Tag: Disability Sport

24/07/2024

Archery’s Nathan Macqueen Selected for his Third Paralympic Games

ParalympicsGB announces archery squad for Paris 2024

Scotland’s Nathan Macqueen is preparing to pack his bags as he’s heading off to compete in his third Games – the Paris 2024 Paralympics.

Joining him will be Tokyo 2020 gold medallist Phoebe Paterson Pine and Jodie Grinham, who will be 28 weeks pregnant when competing at Paris 2024, will be representing ParalympicsGB for the second time. They are joined by Victoria Kingstone who will make her Paralympic debut in the French capital.

Macqueen, 33, made his Paralympic debut at Rio 2016 just months after his first international competition. The Scot, who lives in Dumfries, is the current world number two.

Macqueen said: “I’m really excited to be selected in what will be my third Paralympic Games. Taking part in three consecutive Games has not been easy by any means, but I want to keep going and become the Scottish Paralympian with the most Paralympic appearances.

“In comparison to previous Games it feels more real. Tokyo was what it was because of the way the world was at the time. I’m absolutely buzzing to be heading to Paris.

“My wife, son and lots of my family will all be coming to watch which will be brilliant. In terms of aspirations, you always want to win a medal. I don’t care what colour it is but just to be able to give my little boy a medal would be very cool.”

Paterson Pine said: “Just making Tokyo was an absolute dream come true so to be selected for my second Games as well is like one goal after another coming true!

“I’m also grateful the Games are so close to home this time, not only from a travel perspective but also being able to have my family and friends come and watch. Tokyo felt quite isolating at times, so being able to have them all come and support and see them and have a hug if needed is so important.

“I want to treat every single Games as a separate Games. I will always be Tokyo 2020 Paralympic champion; nobody can take that away from me. Do I want to be Paris 2024 Paralympic champion – of course I do – but I’m not going to put that pressure on myself. I’m 26-years old, I want to go out there, enjoy the experience and enjoy being a two-time Paralympian.”

Grinham, who hails from Haverfordwest in Wales and now lives in Crawley, Sussex, won silver in the Compound Mixed Team event at Rio 2016. She will be 28 weeks pregnant when she competes in Paris, which is thought to be a first for any Paralympian competing for Great Britain.

The 30-year-old said: “It’s a very different experience for me this time around. You’ve got the athlete in me who’s relieved, excited and extremely prepared and then you’ve also got the mummy in me that’s going to miss home, miss my son and will be 28 weeks pregnant when competing in Paris. It’s all about creating a balance – as much as I know I’m going to miss home; I also love what I do so there’s always going to be a compromise.

“I can say I’ve been in the Paralympic family for eight years now and it really is family – we all support each other regardless of what we’ve gone through.

“I would love to bring a medal back like I did in Rio. To get on the podium, not just for myself and the performances I’ve done, but for women to show you can compete while pregnant and do well.”

The four archers were officially announced by ParalympicsGB at an event at Lilleshall National Sports Centre, the home of Archery GB, and the location of the recently opened Performance Archery Centre where the team have been training in the run up to Paris. The event, part of an international camp with visiting athletes from France, Finland, Hungary and Ireland, also saw children from local schools invited to meet the athletes and have a go at archery.

Completing the squad is Paralympic debutant Victoria Kingstone, originally from Rainham in Kent and now living in Camberley, Surrey, who will compete in the W1 Open category.

The 42-year-old, who won mixed team bronze at the 2023 European Para Championships said: “I just missed out on Tokyo but I’m looking forward to Paris, albeit a little nervous too. The closer it gets the more you realise the scale it is going to be and it’s daunting but it’s about getting the balance right, focusing on just delivering the best performance you can give. Preparations are going well, but with it being my first Games I haven’t got anything to compare it to. I don’t know how I’m going to perform but particularly in my category anything is possible!

“Being so close to home it almost feels like a home Games. My family is from Kent so they’re hoping to come over and watch me compete which will be really nice, and even those that aren’t able to travel, the minimal time difference will make it a lot easier for everyone to watch.”

