A £30,000 funding partnership is providing hundreds of pupils in Torry with after-school clubs and activities.
Funding from ETZ Ltd and Port of Aberdeen has been awarded to Sport of Aberdeen to secure the targeted provision of the “Active Schools” programme for the 2025/2026 academic year, which promotes health and wellbeing for pupils and their families.
This supports follows an inaugural round of activity in 2024/2025, funded by ETZ Ltd, which resulted in a 200% increase in participation in Torry schools’ extra-curricular programmes involving 220 pupils.
This included 16 new extracurricular clubs in Torry schools, engaging pupils and their families from nursery through to secondary. Highlights include the launch of the “Kit for All” initiative, alongside a range of events and one-to-one support as part of the school day.
ETZ Ltd continued its support this year with a £15,000 donation which was match-funded by Port of Aberdeen, providing crucial support for the continued delivery of these services.
The investment has delivered new equipment and more activities, mentoring, and training opportunities, helping young people develop leadership skills and promote wellbeing in their communities.
Graeme Dale, Director of Sport and Active Communities at Sport Aberdeen, said:
“We’re delighted to have the backing of ETZ Ltd and Port of Aberdeen to keep Active Schools thriving in Torry. This funding means hundreds of young people can enjoy more clubs, more opportunities, and more chances to be active with their friends and families. Together, we’re helping to build healthier, stronger communities.”
Carole Monnier, Community Lead at ETZ Ltd said:
“It has been inspiring to see the Active Schools programme grow and deliver incredible impacts in its first year and see the dedication of the Active Schools coaches first hand. Having Port Aberdeen join us to support this initiative grow further demonstrates the strength of partnerships like these to deliver more for local communities.”
Jordan Harkins, Head of Communications, Port of Aberdeen, said:
“Sport Aberdeen’s Active Schools is making a real difference in the lives of young people in Torry. ETZ Ltd is an important stakeholder for the port and we were delighted to join forces to support this amazing programme for the community. As a Trust Port, our mission is to create prosperity for generations, and this partnership is a perfect example of that in action.”
Councillor Martin Greig, convener, Education and Children’s Services Committee, Aberdeen City Council, said:
“This contribution has supported the school community. The partnership work has given a welcome boost for the benefit of the pupils.”
Children across the North East will be pedalling into the festive season with a smile this year as the Bikes for Christmas Campaign officially launched on Monday the 3rd November.
Now in its second year, the project, led by Karen Adam MSP in partnership with Stella’s Voice, Aberdeenshire Council, Aberdeen City Council, and Moray Council, will ensure that hundreds of children across the three council wards receive upcycled bikes and brand-new safety equipment in time for Christmas.
The initiative first launched in 2023, providing over 200 children across Banffshire and Buchan Coast with bikes and helmets. After last year’s success, the scheme has expanded significantly, with Aberdeen City joining the programme for the first time and both Aberdeenshire and Moray Councils extending the project to cover their entire local authority areas.
Beyond spreading festive cheer, the campaign is making a meaningful contribution to tackling child poverty and promoting sustainability. By giving children access to free, refurbished bikes, it helps remove financial barriers for families while encouraging healthy lifestyles, independence, and inclusion.
At the heart of the initiative is Stella’s Voice, a Peterhead-based charity that collects, restores, and upcycles donated bikes, turning those left forgotten in sheds and garages into treasured gifts for local children. Each bike is carefully refurbished by the team at Stella’s Voice and fitted with new safety equipment, ensuring that every child receives a safe, high-quality bike.
This year’s campaign was launched across in Moray, Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire, with events held in Cullen, Kingswells and Stonehaven and attended by local school children.
The bikes will be rolling out via the school network over the coming weeks.
Karen Adam MSP for Banffshire and Buchan Coast said:
“As a mum and an MSP, I’ve seen first-hand the way a bike can change a child’s world. It’s freedom, friendship, and fresh air all rolled into one, and this winter it’s also a bit of hope at a time when many families are feeling the squeeze. I’m so proud that, working with these partners, we’re getting hundreds of upcycled bikes out through our schools. After last year’s success in Banffshire and Buchan Coast, it’s brilliant to see the scheme grow across the North East, with launches in Cullen, Kingswells and Stonehaven. This is what partnership looks like, when our local charities, councils, schools and community sport all pull together to tackle child poverty, promote health and inclusion, and do it sustainably by giving forgotten bikes a new life.”
