Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar Sport and Health, in partnership with Scottish Disability Sport, are offering a series of opportunities for children, young people and adults with disabilities to come and try a variety of sports. These new and exciting Parasport Festivals promise to be fun and are free to attend.

Local clubs, partners and Scottish Disability Sport are offering a fantastic programme of sport for everyone to enjoy. Over two days athletics, boccia, bowls, cycling, netball and swimming guarantee fun filled sessions for participants.

They will take place on Tuesday 5th and Wednesday 6th July 2022. If you would like more information, please contact Steven Munro from the Sport and Health Team by email smunro@cne-siar.gov.uk More details and how to book listed in the links below.

Lewis Parasport Festivals 2022

Harris Senior & Junior Parasport Festivals 2022

Lewis Senior Come & Try Event 2022

Edge Adventures are a passionate team of autism and disability social care professionals, paddleboarders, climbers and adventure lovers.

We work hard to ensure everyone can participate in outdoor activities by working closely with local authorities and governing bodies to make sure standards are set and maintained.

Edge Adventures will ensure access for all people aged 18+ with a physical, sensory or learning disability.

There are various opportunities to get involved this summer, for further information please click here.

Scottish Disability Sport is delighted to welcome Iona McKay to the post of GOGA Tayside Programme Manager and Lynsey Gerrie to the post of GOGA Tayside Programme Administrator.

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Iona McKay

Hello, I’m Iona and I am the new Get Out Get Active (GOGA) Programme Manager in Tayside. I’m very much looking forward to building upon the great work that has already been implemented, whilst also seeking to develop new opportunities to encourage physical activity.

I have a professional background in working with a range of people within health and criminal justice, and I have experience and understanding of public health, particularly addressing inequalities and promoting positive health and wellbeing outcomes.

I have a particular interest in athletics, having competed at UK and Scottish level over 800m as a junior. I enjoy coastal walks as well as group exercise classes including Zumba, Step and HIIT. I am also an enthusiastic beginner at flamenco and skiing!

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Lynsey Gerrie

Hello! I’m Lynsey and I’m excited to have recently begun in the role of GOGA Tayside Administrator. From the short time I have been in the role, it is amazing to see how many opportunities have been provided to so many people through GOGA, and I look forward to being a part of the team that expands on this.

My background is in events management with a main focus/interest in physical activity and sports, including working at the Euros at Hampden in 2021.

I have an interest in football, which I played for many years before leaving due to injury. I also enjoy hillwalking, camping, running and yoga, although the majority of my “spare” time is spent running around after my little girl!

Festival Fortnight, Scotland’s LGBTIQ+ Sports festival returns for 2022 running from the 17th to the 30th of June. The annual festival is coordinated by LEAP Sports and aims to increase the visibility and participation of LGBTIQ+ people in Scottish sport. Partners from across the country run events as part of the festival, providing something for everyone. Including a combination of sporting, cultural, social, and recreational events.

With over 50 partners running a record number of over 80 events, this year’s festival is bigger than ever. Participants from the Borders to the Highlands will have the opportunity to take part in events such as yoga, football, cinema screenings, walking tours and much more.

Munro Stevenson, LEAP Sports’ Participation and Engagement Manager said: “After a reduced Festival Fortnight in 2021 and a cancellation in 2020, we are more than thrilled with the response from our partners this year. With more events than ever, our extensive grassroots community based programme will break down barriers to sport and physical activity for many in the LGBTIQ+ community. It has been a difficult few years for everyone, but it’s brilliant to see sporting events making such a comeback.”

Ross Lockerbie, Chair of Glasgow Raptors RFC and Fortnight Festival partner: “Having our beginners’ boot camp as part of Festival Fortnight allows us to reach a wider audience and be a part of a national festival of like minded sport providers. The support we receive from the team at LEAP Sports is fantastic. We cannot wait to introduce more people in our community to rugby.”

If you would like to take part in any of the festival’s events you can find more information on the Festival Fortnight website or on Twitter & Instagram, @LEAPSports. To support the festival and the wider work of LEAP Sports Scotland please donate here.

Scottish Disability Sport are working in partnership with RNIB to identify people who would be a champion for the See Sport Differently Campaign.

Will you be a See Sport Differently Champion?

• Are you actively involved with sport or physical activity?
• Could you offer support and encouragement to people wanting to try sport and physical activity in your area?
• Can you empathise with the emotions around trying something new?
• Would you like to champion RNIB and British Blind Sport’s #SeeSportDifferently initiative?

If you’d like to hear more about what’s involved and how you can share your experience, we would love to hear from you,

Please sign up via our website https://www.rnib.org.uk/SeeSportDifferently or contact the helpline via  email helpline@rnib.org.uk or phone on 0303 123 9999.

Scottish Disability Sport is delighted to welcome Colette Martin as the Regional Manager for North and South Lanarkshire.

Colette brings extensive experience as an athlete, Board member and member of the Young Persons Sports Panel as well as from her previous role as Table Tennis Development Officer and volunteer coaching.

She has participated in disability sport from the age of nine and currently plays wheelchair basketball, having started with athletics as a hobby which led to her involvement with SDS from a very young age, attending many SDS events and Summer Camp as a teen.

Having competed internationally in athletics as a wheelchair racer, Colette quickly found a passion for sport. After graduating from the University of Stirling with a degree in Sport Studies, worked as Club Development Officer for the Joe Wilson Table Tennis Club and during this time started working with the inaugural SDS Young Persons Sport Panel and then simultaneously as a coach within the Young Start programme.

She joined the SDS Board, a role she has fulfilled for the last four years.

Colette is looking forward to beginning her role as Regional Development Manager for North and South Lanarkshire and is excited about working with partners in both areas.

Lothian Disability Sport are delighted to announce the return of the LDS Boccia Championships. The event will be held at Engage Napier on Saturday 30^th July. This event is open to any athlete wanting to compete across Scotland.

The event details can be found on the attached entry form, if you have any questions regarding the event please contact Ben Rowlings, admin@lothiandisabilitysport.co.uk.

Lothian Disability Sport Boccia Championships

Nominations are invited from those connected with SDS for he annual awards that will be presented at the Annual General Meeting on Sunday 25th September 2022 at the Stirling Court Hotel, Stirling. It is important that there is a clear indication why the individual/group is being nominated. 

Awards Nomination Form 2022

The Awards Panel will then meet to consider all applications and decide the winner for each category in advance of the presentations at the AGM on Sunday 25th September 2022.  

A list of former award winners can be seen on our website here: https://scottishdisabilitysport.com/sds-award-winners/ 

All nominations should be returned in confidence, before Friday 19th August 2022, to admin@scottishdisabilitysport.com. Alternatively the Awards Nomination Form can be completed online here: Scottish Disability Sport Annual Awards 2022 

Scottish Disability Sport, Forth Valley Disability Sport and the three Forth Valley Local Authorities are happy to share our Central Disability Sport Summer Calendar for 2022. This calendar includes opportunities for children, young people and adults across the Forth Valley area during the summer months.

For more information and booking places please contact the representatives per activities.

Central Disability Sport Summer Programme 2022