ParalympicsGB Chef de Mission Penny Briscoe said: “I’m absolutely delighted to welcome our four Para archers to the ParalympicsGB team for Paris 2024. Nathan, Phoebe and Jodie all have fantastic Paralympic experience behind them and I know as a group will lead the way when it comes to sharing that Paralympic journey with Victoria as she makes her Paralympic debut in Paris.

“I’m especially pleased for Jodie who has been selected to compete for ParalympicsGB as an expectant mum – a first for ParalympicsGB and news we were delighted to learn. ParalympicsGB has been in close contact with the support team at Archery GB as well as colleagues at the UK Sports Institute to ensure Jodie is well looked after at the Games and I know she has been thorough in her preparations too.”

Rachel Bayley, Paralympic Team Leader, said: “I’m proud of the whole team. They’ve all worked so hard to get to where they are today. We have some with pedigree from past Paralympics, some that perhaps have some unfinished business, one debutant and some silverware from recent international competitions which is really positive. Whilst we don’t like to talk specifically about medal outcome, I’m very aware of what this team is capable of and so are they.

“Every team that’s going to be in Paris is going to be very competitive and we will be too. I’m confident we’ve got the ability to be there and compete and hopefully that will deliver some success.”

A total of around 220 athletes from 19 sports are expected to make up the British team that will compete in Paris.

At Tokyo 2020, ParalympicsGB won medals across a record breaking 18 different sports – the highest number of any nation ever. ParalympicsGB finished second on the medal table with 124 medals overall, including 41 gold, 38 silver and 45 bronze.

Full Archery squad:

Nathan Macqueen – Compound Men Open

Jodie Grinham – Compound Women Open

Phoebe Paterson Pine – Compound Women Open

Victoria Kingstone – Women WI

23/07/2024

SDS Welcomes Elizabeth Mills as New Regional Development Manager for Grampian and Shetland

“Summer Camp was one of the best experiences I’ve had.” – Meet the new Regional Development Manager for Grampian and Shetland, Elizabeth (Wizzy) Mills.

By William Moncrieff, Communications Apprentice

Elizabeth (Wizzy) Mills joined SDS’s Regional Development team as Manager for Grampian and Shetland region, in early June.

Wizzy lives in Aberdeen after graduating from Robert Gordon University with a degree in Sport Science. Wizzy saw the job advertisement at SDS as a great personal development opportunity, stating: “I wanted to push myself out there and make my own knowledge better.”

Wizzy has always been a sport enthusiast and she even volunteers as the Head Coach for the first and second Netball teams at Robert Gordon University.

Prior to starting the post at SDS, Wizzy had taken part in other forms of volunteering. This included helping out with boccia at the Grampian Parasport Festival, through her Coaching and Development HND at North Eastern Scottish College.

“I loved it. I helped out at the boccia session and it was amazing. I loved it so much”, said Wizzy.

It’s gone full circle for Wizzy, as now, “I am going to be running my own (Parasport Festivals). It’s crazy to think about, just three years ago I attended one and now I’m running it myself.”

The Grampian Parasport Festival will be taking place on Friday the 27th of September 2024 and will be held once again, at the Aberdeen Sports Village.

Not even two weeks ago, Wizzy was volunteering at the SDS Summer Camp and she believes that this experience will help guide her as she prepares for her Parasport Festival.

“After Summer Camp it has really driven me to make the Parasport Festival even bigger and have even more opportunities for the children. I just cannot wait to see the smiles on their faces when they are trying something new for the first time”, said Wizzy.

Wizzy was a key member of the staff team at the Summer Camp, which was held at Badaguish (Aviemore) from the 10th to 12th of July. This was something that she found to be extremely meaningful.

“Summer Camp was one of the best experiences I’ve had. To see all of the children adventuring and trying new things and really pushing themselves is something I will really remember for a long time”, said Wizzy.

When reflecting on some of her best memories she said, “The biggest highlight of the camp was making breakfast in the morning. Even though there was porridge and juice everywhere, the children were adamant they wanted do it all by themselves, which was amazing to see.”

Now that Wizzy has settled more into her post as Regional Development Manager, she has found that she is enjoying getting out into the field.