Mark Morgan, Stella’s Voice, said:
“As Christmas approaches, many families across Aberdeen City and Shire are experiencing increasing hardship. Through this joint effort, we aim to ensure that some of the children most affected don’t miss out this festive season. A bike offers more than just fun, it provides exercise, independence, and the chance to join in with friends.”
Keith Heslop, Chief Executive Officer, Sport Aberdeen, said:
“Sport Aberdeen is delighted to be involved in this year’s Bikes for Christmas project. As a charity committed to creating opportunities, inspiring people and changing lives, we’re proud to work in partnership with Stella’s Voice, the schools network and a range of local partners to help ensure children and families most in need across the city receive bikes this Christmas. By supporting this fantastic initiative, we hope to inspire even more young people and their families to get outdoors, be active and enjoy the many benefits of cycling.”
Stuart Grant, Active Schools and Community Sport Manager, Aberdeenshire Council, said:
“We are delighted to again be involved in supporting the work of Stella’s Voice with their Christmas Bikes initiative. With last year bringing huge benefits to the North Aberdeenshire area, and the Easter options having supported Central Aberdeenshire, we now look forward to bringing the same opportunities to South Aberdeenshire.”
Roy McPherson, Principal Active Schools & Community Sport Officer, Moray Council, said:
“We saw 88 school pupils from Moray benefiting from the project across the summer term, including care-experienced pupils, families experiencing poverty, and young people that have recently moved to Scotland. Moray Council is committed to promoting this positive opportunity across all schools again in the lead-up to Christmas.”
Paul Finch, Director of Nestrans, said:
“Nestrans is proud to support the work of Stella’s Voice through our People and Place Programme for 2025/26, which is fully funded under the Scotland-wide Programme from Transport Scotland. By supporting the Christmas Bike Campaign and the fantastic year-round efforts from Stella’s Voice to make bikes more accessible for everyone, we aim to encourage and empower more people across the north east to choose cycling.”
Karen Adam MSP added:
“My heartfelt thanks go to the team at Stella’s Voice and to everyone across our councils, schools and community partners, Sport Aberdeen, Active Schools, and NESTRANS, who have rolled up their sleeves to make this happen. Every refurbished bike means a child who can join in with pals, build confidence and independence, and feel the pure joy of cycling on Christmas morning. To the volunteers, donors and staff who’ve turned dusty shed bikes into treasured gifts, thank you. You’re not just delivering bikes, you’re delivering opportunities, memories and a bit of magic this Christmas.”
“As Chair of Sport Aberdeen, I remain incredibly proud of everything our charity has achieved over the past year. 2024/25 has been another strong and inspiring year, one that truly reflects the passion, commitment and community spirit that makes Sport Aberdeen so special.
As a registered charity, every penny we raise is reinvested back into our venues, programmes and, most importantly, the people of Aberdeen. This year alone, we’ve reinvested over £1.4 million into improving facilities and creating new opportunities across the city. Through our work, we’ve generated more than £15.6 million in social value, demonstrating the very real difference Sport Aberdeen continues to make to people’s health, wellbeing and quality of life.
We were also delighted to be named Learn to Swim Provider of the Year, with over 5,500 children taking part in weekly swimming lessons, helping to give thousands of young people a life skill that will stay with them for life.
Our Annual Review video captures just a snapshot of this impact, a celebration of our people, our programmes and the pride that drives everything we do.
Thank you for your continued support. Together, we are creating opportunities, inspiring people and changing lives. Sport Aberdeen is more than sport!”
Tony Dawson
Chair
Sport Aberdeen
On Friday 26 September 2025, Sport Aberdeen joined Aberdeen International Airport and AberNecessities to deliver Jet Set Spin, believed to be Europe’s first spin class on an active airfield. The event ran 12:30 to 15:30 while aircraft and helicopters operated nearby, creating a one-off experience that raised over £24,000 for local programmes.
Why JETSETSPIN matters for Sport Aberdeen
The funds raised will go directly to our SPACE programme, helping care-experienced young people take part in physical activity, sport and wellbeing opportunities they might not otherwise access. Jet Set Spin also highlighted the power of local partnerships, showing what can be achieved when organisations and individuals come together.
