerns that schools would be unable to support the event due to rising Omicron cases, over 40 pupils from schools all over Grampian were in attendance.

Additional COVID measures were in place including moving the event to ASV’s well-ventilated, large Indoor Athletics area, restricting the number of entrants, and a strict regime of hand gelling/sanitising equipment. However, this didn’t detract from the pupils’ enjoyment of the activities – a series of 6 athletics-based stations that tested pupils’ agility, speed, throwing and jumping skills. The day culminated in relays on the Village’s 400m outdoor track.

Participant, Lucy, said of the event “I totally loved it. I’m so glad I came”.

It is hoped that a team of pupils will be selected from the event to attend the National Adapted Sportshall Athletics Festival in March.

Thanks goes to to Jamie from Live Life Aberdeenshire for organising the event, Ruth from Aberdeen Amateur Athletic Club for training the students and overseeing activities on the day, the students from North East Scotland College for leading the groups and activity stations, and placement student, Iain Boyd, for his assistance across the whole event.

21/01/2022

Adapted Cycling in Grampian Given Major Funding Boost

Grampian Disability Sport is excited to be moving forward with plans to grow and develop adapted cycling across the region thanks to a generous grant.

The Branch will receive £90,000 from the Big Lottery Fund’s Community Fund over the next 3 years, which will enable them to employ a part-time Cycling Coordinator to carry out the Branch’s plan of developing Adapted Cycling Bothies in local communities across Grampian. It is hoped that by developing these Bothies, appropriate bikes can be placed close by to those who need them, removing a barrier for becoming more active and encouraging people with disabilities to get out and about in their communities.

The funding will also allow the purchase of additional equipment and enable volunteer mechanics and ride leaders to be trained up to ensure the sustainability of the programme.