“I’ve really enjoyed seeing the range of each participant. It’s just great. I met an individual with cerebral palsy, and I went to one of his frame running sessions. Just seeing what he was able to do was absolutely amazing”, explained Wizzy.

To find our more about the opportunities to get active in your region, please contact your Regional Development Manager.

To find out more about the opportunities available in the Grampian and Shetland region, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Wizzy or connect with the Branches for Grampian and Shetland.

16/07/2024

Thousand More Active Thanks to the Power of GOGA

Get Out Get Active (GOGA) has released its latest impact report, showing thousands of people across the UK have been given the opportunity to be active thanks to the programme.

Designed to support disabled and non-disabled people to enjoy being active together, GOGA has reached more than 55,000 people since its inception in 2016.

Funded by Spirit of 2012, Sport England and London Marathon Foundation, with Activity Alliance as the creator and lead partner, it has transformed people’s lives. From swimming clubs in the south of England to walking groups in Northern Ireland there have been 3,331 activities and interventions in its seven years.

It strengthens communities, with six in 10 GOGA participants saying they are now more connected within their community. Seven in 10 have continued to be active and maintained their activity levels outside of the GOGA programme.

In Scotland, GOGA Tayside is a collaboration between NHS Tayside and Scottish Disability Sport with the unique opportunity and approach to strengthening links between physical activity and health.

“GOGA provides fun, free and inclusive activities with the aims of improving health, self-esteem, mood and energy levels, whilst fostering community connectedness,” – GOGA Tayside.

GOGA Tayside is now proudly funded by Tayside Health Fund from October 2023.

As well as participants there have been more than 4,000 volunteers engaged at sessions, with almost three in 10 volunteers having a disability.

Adam Blaze, CEO of Activity Alliance said:

“Get Out Get Active proves time and again how inclusive activity can benefit people across the UK in more ways than just becoming active. As the creator and lead partner it perfectly encapsulates ways to achieve our vision of fairness for disabled people in sport and activity.

“By focussing on creative and innovative ways to engage people GOGA is leading the way. A flexible and fearless approach to trying and testing new activities has led to remarkable results.

The impact on individuals and communities has been incredibly rewarding to see. With local expertise thousands of the least active people in society have been given a chance to enjoy a happier and healthier life. GOGA uses activity for good and we can’t underestimate the impact of the programme.”

Ruth Hollis, Chief Executive at Spirit of 2012, said:

“As the founding and principle funder of Get Out Get Active, Spirit’s largest funded project, we are delighted to share the impact of the programme. GOGA has enabled thousands of people, young and old, disabled and non disabled, to be active together across the UK – focusing on reaching those with the highest barriers to taking part.

“This report shows that GOGA has had a demonstrable impact on the wellbeing and sustaining participation in physical activity for people in communities across the UK. It should be a call to action for others in the physical activity sector or wanting reduce health inequalities to learn from GOGA’s signature person-centred approach in all future programmes that set out to tackle inactivity.

“I want to thank the team at Activity Alliance and Wavehill and all those that delivered the programme across the UK for delivering this to the people that need it most.”

Whilst aiming to get some of the UK’s least active people moving more, the financial benefits are brought to life in the latest impact report. It shows that for every £1 invested, GOGA has delivered more than £4.60 in social, environmental, and economic value.

The report showcases the insight gathered throughout GOGA’s lifetime, providing valuable information for those that want to mirror the successes seen. It shows that GOGA has become much more than an activity programme. It is an approach to helping organisations and communities, across the UK, to support the least active disabled and non-disabled people in activity.

You can read the full Get Out Get Active Impact report on the Get Out Get Active website here.

17/06/2024

SDS Demonstrates Best Practice at the Scottish Student Sport Conference

Scottish Disability Sport (SDS) was delighted to take up an invitation from Scottish Student Sport (SSS) to present at their annual conference. Our West of Scotland Regional Manager, Fraser Kennedy, joined the SSS Inclusion and Culture Coordinator Eilidh Gibson and Lynne Glen, SDS Head of Development, to provide an overview of SDS and their partnership work with SSS.

