Disability Curling at The PEAK

Our disability inclusion classes offer two distinct curling sessions at The PEAK tailored to support those living with a disability. Our sessions are a great introduction to the sport of curling consisting of 1 hour of coaching with a qualified Active Stirling or Scottish Curling instructor. Get involved in this great sport, meet new friends and have fun on the ice. Carers are welcome to attend for free and would be encouraged to take part on the ice.

Learn to Curl – Disability

Curling Stick Coaching

Stick curling sessions are for existing stick curlers and also for those who are new to the stick delivery on the ice If you are an existing curler, thinking about switching, or just want to increase your current stick skills – this class is for you! Each session is coached by Scottish Curling qualified coaches. For new and experienced stick curlers.

Learn to Curl – Stick Curling

SDS is saddened to hear of the passing of Davie Lawrie.

Davie volunteered with the Scottish Disability Sport National Cerebral Palsy Football Squad in the early years of the squad. Davie was a coach within the national programme which coached footballers of all levels once a month in Stirling, and he would accompany the national squad players to international competitions. One such competition was in Denmark, and it was at this event that Davie was remembered for waking up the whole squad early in the morning by ringing a huge school bell.

He also accompanied Special Olympics teams to international competitions. Forth Valley Disability Sport captured the heart of Davie who volunteered over a period of 18 years in many roles. He was chairperson, vice chairperson, committee member, coach, mentor and fundraiser.

Davie was well known to parents, athletes, schools and local authorities. He was known as “one man and a bag of footballs” when he would tour schools and day centres to coach young people and adults with physical, sensory and learning disabilities. Notably, all players hung on every word that Davie said as he made every session fun and very enjoyable, and he always had the players’ best interests at heart.

He was the key driver in developing the Football For All event which became the first disability football event in Scotland to offer competition opportunities for mainstream pupils.

Davie was delighted when his service to FVDS was recognised and he was awarded the Service to Sport award. Shortly afterwards this very award became known as the Davie Lawrie Service to Sport Award.

Outwith disability sport, Davie refereed boys’, girls’, women’s and men’s football games where he wouldn’t be afraid to use yellow and red cards in a gentlemanly manner. Davie also gave his time to local care homes, performing old classic sing-alongs to residents who looked forward to his weekly visits.

Davie was one of a kind, well respected by everyone who was fortunate enough to make contact with him. He was a kind, helpful and generous individual who will be sadly missed and fondly remembered by Scottish Disability Sport, Special Olympics Scotland and Forth Valley Disability Sport.

Funeral service on Monday 2nd September 2019 at Co-op Funeral Parlour, Alloa at 1:15pm, thereafter to Sunnyside Cemetery at 2:00pm. There will be a retiral collection in aid of Strathcarron Hospice.

West Lothian’s Bobby Laing marked his attendance at last week’s BWF Para Badminton World Championships with a sliver medal in the mixed doubles, alongside partner Rebecca Bedford (England). The Championships saw several East of Scotland players travel to Basel, Switzerland to compete in singles and doubles action from 20th – 25th August. The players, who all have a strong association with Lothian Disability Badminton Club (LDBC), were supported throughout by coach Sarah Bok.

Laing and Bedford, who were unseeded in the Short Stature (SS)6 class, were unbeaten in their group recording victories against parings from the USA and the number two seeds from South America. This saw the British duo through to the semi final stage where they matched up against Goncalves Tavares (Brazil) and Fernadez Vargas (Peru), claiming the victory in a pulsating match 21-11, 23-25, 23-21 and setting up an all British final against Andrew Martin and Rachel Choong (England). The match eventually went in favour of the all England partnership and triple mixed World Champions with a 21-15, 21-13 victory, meaning that Scotland’s Laing went home with a sliver medal.

Laing also competed in the singles, recording two group victories before losing out 21-9, 21-12 to an American player in the round of last 16.

Midlothian based athletes Alan Oliver and Colin Leslie both competed in the Standing Lower (SL) 3 class with some varying fortunes. Oliver performed well over the course of his group matches, claiming two victories and one loss to set up a last 16 clash with top 10 seed Indian player Umesh Vikram Kumar eventually losing out 21-16. 21-12. Leslie, found the competition at the tournament tough as he lost all three group matches including a close fought match with Chinese player Faxin Wu.

Both players were also entered into the SL3 men’s doubles with Oliver and Swedish partner Rickard Nilsson particularly unlucky not to progress further after two group victories (including one walkover).

The only female player to represent Scotland was Edinburgh based player, Mary Wilson. Wilson, who is relatively new to the sport and competing in the SL 4 category, was unlucky not to progress from her group after recording one victory (v Ugandan player Khadja Khamuka) and two defeats. Wilson was then paired with Englishman Antony Forster in the mixed doubles, unfortunately coming up slightly short and losing both group matches.

ParalympicsGB has launched a new campaign to make disabled people Impossible to Ignore to mark one year to go to the start of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

The initiative has been developed after recent research showed Paralympic athletes are key to challenging perceptions of disability in the UK.

With a year to go to the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, preparations are ramping up to take the best prepared team to make the nation proud once again by recreating the incredible success of Rio 2016 where the team won 147 medals.

While many qualification events are still to take place, an estimated 250 athletes are tipped to compete for ParalympicsGB in Tokyo including competitors in the new sports of Taekwondo and Badminton.

Research from ComRes* suggests that the success of these athletes may have a direct impact on breaking down barriers, shifting perceptions and increasing opportunities for all disabled people.

· 84% of UK adults say the achievements of ParalympicsGB athletes have a positive impact on society overall

· 74% of UK adults perceive ParalympicsGB to be an inspirational sports team – more than any of the other teams listed

· 82% of disabled UK adults believe the Paralympic Games provides positive media coverage of disabled people

Nick Webborn, Chair of the British Paralympic Association, said: “This research is the strongest proof yet of the direct link between the success of our talented Paralympic athletes and its wider social benefit.”

“We believe that the success our Paralympic stars achieve on the field of play can be turned into meaningful, long-term action – turning the nation’s cheers into change and those medals into a movement.”

“With the great British public’s support, we can help to ensure disabled people are represented throughout society and, like our Paralympic heroes, become Impossible to Ignore.”

The research follows a poll carried out last year by Scope, the disability and equality charity, which revealed that nearly half of disabled people felt excluded from society.

Mark Hodgkinson, Chief Executive at Scope, said: ““We know the huge power the Paralympic Games has to shift attitudes and change perceptions towards disability.

“But life is still too tough for disabled people. There are 13.9 million disabled people in Britain and the disability employment gap has been stuck at about thirty percentage points behind for more than a decade.

“The challenge now is for charities like Scope to work with the British Paralympic Association to maintain this momentum and progress between Games so that all disabled people have everyday equality.”

The ParalympicsGB team at next year’s Games in the Japanese capital can play a pivotal role in helping to challenge those attitudes.

Helene Raynsford, Chair of the Athletes’ Commission at the BPA and a gold medallist at Beijing 2008, said: “This research highlights just how important our athletes are when it comes to changing perceptions towards disability around the UK.”

“While I am delighted to know that the efforts and exploits of British Para athletes has such a positive impact on those around us, I am also aware that there is still work to be done to improve the lives of disabled people across the country. I believe ParalympicsGB can be key to that drive for change.”

In an age where opinions can often be divided, ParalympicsGB also creates one of the highest levels of positive sentiment in conversations about sport on social media, according to analysis from Nielsen Sports.