Scottish Disability Sport (SDS) are working in close collaboration with a range of partners to deliver an exciting opportunity for young people with a physical disability over the summer holiday period.  Invitations are open to all children and young people from across the country, particularly the East of Scotland.  Applications for the opportunity can be found by following this link –

Wheelchair Sport Summer Camp – Online Application Form

The Wheelchair Sport ‘Summer Camp’ will target school aged young people and introduce them to a number of sports played from a sports wheelchair with activities such as basketball, tennis, badminton and athletics to be delivered by coaches with experience in disability sport.  Please note, participants don’t need to use a wheelchair on a daily basis to play sport using a chair.

The camp will also look to bridge the gap between attendance at the East Para Sport Festival and more regular activity.  The Para Sport Festival is becoming more frequently populated by primary aged young people who aren’t necessarily in a position to transition into club activity and this session will look to provide the skills and increase the confidence to support participants into more regular activity or club sport.

The sessions will be delivered at ORIAM Centre, Heriot Watt University and will provide an ideal environment for players to try a range of exciting wheelchair sports.  The two hour session will also welcome siblings along to reduce the barriers for young people with disabilities from accessing this opportunity.

Further details of the sessions can be found below –

Where: ORIAM Centre, Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS

When:  5 week block, beginning 9^th July 2018 (9^th, 16^th, 23^rd, 30^th July & 6^th August)

Who:     School aged young people with a physical disability

Cost:      £6 per session (or £30 for the block of 5 sessions)

For further information or to register an interest, please contact SDS Regional Manager (East) Neal Herbert on neal.herbert@scottishdisabilitysport.com or 0770 939 3514.

Wheelchair Multi Sport Summer Camp Flyer_July

The Beveridge Park Bowling Club is a key partner of Disability Sport Fife (DSF) and once again club members played host to the DSF Lawn Bowls Championships on Friday 15th June. The club has hosted the championships for over 25 years and the Club President welcomed players, volunteers and officials from clubs within the area to officiate at the event. 46 bowlers contested 10 singles titles for players with a physical impairment or learning disability. Fife leading bowlers with a visual impairment were engaged in national association competitions south of the border and unable to play.

The development of inclusive bowls across Fife has been spectacular over the past year in particular. Two specific developments, promoted through the GOGA in Fife initiative in central and west Fife are worthy of special mention. Headwell BC coaches set up weekly inclusive coaching sessions for service users from West Fife CSS and 11 players from the club with additional support needs competed in the Fife Championships for the first time. Dovecot BC now has 11 DSF members attached to the club and enjoying all club activities including club coaching, internal competitions and visits to local clubs in the area. Most importantly they are all fully registered club members.

The morning and early afternoon sessions were allocated to bowlers with additional support needs and there were several surprises within the 8 singles sections divisioned according to player abilities and experience.

The Headwell bowlers from West Fife CSS competed in two development sections and coped exceptionally well with their first tournament. Hannah Moffat defeated Erin Johnston to win the ladies title and Tristen Rankine and Phillip Callander shared the men’s title with three wins and one loss in each of their round robin ties.

Craig Houston and Jimmy Ramsay from East Fife CSS contested the C division men’s section with Craig winning his first Fife title. Fergus Wilson from West Fife CSS and Lumphinnans BC met Mathew Blissett in the final of the men’s B division and Matthew similarly won his first Fife title.

The first real surprise of the day came in the men’s open final when relative newcomer Robert Anderson from Dovecot BC defeated Fife’s most successful bowler with a learning disability Craig Donaldson from Central Fife CSS and Kinghorn BC by 3 shots to 2. In the semi final he had also to beat Darryl Stewart from Cowdenbeath BC, a past Scottish champion. In the equivalent ladies final Wendy Thomson from East Fife CSS and St Andrews BC defeated Fife’s most successful ladies bowler with a learning disability, Pamela Mitchell from Headwell BC.