The presentation to the conference delegates raised awareness of the following:

- Importance of inclusive practice – highlighting the education and learning workshops available to college and university students,
- Volunteering opportunities that SDS and its member branches can offer students,
- Connecting and working in partnership with SDS Regional Managers and the branch network across Scotland.

Fraser highlighted the best practice model of the Glasgow Partnership Forum, which includes the Sports Development Coordinator, the representatives from the Strathclyde Sports Union, the City of Glasgow College Active Campus Co-ordinator, SSS and SDS. The partners work together to increase opportunities across the two institutions for students with disabilities.

11/06/2024

Summer of Sport Must Not Mask Reality of Trying to be Active for Disabled People

Research from Activity Alliance has revealed disabled people are still being left behind when trying to access sports and physical activities. With a summer of sport on the horizon, including the Paralympic Games and the increased awareness it brings, the national charity is leading calls to make meaningful changes so many more disabled people can enjoy an active lifestyle.

The report from the latest Annual Disability and Activity Survey shows disabled people are twice as likely to be inactive than non-disabled people, a disparity that has remained consistent since the first report was released five years ago.

With the world set to celebrate the sporting achievements of Paralympians in Paris this summer, the latest report highlights a significant ‘activity gap’ remains between disabled people and their non-disabled peers. Only four in 10 disabled people feel they have the opportunity to be active as they want to be, compared to seven in 10 non-disabled people.

The importance of harnessing the legacy of the Paralympic Games is clear, with three quarters (76%) of disabled people expressing a desire to be more active. Respondents in the survey praised the Games as an example of much-needed positive representation of disabled people. However, the extraordinary achievements of the country’s top athletes felt far removed from disabled people’s own lives and experiences.

With over 2,000 disabled and non-disabled adults aged 16+ taking part, the report offers in-depth insight into the day-to-day barriers disabled people face when trying to be active. Finding such as the fact that disabled people want to take part in physical activity in outdoor spaces like parks, countryside, or woodland. However, the reality is that less than half of disabled people say it is easy for them to physically access outdoor spaces.

Sharing their experiences with Activity Alliance, disabled people have made clear the significant barriers that make equal access to sport and physical activity feel far removed from their everyday lives. Reports within the survey include experiences of those who “dare not even put the heating on” let alone invest in their physical and mental health, and multiple reports that disability access remains “one of the forgotten things”.

Key findings include:

43% of disabled people feel they have the chance to be as active as they desire, compared to 69% of non-disabled people. Disabled women are more likely feel the disparity in perceived opportunity compared to disabled men (39% vs 48%)
Disabled people are less than half as likely to ‘see people like them’ playing, working, and volunteering in sport and physical activity.
Disabled people mostly prefer being active in outdoor spaces like parks, countryside, or woodland compared to other locations, but less than half (44%) of disabled people say it’s easy for them to physically access outdoor spaces. This is a significant disparity compared to non-disabled people (78%).
Only 9% of disabled people agree they have the opportunity to become a coach or take on a role in delivering sport or physical activity (compared to 24% of non-disabled people).

Adam Blaze, Chief Executive at Activity Alliance, commented on the latest report:

“We know that the nation will get swept up by Olympic and Paralympic fever this summer, so what better opportunity to use this moment and finally address the stark differences in opportunities disabled people face in sport and physical activity.

“As we cheer on medal winners, I urge people to recognise that three-quarters of disabled people in our country want to be more active. Not everyone wants to be or can be a gold medal winner. Everyone has the right to be active where and however they choose to be, but this is not reality when you look at the latest findings in our survey. There are some fantastic examples across the country that challenge this trend, whether within the local community or national programmes, and these need to be available to everyone who wants to be active.

“There are more than 16 million disabled people in the UK, and the reality is that three in four want to be more active. This is not only an untapped market but shows there are vital improvements needed to break down deep-rooted barriers. A summer celebrating sporting achievements is the perfect time to do this.”

David Clarke OBE, Chief Executive of ParalympicsGB said:

“This Summer, as we celebrate the performance of athletes who have reached the pinnacle of their careers in elite sport, we must also ensure that everybody has the opportunity to take part in sport and physical activity. We know being active has so many benefits from health, mental wellbeing, strengthening friendships to community involvement.