Led from the saddle
A special thank you to Mark Wallace, Health & Fitness Retention Manager at Sport Aberdeen, who led the class on the headsets and built the playlist that kept everyone moving. If you’d like to pedal along in your next spin class at Sport Aberdeen click here to visit the official Jet Set Spin 2025 Spotify playlist.
Thank you
- Aberdeen International Airport for opening the airfield, coordinating safety, and backing the idea end to end.
- Every participant, donor and supporter who made the day happen.
- Our friends at AberNecessities, whose work supports local children and families across the region.
Voices from the event
“Hosting a spin class on an airfield, right next to an active runway takes a lot of organisation so I want to thank the team for their brilliant work to allow us to raise an incredible amount for the two charities.” — Robert Paterson, Head of Operations, Aberdeen International Airport
“As Aberdeen International Airport’s Charity Partner, we were incredibly grateful to be invited to be part of this wonderfully, unique event alongside our friends at Sport Aberdeen. We have been completely overwhelmed, not only by the fantastic amount of funds raised, but by the collective effort of the three organisations to make this inaugural event a ‘high-flying’ success. It really was a day to remember that will make an incredible difference to children in our local community. We can’t thank the Jet Set Squad enough for ‘pedalling with purpose’ and those who donated to ensure that we can continue to gift the essential and basic necessities that ‘No Child Should Go Without’.” — Danielle Flecher-Horn, Founder of AberNecessities
“I’m absolutely delighted with the incredible support we’ve had from our local community, you’ve really got behind this in true Aberdeen style! A huge well done to my fellow spinners who did a fantastic job, not only taking on such a unique challenge but raising much-needed funds to support our SPACE programme. It’s humbling to be part of such an amazing team effort, and on behalf of everyone at Sport Aberdeen, a big heartfelt thank you to each and every person involved.” — Keith Heslop, Chief Executive, Sport Aberdeen
Who pedalled
Big shoutout to all of our participants who gave up their time and energy to make this happen. Thank you to all of these amazing people:
- Keith Heslop and Stewart Macindoe (Sport Aberdeen)
- Robert Paterson (Aberdeen International Airport)
- Danielle Flecher-Horn (AberNecessities)
- Rory Cromarty (EIS Waste)
- Geoff Aberdein (True North Advisors)
- Jay Emmerson (Milton Brasserie)
- Jason Stewart (Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce)
- Barry Duncan (CNR International)
- Sam Milne (Brown Sugar)
- Yasmin Coffey (StudioBe)
- Estera Pawlak (Influencer, Opportunity North East)
- Claire Dunn (Outmilers)
- Laura Anderson (TV and radio personality, Love Island)
- Kenny Cope (Space Solutions)
- Cheryl Henderson (Munro’s Travel)
- Leigh-Ann Rogie (ThinkPR)
- Paul Binnie (Nomad Infrastructure)
- Kelci Graham (Neospace)
- Sarah Gillanders (Married at First Sight UK, Major Recruitment)
How you can help
Jet Set Spin might be over for this year but that doesn’t mean we don’t continue to need your support. Sport Aberdeen relies on partnerships, fundraising, and volunteers to deliver a multitude of community and youth focused programmes. Creating opportunities, inspiring people, and changing lives through sport and physical activity. Here’s just a few ways you can still get involved:
- Donate or share the official fundraiser page to keep the momentum going.
- Volunteer your time or skills with Sport Aberdeen.
- Talk to us about hosting or backing a future challenge event.
Young swimmers in Aberdeen had the chance to take to the water alongside Olympic and Paralympic champions during a landmark Learn to Swim event at Get active @ Northfield.
The session marked the start of Learn to Swim Month and celebrated Sport Aberdeen being named 2024 Learn to Swim Provider of the Year.
More than 40 children joined Olympian Duncan Scott and Paralympic medallist Toni Shaw in the pool for a special session recognising Aberdeen’s role in helping to create “Generation Swim” – a new wave of confident and capable swimmers.
The Learn to Swim National Framework is delivered in partnership between Scottish Swimming and Scottish Water, with Sport Aberdeen supporting over 5,600 children each week through lessons across the city.