In the afternoon competitions for bowlers with a physical impairment, Billy Allan from Cowdenbeath BC defeated Stuart Chesby from Dunfermline Northern in the mixed open. Robbie Craig from Markinch in his first DSF competition in five years defeated Kenny Dow from Central Fife CSS in the restricted section. Sam Smeaton from Dunfermline was the most successful lady bowler with a physical impairment.

The teams for the Scottish Championships at the Westburn Park in Aberdeen at the beginning of September and Inter Area competition in Musselburgh at the end of June will be selected from results recorded at the Beveridge Park and published on the Facebook page.

Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife

Congratulations to Ryan Peterson from St Andrews who won three gold medals at the Scottish Down Syndrome Championships held in Dundee last weekend. This is the second successive year that Ryan has competed in this swimming gala and once again his performances were exceptional.

Ryan won 25m freestyle 19.84, 50m freestyle 44.82 and 50m backstroke in 1.01.60. I am reliably informed that he was in the top group for freestyle and second top group for backstroke. Ryan travels weekly from St Andrews to Glenrothes for the Disability Sport Fife swim training session led by DSF swim coach Kathy Bijak at the Michael Woods Sports & Leisure Centre. Ryan is one of the most conscientious and popular members of the swimming group.

It has been a very busy week for the East Fife CSS member. Apart from the swimming gala he competed very successfully at the Fife Track and Field Championships at Pitreavie Athletics Centre on Wednesday and then the Fife Lawn Bowls Championships at the Beveridge Park on Friday. Ryan is a wonderful all round sportsman and a role model for many emerging athletes. In addition he is an extremely pleasant young man and ambassador for Disability Sport Fife. Ryan bowls at St. Andrews Bowling Club.

Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife

This month, the Grampian & Tayside regions will play host to the Boccia Engagement Day for the very first time.

A whole range of fun boccia activities, including the newly-developed ‘Boccia Bonanza’ circuit, will be on offer for people of all ages with physical & learning disabilities from all across the two regions.

Brechin Community Campus was chosen to host the event, which is being offered free of charge and will be led by SDS Regional Managers Jennifer Scally & Alison Shaw with the help of expert coach, Darren Thomson.

The Engagement Day hopes to attract new participants to the sport, who will then be signposted to existing, regular boccia sessions in their areas.

The event takes place on Sunday 24^th June from 12:00 – 15:00 at Brechin Community Campus, Duke Street, Brechin, DD9 6JZ.

To register for the FREE event, please click here.

If you, or anyone you know, lives in Grampian with a physical, sensory or learning disability and is keen to get involved in Para Sport, please contact Alison Shaw on alison.shaw@scottishdisabilitysport.com or on 07828 744 848

The weather remained fair for the 2018 Disability Sport Fife Track and Field Championships held at Pitreavie Athletics Centre on Wednesday 13th June. The Championships are supported by the Fife Sports and Leisure Trust and this year attracted a record entry of over 270 athletes.

A strong volunteer force worked vigorously from 10 30 through till 15 40 to deliver the 167 event programme of track and field events plus relays. Thanks particularly to the Scottish Athletics officials who travelled from all over Scotland to assist at the meet.

West Fife CSS won the Inter Community Support Services team trophy with 72 points, 9 points ahead of East Fife CSS. Central Fife CSS finished in third place with 36 points.

The Russell Hogg Inter Schools Trophy was retained by Woodmill HS with a total of 127 points. Balwearie HS finished second with 56 points and Lochgelly HS finished third with 42 points. Queen Anne HS finished 4th, Bell Baxter HS 5th, and Glenrothes HS 6th.

Rosalind Penman from Balwearie HS won the Lita Allan Memorial Trophy as the outstanding female athlete. Robert Anderson from Glenrothes won the Ben Mills Trophy as the outstanding male athlete. Connor Brown from Woodmill HS won the Gilbert Trophy as the outstanding junior athlete. Cameron Herring from Touch Primary won the Derek Frew Inspirational Trophy. The Ian Watson Memorial Trophy was awarded to Liam Johnstone from Central Fife CSS for progress made over the year past in all athletics activities.