“Disabled people continue to feel that they have less chance to be active compared to their nondisabled counterparts. Whilst we wave the flag for the ParalympicsGB team at the Paralympic Games we must also wave the flag for every disabled person in the UK, removing barriers to participation in sport and physical activity and creating thriving inclusive activity provision across the country.”

The full report is available to view at www.activityalliance.org.uk/how-we-help/research/annual-survey

06/10/2021

Ability Shetland Joins the SDS Family

We were delighted to announce at this year’s AGM and Awards that Ability Shetland has satisfied the criteria for our Minimum Operating Requirements and is now the 14th Branch to have joined Scottish Disability Sport.

Ability Shetland, and in particular, Stephanie Bain, has worked tirelessly over the last couple of years to get to where they are today, and it was a pleasure to be part of the partnership that established their development plan which aided them in securing funding from Shetland Charitable Trust and sportscotland’s Direct Club Investment for their very first Sports Development Coordinator post.

Ability Shetland and their partners were keen to develop more and better opportunities for people with disabilities across the Islands to get involved in sport and physical activity, and to better connect with clubs, athletes, competitions and pathways on the mainland. Stephanie has commented that they are already seeing the benefits of being a Branch with new athletes being supported, opportunities being developed and participants being invited to events on the mainland.

We are now delighted to work closely with Charis Scott, Ability Shetland’s Sports Development Coordinator, who has done a spectacular job so far in creating partnerships with clubs, developing a successful summer holiday programme, and engaging schools, participants and athletes in SDS events.

Well done to all at Ability Shetland.

If you (or someone you know) lives with a disability in Shetland and wants to get involved in sport or physical activity, get in touch with Alison on alison.shaw@scottishdisabilitysport.com or call 07828744848.

06/10/2021

Parasport Festival Returns to Grampian

On Friday 17th September, we saw the eagerly-anticipated return of the national Parasport Festival programme.

The Festival, which provides opportunities for school-aged pupils in mainstream education with physical disabilities and sensory impairments to try a range of specially-adapted sport and physical activity opportunities, returned to Grampian last month and was the first post-COVID Parasport Festival to take place.

Hosted at the well-equipped Aberdeen Sports Village, this year’s Festival featured a range of exciting sport and activity sessions including the debut of sitting volleyball and kayaking.

Extensive COVID measures were in place including the limiting of participant numbers and spectators, but this didn’t take away from the sheer joy that the youngsters and their families experienced whilst trying new activities and socialising with peers.

Rachael – mum to participant, Lucy – said of the day: “These days are a fantastic opportunity and are so good for the children on so many different levels, physically, socially and emotionally. It enables the children to participate in the sports in an environment that is inclusive, achievable and fun. Thank you so much for organising them. For me as a parent I love attending the days. Being part of the experience and being able to enjoy it with Lucy but also being able to stand back and watch her enjoying herself and what she is achieving. I also think it is beneficial to spend time with other parents and carers for the support you can give each other”.

In addition to providing opportunities for young people with disabilities, the Festival serves as an opportunity for coaches, teachers and activity leaders to gain hands-on experience of inclusive practice. This year, we were fortunate to be joined for the first time by over 50 first year Sports Coaching students from North East Scotland College. They spent time with the youngsters, engaging them in the different activities and providing concentrated support where needed. They also learned from the sport-specific coaches and were treated to a wheelchair basketball masterclass by Grampian Flyers Wheelchair Basketball Club Coach, Kirsty Smith.

Our next step is to continue to upskill the students and to signpost the participants into regular activity available locally to them.

A huge ‘thank you’ goes to all of the partners, clubs, organisations and individuals who supported the event, Corra Foundation for providing the funding to enable us to offer this event at no charge to the participants, and to the youngsters, parents and carers who came along and tried something new.

Roll on the 2022 event!

If you (or someone you know) live with a disability in Shetland, Moray, Aberdeenshire or Aberdeen City, and are keen to get involved in sport and physical activity, please email alison.shaw@scottishdisabilitysport.com or call 07828744848.