RNIB Connect Radio: SDS National Exhibition Event Feature

[Listen to the interview here.]

Transcript for RNIB interview with Sam Gough and Laura Pilkington – 

Amelia (Connect Radio Presenter): You’re listening to RNIB Connect Radio. On the 14th of June, Scottish Disability Sport are hosting a national exhibition to showcase opportunities for sports and physical activity disabled people can get involved in and share educational opportunities for people without disabilities to learn about inclusive practice and ways to make society more accessible. There will be opportunities to meet new people, try new activities and learn about schemes and organisations that can offer support. It’s taking place from 10am to 4pm at the University of Stirling and we’re joined today by Para swimmer and Scottish Disability Sport board member Laura Pilkington and visually impaired athlete and VI ambassador Samantha Gough. 

Amelia: Hi Laura and hi Samantha, thanks so much for joining us.  

Laura: Hello. 

Sam: Hello.  

Amelia: So, we’ll start with you Laura, how did you first get involved in Para swimming? 

Laura: So I loved being in the pool when I was on holiday but just kind of mainly was in the pool during the summer but I wanted to get involved a bit more. So, encouraged by my PE teacher I joined a local disability swimming club and just joined it for fun but then after my fifth competition decided that I really like competing as well and was very competitive so kind of started on the performance pathway a couple of years left of that. 

Amelia: Great and how about you Sam? 

Sam: Yeah, so I went along to the SDS (Scottish Disability Sport) Parasport Festival many, many years ago and yeah I got to try lots and lots of different sports. Later on in the year I then went down to the Royal National College for the Blind in Hereford where I got scouted for blind football and goalball at the time and I’ve done lots of other sports but just now just play blind football for England and also row for Great Britain. So, yeah, my journey really started at those Parasport Festivals and I wouldn’t be where I am today without that journey. 

Amelia: Why did you both kind of, now that you’re further along in your professional sports journey, want to be ambassadors for Scottish Disability Sport and help other people discover new sports? 

Laura: I think Scottish Disability Sport does such amazing work and without the opportunities that they’ve given me through swimming but also leadership opportunities through being on the Young Persons’ Sport Panel, being a mentor for the Young Persons’ Sport Panel, I don’t think I would be where I am today so I think it’s really important to sort of give back to the organisation and make sure that other people have these opportunities as well growing up.  

Sam: For my journey I was excluded from sport because of my disability and my visual impairment so from that, kind of really hard experience growing up, I really want to give back and to you now work with people with visual impairments and encourage people with disabilities to get involved in sport. So, I’m kind of trying to, you know, use the experience that I’ve been through and change it into something positive and yeah kind of be an advocate for people with disabilities to know that they can take part in sport with a disability from my own lived experience. 

Amelia: And this is a really exciting opportunity for people to join similar journeys as you or enjoy engaging with sports as a hobby so what are some of the activities that will be on offer at the University of Stirling (during the SDS National Exhibition Event)? 

Laura: So, there’s going to be so many different opportunities at Stirling. So there’ll be sport and physical activity opportunities such as: Pickleball, Bowls, Cycling, Basketball, Health walks, Yoga, just to name a few but there’s much more than that. There’s also opportunities that aren’t just about being active – so [you’ll] be able to connect with others, different organisations that do disabilities and the Mobility Scheme will also be there. 

Laura, continued: There’s also opportunities to speak to Paralympic athletes and learn about how they sort of go about their lifestyle and the different sort of performance pathways around as well as education and learning courses for people that are interested on how to make their practice more inclusive so it’s going to be a really big day there’s just going to be so much on it’s so exciting. 

Laura, continued: For the sports they try to encourage people to try ones that maybe not done before to get a different opportunity but if you go along you’ll get adapted for your sort of experience and your needs within that and I think it’s going to be a really great day for everyone no matter the sort of level.   

Sam: Yeah I think the whole day to kind of sum up, is to encourage and inspire. It’s to try and get young people and anybody with a disability to get active. Some people seem to think that if you’re disabled or have a visual impairment that you’ve got to go to the Paralympics and that’s just not the case – you can be active and have just as an amazing time as a Paralympian and there is other aspects of sport that isn’t just that competing at a high level, if that makes sense. So I think this this day is going to really show that you know you can inspire to be what you want to be and do what you want to do but also to meet and encourage people to take part in sport and to meet new friends and I think it’s going to be such an amazing event. I hope that makes sense. 

Amelia: Yeah, yeah it absolutely does and for people that maybe are interested but a bit nervous, what would you say to encourage people to come along? 

Sam: Yeah, I think, you know, just step out your comfort zone a little bit. And I remember being the shy little girl when I first went to these kind of events and didn’t speak to anybody and was really, really shy and just kind of stood by mom and dad’s side. And actually, if I could go back and really encourage myself to step out my comfort zone and to really, you know, enjoy it and, you know, take the opportunities as they come. Because they don’t come every day. And when you’ve got a day to try so many different sports, why wouldn’t you? And why wouldn’t you want to dip your toes into different sports? So, yes, I think it’s going to be a really, really good day. And I would encourage everybody to, you know, be brave, step out of their comfort zone and just enjoy it and make some new friends. 

Amelia: Fantastic. And how can people sign up and attend? 

Laura: So the main way to sort of sign up is on the Scottish Disability Sport website. There’s information on how to sign up and the link is there as well as all the social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn). Scottish Disability Sport have been promoting it and sharing the link there. So that’s the main ways to find registration. Sign up if you’re available and hope to see you there! 

Amelia: Great. Well, thank you so much, Laura Pilkington and Sam Gough for joining us here on RNIB Connect Radio. Thank you. 

If you would be interested in finding out more about SDS and how sport and physical activity can support you, sign up to attend SDS’s first ever National Exhibition Event. The event is free and is being held at the University of Stirling on Saturday 14th June. The event will allow people from all over Scotland to interact with all elements of SDS in one place.  

You can also find out more about what sporting opportunities are available in your community by contacting your Regional Development Manager. To keep up-to-date on all of the ongoing work, make sure to follow Scottish Disability Sport on Facebook, X and Instagram, as well as on the SDS website.