Some of the key performances on the day were:
Connor Brown T37 Woodmill HS – 800m 2.46.6 and 200m 32.9
Michael Mellon – winner of men’s standing shot 10.13 and javelin 37.95
Sam Fernando Fife AC winner of 800m 2:17 and 1500m 4.29.8
Graham McIntyre from Leven winner of senior 100m, 400m and 800m for senior wheelchair racers
Callum Sloan Queen Anne HS winner of 100m, 400m and 800m for junior wheelchair racers
Iain Strathearn Woodmill HS fastest junior over 100m 13.9 and 200m 28.9
Leading race runner – Cameron Urquhart Crossgates Primary 16.9 for 50m and 29.8 for 100m
Cameron Adam Fife AC – 17.9 for 100m and 37.30 for 200m and 5.30 for shot
Cameron Herring leading visually impaired athlete
Christina Murray leading hearing impaired athlete
Robert Anderson leading senior shot throw of 9.09
Ryan Spearman Fife AC fastest senior 200m 28.3

Thanks again to the wonderful team of volunteers and Sports Leaders from Kirkcaldy HS who contributed so much to the success of the 2018 Fife Track and Field Championships.

Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife

The National Deaf Children’s Society are running a deaf awareness and basic BSL course for watersports / swimming / aquatics instructors at Dunmuir Hotel, Dunbar on 16th July, in advance of a surfing day for deaf young people held in conjunction with Coast to Coast surf school in August.

What: Deaf-Friendly Aquatics Workshop

Where: Dunmuir Hotel, Dunbar EH42 1LG

When: Monday 16th July 2018, 5.30pm – 9.00pm

Cost: FREE

Who: Swimming / aquatics teachers, instructors and coaches

Booking: www.aquaticsworkshopdunbar.eventbrite.co.uk

 

The sun wasn’t the only thing shining in the Granite City during the 2018 Parasport Festival.

Grampian’s Festival was hosted in an unusually sunny Aberdeen at the city’s Sports Village, and saw almost 40 children with physical and sensory impairments from all over the City, Aberdeenshire & Moray register for the opportunity to try a range of sports geared towards & adapted to suit their needs and abilities.

As well as the usual, popular offering of table tennis, basketball, boccia, athletics & swimming, the 2018 event also featured badminton & bowls for the first time, and these were very well received by the youngsters!

The Parasport Festival aims to enable children with physical & sensory impairments (who are more tricky to engage in sport & can be less confident about their sporting ability) to discover their sporting interests, uncover hidden talents & develop a thirst for sport. Following the event, we hope to see a number of the children getting involved regularly in sports that they’ve shown an interest or promise in. This will be achieved through the support of the Scottish Disability Sport Regional Manager, the clubs and partners involved in the Festival, and the Sports Governing Bodies who will work together to make sure that local, inclusive opportunities are available, that families are given relevant information, and that the quality of opportunities are high.

Susan, whose son, Dylan, attended the event for the first time said “It is nice to see him confident when participating in sports activities which’s he often shys away from in school”.

The Parasport Festival wouldn’t have been made possible without the help of our amazing partners, who we are eternally grateful & thankful for: Grampian Disability Sport; sportscotland; The Mary Salmond Trust; BP’s Coast 2 Coast team; Active Schools Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire & Moray; Bowls Scotland; Badminton Scotland, Basketball Scotland; Aberdeen Football Club Community Trust; Aberdeen Sports Village; ASV Table Tennis Academy; Triangle Table Tennis Club; Aberdeen Amateur Athletics Club; Scottish Athletics; Elgin Amateur Athletics Club; our community volunteers; our athlete mentors – Rhys Gill & Rachel Gilbert; and our wonderful photographer, Frazer Rennie.

