Branch Communication Update 10

Scottish Governing Bodies are continuing to meet with Scottish Government and sportscotland regarding the phased return to sport. We will continue to keep you updated as we move through each phase as some sports outdoor and individuals are returning to action in line with guidelines, although it is appreciated many participants will still be shielding.  SDS encourages all participants to engage in physical activity and sport in a safe manner for positive wellbeing.

  1. SDS Branch Conference, AGM & Annual Awards 2020: Sunday 27 September
    1. Branch Conference

The virtual SDS Branch Conference will take place between 1030am – 1pm prior to the AGM. The topics for the conference are:

  • Get Out Get Active Workshop: What are the key learnings for use within branches?
  • Return to Sport: Up to date discussion about returning to sport and physical activity within branches
  • Branch Networking: An opportunity for branches to share experiences and success stories

Further information will be distributed to branches soon.

 1.2 AGM

For the first time ever the AGM & Annual Awards will be fully online and held, as scheduled, on 27 September 2020 at 2pm.

This year at the AGM there will also be elections for a number of Board positions. If there is anyone you know who is interested in becoming an SDS Board Director, please ask them to contact Catherine Goodfellow, Chair of SDS at (chair@scottishdisabilitysport.com) for an informal chat.  Board members make a difference to the direction and support provided by the organisation.  We need people who you will know locally who have a real interest in making a difference for disability sport, appreciate the challenges and recognise opportunities for our participants, volunteers, players and athletes.  

1.3 SDS Annual Awards

Voting for the SDS Annual Awards for 2020 is now officially open. Nominations can be made to recognise athletes, coaches, volunteers and clubs across Scotland. The 2020 awards will be presented at the SDS AGM on Sunday 27th September which will be held online. Anyone connected with disability sport in Scotland has the opportunity to make a nomination and further details can be found here, https://www.scottishdisabilitysport.com/sds-annual-awards-2020/

  1. Phased Return to Sport

Following the Scottish Government’s announcement on Thursday, the SDS updated guidance paper will be distributed this Friday to branches. You can find previous editions on our website here

  1. Scottish Boccia Chairperson

The committee of Scottish Boccia now wishes to appoint a new chair to lead the sport through the next strategic cycle,

Role Title: Chairperson of Scottish Boccia (voluntary)

Organisation: Scottish Disability Sport (SDS)

Responsible to: Scottish Disability Sport board

Meetings: Four meetings per year

This is a voluntary position, but all reasonable expenses will be paid. The chairperson is expected to attend Scottish Boccia meetings, held four times per year, and other Scottish Boccia events (as available). The level of time commitment is flexible and will be tailored to suit the applicant’s current commitments and the needs of Scottish Boccia.

If you are interested in the above appointment please submit a CV and covering letter (addressing how your skills and expertise fit with the role) and equal opportunities form, marked “private and confidential”, to Gavin Macleod, Chief Executive Officer, at  gavin.macleod@scottishdisabilitysport.com.

  1. SDS Branch Resources section

SDS have created a branch resource section on the website. This section has various links to useful information during this time and to the previous branch communications that have been circulated

SDS Branch Resources

4.1 Funding

The deadline for the Small Business Support Grants and Retail, Hospitality, Leisure Support Grants has been brought forward to Friday 10 July. These schemes make one-off grants of £10,000 or £25,000 available to organisations with a rateable value of up to £51,000. There have been some additional changes to eligibility criteria including for businesses not paying non-domestic rates directly, for operators of multiple properties, and for organisations in receipt of various rates reliefs. We encourage all sports organisations with premises to check their eligibility and apply by 10 July. The link can be found here 

  1. Online Activities

 5.1 #giveitago

We’re now in Week 7 of our 8-week #GiveItAGo challenge and, this week, we’re asking teams to send in videos of them completing our Obstacle Relay Inclusion Card. There’s still time to enter, and a £10 Amazon voucher is up for grabs for the team that enters the most creative video each week.  https://www.scottishdisabilitysport.com/giveitago/

#GiveItaGo

 5.2 Tuesday Night Live – Athlete Journeys

In this series we will be delivering 30-45 minute webinars where we will interview Paralympic athletes on their careers to date. Here we will gain an insight into how they got involved; what motivates them; what their career highlights have been as well as their future aspirations. The next session is tonight at 7pm and will be with Stephen McGuire and Claire Morrison.

