There were some fine performances from the seventeen members of Team Fife who travelled to DISC in Dundee on Saturday 2nd February for the Scottish Carpet Bowls Championships organised by Scottish Disability Sport.

One of the outstanding performances of the day was by newcomer Glen Livingston from Abbeyview BC who in his first carpet bowls national championships won three of his matches and drew the other to lift the unrestricted section title. The runner ip was defending champion Neil Shirley from Lothian.

Theresa Wyse from Central CSS has an excellent track record at the national carpet bowls championships and this year was no exception. In the section for wheelchair users Teresa was runner up to defending champion Evan McIntosh from Highland. Neil Laughlin and Kenny Dow from Central CSS finished runner up and winner in the restricted section for physically disabled bowlers. Kenny retained the title he won in 2018. Steven Anderson from Dovecot BC finished runner up in the very competitive section for bowlers with a learning disability, losing out in the final by only one point to Colin Robertson from Lothian. Craig Houston from East Fife CSS was called in to Team Fife at the last minute when there was a late withdrawal and he more than justified his selection by reaching the semi final and losing out to the eventual winner. Steven and Craig were competing in their first championships. In the equivalent section for women Tanis Murphy from East Fife CSS reached the semi finals.

Fife Team Manager Mike Mowat from Dovecot BC in his first championships was pleased with the performances and attitude of the Fife players. Five sections contested, two national titles and three runners up medals won. Well done Team Fife.

Richard Brickley MBE – Chairman DSF (SCIO) Board of Charity Trustees

Date: Tuesday 12th March 2019

Time: 4.30pm – 7.30pm

Venue: Grangemouth Stadium

Cost: FREE

This course is designed for coaches and volunteers interest or already working with athletes with a disability.

They will be led by experienced Scottish Disability Sport/UKA coaches. The workshop will cover aspects of disability awareness, classification, competition structure and opportunities for “hands on” practical coaching.

If you work with school pupils this course will help towards pupils attending the FVDS athletics event and Active Schools Primary Athletics Championships.

For further information or to book please contact Lisa Male on lisa.male@falkirkcommunitytrust.org or 01324 590 931.

Lucy Walkup is a Disability Sport Fife ambassador and role model. Lucy graduated from Stirling University last year and hopes one day to be a teacher. While at university Lucy took full advantage of her swim teaching qualifications and worked with the learn to swim team in Stirling.

Lucy has recently signed up to teach at Carnegie Swimming Club. At the height of her career as one of Scotland’s leading performance swimmers, Lucy represented Great Britain at the Deaflympicsgb. Lucy recently accepted an invitation from GOGA in Fife to become a peer mentor volunteer and the GOGA in Fife volunteer team welcomed her with open arms.

Lucy is a highly respected and well known sportswoman in Fife. Lucy’s first of many deployments was contributing to an inclusive active recreation weekly multi activity session for adults with severe and complex needs at the Michael Woods Sports & Leisure Centre. Lucy is being mentored by the session lead coach but it is clear from day one that she will be a significant asset to the GOGA in Fife movement.

The weekly session Lucy is supporting has benefitted from GOGA investment in Fife.

Richard Brickley MBE – Chairman DSF (SCIO) Board of Charity Trustees

There was great excitement this morning at the Michael Woods Sports and Leisure Centre when the Nordic Walking poles were introduced for the first time to four participants at the weekly multi activity session for adults with additional support needs.

Working with national partner Paths for All and local partner Bums Off seats, GOGA in Fife promotes walking as part of the daily activity schedule of children, young people and adults with disabilities across Fife. Monthly GOGA in Fife Walks in the Park are proving particularly popular with Walks eight and nine scheduled for early February and March.

With support and guidance from GOGA in Fife local and national partners, Nordic walking poles have been purchased from Nordic Walking UK. GOGA in Fife is in the process of launching a local programme. Nordic walking offers a full body work out and sits comfortably alongside the walking programme which is one of the core activities of the GOGA programme in Scotland. In
so many ways it can be likened to a session on a cross trainer and working the upper, lower limbs and core at the same time.

With support from Paths for All and Spirit of 2012, GOGA in Fife has purchased 18 sets of poles. The programme of Nordic walking will be delivered through DSF member organisation “champions”. Champions will introduce correct technique and promote opportunities that encourage fun and inclusive active recreation. We are convinced in Fife that the activity will catch on.
Four GOGA in Fife participants volunteered to try out the poles indoors for the first time. After a ten minute period of instruction and trial and error, Nicola, Roberta, Neil and Mark had cracked it. So many others wanted to join in but their time will come. Nordic walking is here to say in Fife and as one of the support staff said “I am always looking for something different to do with our service users and Nordic walking is just perfect. I cannot wait to get started.”

Get Out Get Active ….Scandinavian style

Richard Brickley MBE – Chairman DSF (SCIO) Board of Charity Trustees