By William Moncrieff, Communications Apprentice 

From the 11th to 18th May the Get Out Get Active (GOGA) Programme is partnering up with Dundee Green Health Week and Dundee Green Health Partners (Dundee GHP). The Green Health Week is a Nature Scot initiative, that has four partnerships across Scotland – Dundee being one – that is aspiring to showcase the benefits of green spaces across Scotland. In addition, it aims to highlight how successful partnership working can have a positive impact on individuals’ psychological and physiological health through demonstrating the use of green spaces for physical activity.  

 GOGA is a collaboration between NHS Tayside and Scottish Disability Sport with the aim of strengthening links between physical activity and health. As people with disabilities are almost twice as likely to be physically inactive (43%) than those without a disability (23%) it is essential that our communities are encouraged to move more throughout their typical week and the GOGA programme is enabling many to do just that.  

GOGA’s partnership with Dundee GHP can help promote their work and provide more individuals across Tayside with opportunities to participate in outdoor physical activity. Lynsey Gerrie, GOGA Tayside administrator, explains why it is important to alter trends around physical activity. 

“There is a significant evidence base for the benefits of being outdoors on our health and wellbeing, both physically and mentally.” 

With both the GOGA programme and Dundee GHP being supported by NHS Tayside, there is an opportunity to influence trends around outdoor activity. 

“Not only is it important for the NHS to get people outdoors and active but sustainability is also key. Therefore, we support these aims by offering activities on NHS sites and in the community,” said Lynsey. 

The GOGA programme is familiar with delivering outdoor activities, often using non-traditional spaces which proves to be an appealing aspect for many.  

Lynsey said: “Feedback from deliverers and participants have been very positive. As we deliver in non-traditional fitness settings, we are always trying to be more resourceful when it comes to where our classes take place to break down certain barriers in attending, for example, developing confidence.” 

“Delivering [activities] outdoors provides an excellent opportunity for us to do this. This helps people attend who wouldn’t necessarily access other opportunities.” 

Providing physical activities within these areas also promotes fun and social opportunities. This has been a key focus of GOGA: “Above all else, our classes are designed to be fun. The opportunity to be active is almost supplementary to the enjoyment aspect. If people are enjoying themselves, they are more likely to sustain these physical activity levels which helps us to change misconceptions of physical activity not being for everyone.” 

She continued to say: “Lastly, the fact that people are moving more than they possibly would have, is great for their physical health.” 

 When looking at GOGA’s involvement in Dundee’s Green Health Week and their partnership with Dundee GHP, there is an amazing chance to provide the Tayside area with more opportunities to become physically active. 

GOGA Tayside is an entirely participant-centred model. Lynsey explains the goal is, “To allow us to break down even more barriers of participation. We want to offer sessions in whatever way is comfortable to the participant, rather than expecting them to adjust.” 

“Therefore, we have classes in community settings across Tayside, indoors and outdoors, online and within NHS settings, allowing us to cover more bases to help more people feel comfortable to attend. Trying to find them the right activity in the right place that suits them.” 

 You can find out more about GOGA and their opportunities, here. To learn more and participate in Green Health Week, visit here.

Edinburgh, 2 May 2024 –  Scottish Disability Sport (SDS) and the Motability Scheme have teamed up to make sport more accessible and fun for everyone in Scotland, especially for people with disabilities.   

The partnership will help showcase the range of disability sports available across the country, providing opportunities for disabled people to access them alongside their family members. It will also raise awareness and increase understanding among the hundreds of eligible Scots who are not yet using the Motability Scheme and benefitting from the independent mobility it provides. 

The Motability Scheme, delivered by Motability Operations, helps more than 72,000 disabled people across Scotland to access independent mobility through leasing a car, scooter or powered wheelchair. It includes a worry-free package of insurance, servicing and breakdown cover. 

Gavin Thomson, managing director Scotland at Motability Operations said: “The Motability Scheme breaks down barriers to mobility across Scottish society and we are thrilled to be working with Scottish Disability Sport to support, encourage and improve participation in sport. 

“Sport has a unique capacity to bring groups together in an inclusive way and SDS’s values of inclusion, respect, integrity, and ambition align perfectly with ours. We are both purpose-led organisations that exist to improve the everyday lives of disabled people.” 

SDS, the governing and coordinating body for disability sport in Scotland, aims to deliver inclusion through sport, supporting individuals with disabilities to participate, perform and achieve at all levels.  

As part of the agreement, the Motability Scheme will become title sponsor of SDS’s 2024 national events calendar, which engages more than 2,500 disabled participants across Scotland. Offering disability-specific national championships and competition across seven sports including athletics, swimming, football, basketball, archery, bowls, and the Paralympic sport of boccia. 

The Motability Scheme will also become the title sponsor of SDS’s flagship education and training programmes, facilitating their work with primary and secondary teachers in eight local authorities, with a specific provision for educators on vision impairment, and a series of workshops for the SDS branch network, covering every region in Scotland.  