Viewers will be able to interact with the athletes through the chat function and ask questions throughout the interview, or submit questions in advance. Further sessions will be held with Martin Perry (21 July) and Scott Quin (4 August) with more to follow Athlete Bio & Dates

Register using the links on the calendar here or contact admin@scottishdisabilitysport.com or 0131 317 1130.

Please circulate this information around your networks as we can accommodate a large audiences for the Tuesday Night Live sessions with performance athletes and want as many people as possible to have the opportunity to be involved.

5.3 Coaches’ Seminars

Delighted to announce the next coaches seminars over the summer

  • Wednesday 8 July 2020, 1900 – 2000 Working with participants on the autism spectrum
  • Thursday 9 July 2020, 1900 – 2000 Creative Coaching
  • Wednesday 12 August 2020, 1900 – 2000 Classification
  • Tuesday 25 August 2020, 1900-2000 Generating Feedback

For further details and to book your place click to access the calendar here and search by date

Further seminars will be added in due course.

5.4 Be Active Be Well

SDS launched an exciting new online programme for the next seven weeks over the summer period, Be Active Be Well. There are three strands to the programme;

1: Be Active – there are physical activity sessions each day of the week at 2pm

Monday: Stretching

Tuesday: Chair-based activity

Wednesday: High-Intensity Interval Training

Thursday: Yoga

Friday: Callanetics

Sign-up here at the SDS Calendar and search by day

2: Be Well – each Monday at 11am for the next seven weeks there will be mental wellbeing sessions run by our valued partner SAMH and others

3: Connect 5 – activities for you to interact with over the eight weeks

  1. Coming Soon

 6.1 Virtual Parasport Days

The first of two Virtual Parasport Days is scheduled for Sunday 26th July. The purpose of this day is to offer opportunities to young people (with a physical, learning, visual or hearing impairment) from P1 to S6 to experience a range of new sports, have fun and get active.  Participants are invited to join Scottish Disability Sport in the first of two Parasport Days to experience a range of sports including basketball, boccia and football from the comfort of their own home! The event will be delivered by experienced coaches, Governing Bodies of Sport and supported by the Scottish Government Wellbeing Fund.

Participants can sign up here and more details can be found on the SDS website.

6.2 Virtual Pentathlon Championships

Scottish Disability Sport will be holding an Inter-Branch Virtual Pentathlon Championships in partnership with scottishathletics. This will involve athletes taking part in five different events between September 7 and October 11 2020. All athletes can contribute towards their individual branch score in the national event. More information will be distributed soon.

 6.3 #sporthour

        The next sportscotland #sporthour will be held on Monday 3 August at 9pm – 10pm.

  1. Celebrating success

Lothian based youngster Samantha Gough was named as overall Player of the Year for 2019 / 2020 at the Goalball UK Player of the Year awards 2019 / 2020. This is a remarkable achievement considering she has only been playing the sport for over a year. Here is a link to a previous article on Samantha which provides details of her quick rise in the sport.

  1. Other Information

8.1 Scottish Powerchair Football Association

The Scottish Powerchair Football Association are currently looking to expand into new communities all across Scotland to provide wheelchair users the chance to play football.

  • We are looking to engage with any clubs (professional to amateur), organisations, community groups and/or support groups to get involved in the game.
  • We would also love to hear from anyone who would like to take up the sport of Powerchair football as a player, coach, club member or official.
  • We aim to provide Powerchair footballers with the social, physical and mental positives that taking part in football brings to every footballer.

Please get in touch with us at the SPFA via email, Twitter or Facebook.

Email: info@thespfa.org

Twitter: @The_SPFA

Facebook: Scottish Powerchair Football Association

8.2 First Bus App

This link is an announcement about the launch of a new app by First Bus. This app will enable wheelchair users to plan their journey and track accessible buses in real time.

 Branch social media

 SDS Member Branch Media: To keep up to date with what else is happening around our member branches please see the links below to their various media channels.

Angus Disability Sport

Ayrshire Sportsability

Borders Disability Sport

Dumfries & Galloway Disability Sport

Dundee City Disability Sport

Disability Sport Fife

Forth Valley Disability Sport

Glasgow Disability Sport

Grampian Disability Sport

Highland Disability Sport

Lothian Disability Sport

Perth & Kinross Disabilty Sport

South Lanarkshire Disability Sport

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