We now look forward to next year’s event on 6^th June 2019, which is set to be an even bigger event with more sports on offer for our region’s young people.

If you, or anyone you know, lives in Grampian with a physical, sensory or learning disability and is keen to get involved in Para Sport, please contact Alison Shaw on alison.shaw@scottishdisabilitysport.com or on 07828 744 848

Well done to Disability Sport Fife member Kirsty Brunton from Dalgety Bay who spent another wonderful weekend in the Lake District competing in the Great North Swim. This is an annual event for this excellent open water swimmer. This year the swim moved location to Brockhole which is a bit further up Windermere from Ambleside.

Kirsty has cerebral palsy and getting in and out the lake was not all that easy due to the very rocky and stony conditions, but the Great Swim support team and the RNLI volunteers were outstanding with the level of support they offered. The water temperature was 19.5degrees and Kirsty completed the mile swim in 42 mins. What a superb performance.

Kirsty is a member of InCas swimming club and is coached by Garrie Roberts. Kirsty is a wonderful all round sportswoman and recently turned her hand to wheelchair curling and indoor bowls. Disability Sport Fife views Kirsty as a real champion for woman’s sport who has helped to raise the profile of the Get Out Get active programme in Fife (GOGA in Fife).

In the photo is Cheryl Taylor, Kirsty’s open water training partner.

Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife

Well done to young Cameron Adam from Fife AC who continues to improve with every run. At the Red Star athletics meet on Saturday 9th June at Crownpoint Stadium, the young Disability Sport Fife sprinter recorded 16.9 for 100m and 36.3 for 200m.

The Dunfermline HS teenager is now coached by Steve Doig and like all Fife squad members is ready and well prepared for the Disability Sport Fife Track and Field Championships at Pitreavie Athletics Centre on Wednesday 13th June where he will contest the sprints and shot putt.

The Championships are supported by the Fife Sports and Leisure Trust.

Richard Brickley MBE – President Disability Sport Fife

Salary: £20,000 – £25,000 (depending on experience)

Contract Type: Maternity cover until end of February 2019

Reporting to: Scottish Cycling Events Manager

Closing Date: 12 noon, Monday 25^th June 2018

Do you have a passion for cycling and want to work in one of the most exciting and fastest growing sports in the UK? Scottish Cycling is looking to appoint a dynamic individual to take on the role of Cycling Legacy Development Officer (Glasgow 2018).

Scottish Cycling is delighted to offer an opportunity in the role of Cycling Legacy Development Officer to cover maternity leave until March 2019, with possible opportunity to extend.

In partnership with the Glasgow 2018 European Championships, the role provides the opportunity for both Scottish Cycling and Glasgow 2018 to create and develop opportunities for cycle sport, whilst also supporting the delivery of successful cycling events as part of the European Championships.

The Cycling Legacy Development Officer is the main link between Scottish Cycling and Glasgow 2018 and ensures that opportunities presented during the 2018 Championships and beyond are maximised for cycling across the country.

The role of Cycling Legacy Development Officer will work closely with members of the Development and Performance teams within Scottish Cycling and the Glasgow 2018 Cycling team to deliver on the following key areas:

• Support the delivery of the Glasgow 2018 Championship, with specific focus on Commissaires and event volunteers.
• Implement the Cycling Legacy plan in conjunction with Glasgow 2018 and Glasgow Life, with a focus on Commissaires, Event Volunteers and Facility Development.
• Use the delivery of the European Championships to continue developing cycle sport across many areas including, but not limited to: the event volunteer database in Scotland, training opportunities for the event volunteer and commissaire workforce and club development.
• Support the implementation of the Championship cycling facility legacy opportunities.
• Work with other members of the Scottish Cycling staff team to support the delivery of the targets as defined in Scottish Cycling’s Strategic Plan and annual Business Plan.

Application Form

Job Description

Equality Monitoring Form

Interviews will take place week beginning 9^th July 2018