Gavin MacLeod, CEO of Scottish Disability Sport said: “This partnership with the Motability Scheme represents an exciting opportunity to further our mission of promoting inclusion through sport. Together, we will work towards removing barriers that prevent disabled Scots from participating in sports and ensure that sporting opportunities are accessible to all.” 

SDS and their 14 member branches, work closely with 32 local authorities and 37 sport governing bodies across Scotland. They govern and coordinate sports for people of all ages and abilities with physical, sensory, and learning disabilities. 

As we waved goodbye to winter and welcomed spring, March was a jampacked month with plenty to celebrate. Here’s a brief overview of some of those top moments. 

By Emma Logan, Communications Manager 

There were a further five Parasport Festivals in March that provided hundreds of children and young people the opportunity to participate in a great variety of inclusive sports. The West festival attracted over 100 participants, one of which has been scouted by Basketball Scotland and invited to join the National Academy.  

Tayside welcomed 20 new people to their first ever Parasport Festival – a positive indicator of the increase in Para sport awareness within the region. The East of Scotland and Shetland festivals had participants kayaking in the indoor swimming pool whilst Forth Valley offered a great range of sports, thanks to the support from 11 clubs and governing bodies. Michael McKenzie, the Regional Development Manager for Central, said, “My overall highlight was the fantastic new opportunities for first time participants such as cricket and table cricket.” 

10 festivals were held throughout this Parasport festival season, with a total of 395 children attending, 18 different sports being delivered and all were supported by local authorities, active schools, local clubs and SGBs (Scottish Governing Bodies). Regional Development Managers will now follow up with every child to support them into local opportunities.

Outside the Parasport Festivals, SDS hosted two National championships: the National Cross-Country Championships and the National Schools Boccia Championships.  

121 runners took part despite the terrible weather conditions at Alexandra Park, for the cross-country event. Athletes competed over 1km, 2km, and 3km distances. Thanks to Scottish Athletics, Shettleston Harriers, Glasgow Disability Sport and Milnbank Housing Association for their support before, during and after this event. I think we have all just about dried off… 

47 athletes from 11 branches descended to The Peak in Stirling for the second National Schools Boccia Championships. The competition was comprised of finalists of regional championships and selected athletes from SDS member branches competing in three different categories: athletes with a physical disability, learning disability and athletes using an assistive device. The full review is available here.  

A big thanks to the team of boccia officials and staff from Active Stirling for supporting the day. A special mention to the four members of our Young Person’s Sports Panel for taking on officiating and results keeping duties: Dana Brand, Grace Lawther, Finlay Davidson and Charlotte Askham. 

We were also grateful to be visited at this event by Calum from PSL, as the new staff kit was showcased. A closely contested boccia match took place between Calum, Gavin MacLeod (SDS CEO), Peter McGuire (former Paralympian in boccia) and Theresa Campbell (SDS Vice Chair).  

In more boccia news, Alex Medley from Perth Eagles Boccia Club competed at his first individual international event, the Disability Sport NI International Challenger in Belfast. Alex, who trains with the Tayside regional and Scottish National Development squads, may have missed out on a medal at this event but the youngster is brimming with talent and maturity – taking many positives away from the experience. You can read an interview with Alex following his return home, here.   

Tayside was also represented in the officiating team, with four referees from the region supporting the event. Well done to Catherine Carruthers, Darren Thomson, Sam Thomson and Graeme Doig. 

In other news, SDS was delighted to be invited to SAMH and Scottish Women in Sport’s Young Women in Sport Leadership Programme to deliver boccia to their cohort. The one-year programme run by SAMH and Scottish Women in Sport, funded by Active Scotland, aims to empower the next generation of young women in sport to be confidant leaders. Boccia was invited along as an example of a sport that everyone can participate in and gain both physical and mental health benefits from.  

 SDS had two board members present: Sarah Pryde-Smith and Aileen Neilson. Sarah took on the role as mentor to the young group of women whilst Aileen shared her story and took part in a question-and-answer session. 

The event further developed the partnership between SDS, SAMH and Scottish Women in Sport to support the development of sport and its leaders; continually striving to promote inclusivity and highlight the benefits of getting active. 

Off the court, funding from Motability has allowed for a range of fully funded SDS educational workshops to be offered to branches. A great opportunity for branches to upskill and develop in areas of their choice.  

SDS is also working with the Scottish Sensory Centre and Education Scotland, to track interest from schools and local authorities for fully-funded ‘More Than a Bell Ball’ and inclusive PE workshops. It is estimated that up to 1,000 learners will benefit from attending these workshops. Consequently, thousands of people with disabilities are predicted to benefit as they will have an increased access to quality opportunities in community sport, PE and school sports.  

Make sure to follow SDS on Facebook, X and Instagram to stay up-to-date on SDS news and activities.