Tag: Shetland

29/11/2024

The Motability Scheme Making the Power of Sport and Boccia Possible

By William Moncrieff, Communications Coordinator

For Avril Starmore, moving to Shetland was a decision based on being closer to family. Then, she found boccia. She had no idea the impact boccia would have on her life.

Avril moved to Shetland from Dunfermline. This move wasn’t always plain sailing though, the lack of public transport and the rural nature of the island presented difficulties when trying to get out and into the community.

Avril was a Motability Scheme user, which proved to be an essential part when finding her love for boccia and the wider Shetland community.

“The car helps me get to boccia clubs, there is a ramp built in that I go up with my wheelchair then I can transfer onto the driver’s seat. If I didn’t have that I wouldn’t be able to get out.” Avril explained.

She went on to say, “If I didn’t have a Motability car there is no way I would get out into the community and clubs.”

Avril found out about boccia through Ability Shetland: “I came to Shetland three and a half years ago, I started going to a few of Ability Shetland’s clubs and I started volunteering with them just over a year ago.”

Now that Avril has been involved with boccia and dedicating her time to the sport she has decided to progress forward with her coaching.

“I’ve recently done the boccia leaders course and now I am learning to become a boccia coach”, she said.

This has led to Avril being a key member of the Ability Shetland delivery and volunteer team. “I’ve been going out to show boccia at various schools, day centres and clubs.”

Avril still uses many of Ability Shetland’s clubs. “I still go every Friday night to play, and then I go out through the week to deliver.”

Avril really enjoys being part of a team, but more so she loves getting to introduce people to the sport of boccia. “The way their faces light up when they manage to do something”, is her favorite thing about volunteering.

Making sessions fun and entertaining is something that Avril tries to always put at the forefront of her deliveries. “They keep thinking that I’m glueing the balls to the cones throughout the sessions, to challenge them to knock them off, they keep saying, ‘you’ve glued them on’, but I haven’t.” She joked.

Now Avril wants as many people to gain the benefits of boccia. “It’s about getting the word out about boccia. Up here a lot of people hadn’t heard about it until a short while ago, I know that I hadn’t heard of it until I moved here”, she said. This is a task she views as being possible.

“Last year we went to Dundee to play, there were loads of players and clubs down there it was great.”

This love and commitment that Avril has shown towards the sport of boccia throughout Shetland has led to her being nominated for an Eric Liddell Award. She went on to win the award for her dedication to the sport which has seen her deliver to over 100 school pupils in the last year alone. The enthusiasm she has for the sport is known to be contagious, and sure to be a contributing factor in many more people taking up the sport.

If you would be interested in finding out more about boccia you can contact SDS’s Boccia Development Manager at:

jonathan.kennedy@scottishdisabilitysport.com.

If you would like to try volunteering, please contact your Regional Development Manager.

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.

29/03/2023

Success for Ability Shetland Festivals

It was smiles all round at Ability Shetland’s 2^nd Parasport Festival, and the inaugural Adult Sports day!

13 young people with physical, vision or hearing impairments, and over 20 adults with a range of disability types, descended upon Lerwick’s Clickimin Sports Complex on the 4^th March for a full day of sport!

A huge variety of sports were on offer throughout the day including swimming, kayaking, table tennis, badminton, cricket, volleyball, fencing, boccia, and basketball!

Activities were supported by Sports Governing Bodies’ staff, local clubs and volunteers from Ability Shetland.

The events enable people with disabilities to come together and try a range of sports in a specially-adapted setting. It is hoped that participants will find a sport they enjoy and be encouraged to take it up on a regular basis. It was fantastic to see friendships form, confidence grow and participants overcome anxieties and apprehension about particular activities!

Ability Shetland is now building upon the success of the events by starting the Islands’ first Wheelchair and Running Basketball club!

Many thanks, in particular, to Charis Scott (Ability Shetland’s Sports Development Officer) for all her efforts in planning and running the events.

If you, or anyone you know, lives with a physical, sensory or learning disability in Grampian or Shetland & is interested in getting involved in sport, please get in touch with Alison on alison.shaw@scottishdisabilitysport.com or 07828 744 848.

06/01/2022

Adapted Cycling Given Boost in Shetland

Cycling for people with disabilities in Shetland has been given a boost thanks to funding from the Scottish Government.

Ability Shetland, Scottish Disability Sport’s newest Branch, was awarded £15,000 from the Healthy Islands Fund to enable them to further develop their efforts in adapted cycling provision.

The funding will enable Ability Shetland to purchase additional bikes to add to their fleet. In turn, they’ll be able to accommodate more people and cater to a wider range of disabilities within their regular sessions.

Well done to the Ability Shetland team.

Photo credit: Ability Shetland

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.