Inspiring the Next Generation
Duncan Scott said:
“Getting in the pool with the young swimmers in Aberdeen has been a brilliant way to celebrate Learn to Swim. These sessions go way beyond technique, they’re about helping kids become safer, healthier and more confident in and around the water.”
Local star Toni Shaw, who began her swimming journey in Aberdeen, added:
“As someone who learned to swim in this city, it’s incredibly special to return and see the enthusiasm these kids have. I know from experience how powerful swimming can be in shaping confidence, friendships and ambition.”
Sport Aberdeen Recognised Nationally
The Provider of the Year title was awarded to Sport Aberdeen for its commitment to teaching water safety and swimming skills, with particular recognition for:
- Strong links with local swimming clubs
- Partnership working across the city
- Programmes for children with additional support needs
Dianne Breen, Coached Programme Manager for Sport Aberdeen, said:
“We are incredibly proud to be part of this national programme, which continues to transform lives here in Aberdeen. Welcoming Duncan and Toni was a brilliant experience not just for the children, but also for our staff, who work tirelessly every week to ensure the highest standards of instruction and safety.”
Building Confidence in the Water
The Learn to Swim Framework has already helped more than 210,000 children across Scotland to become more confident in the water, with a goal of reaching a further 50,000 by 2028.
Sport Aberdeen lessons help youngsters build key life-saving skills such as floating, stroke technique and water confidence, laying the foundations for lifelong fitness and wellbeing.
Find out more
Learn more about the national Learn to Swim programme: Scottish Swimming Learn to Swim
Explore swimming lessons in Aberdeen: Sport Aberdeen Swimming
Scots tennis coach hopes ‘Learn to Lead’ will promote healthy, active lifestyles
Judy Murray has today (Thursday 5 June) launched an exciting new initiative to equip and empower young girls to become Scotland’s next generation of sporting leaders.
The Learn to Lead programme will see the tennis coach work with schools across Scotland to inspire and support youngsters to stay active and develop leadership skills.
Murray, a former GB Federation Cup captain and mother to two former world number one tennis players, Jamie and Andy Murray, believes urgent action is needed to turn around a worrying trend which continues to see millions of girls drop out of sports as they enter their teenage years.
Research conducted by Women in Sport found that 1.3 million teenage girls who had previously considered themselves ‘sporty’ are dropping out of exercise and activity when they leave primary school.
Learn to Lead looks to target youngsters ahead of their move to high school, giving them the opportunity not only to play sport, but to coach it too.
The programme will give p6 and p7 pupils (aged 10-12 years) the chance to develop basic leadership and organisational skills by empowering them to set up and run lunchtime or after school tennis clubs for p1 to p4 girls (aged 4-9 years).
The clubs, which can be run in school gyms or playgrounds, will incorporate fun-filled games and exercises in a playful environment, building on Murray’s successful Miss Hits programme, which was launched UK-wide in 2014.
Although a teacher will be required to supervise, Learn to Lead allows older primary pupils to take charge by planning, setting up, demonstrating and running activities for the younger girls, sharing their knowledge and passion for the sport.
Initially, Murray will partner with 20 schools across Scotland, targeting primary schools with a local tennis club or equivalent facilities nearby, ensuring girls have a convenient place they can continue playing should they wish to do so.
Learn to Lead has been piloted in Aberdeen city and Aberdeenshire, where dozens of youngsters have been introduced to both tennis and leadership, with many now progressing to play with local clubs.
Judy Murray said: “As a female tennis coach, I want to inspire the next generation of girls to learn to lead sporting activity so I can be confident that once I have retired, we have a well-trained coaching workforce in place and ready to continue growing the girl’s side of the game.
“I believe Learn to Lead will help us to not just get girls playing sport at a young age but keep them engaged throughout their lives and perhaps even provide a route towards careers in coaching or developing sport.
“My life has revolved around sport and as well as the obvious physical and mental health benefits that brings, the life skills you develop by being part of a sport really prepare you for what adulthood will throw at you. And of course, the friendships you form often last a lifetime.
“It worries me that so many girls drop out of sport in their teenage years. I hope this programme can help address some of the issues around this by providing a fun and friendly atmosphere with development options too.
“Whether girls go on to become competitive players, coaches or just develop a love for sport at any level, this is about growing participation and getting young girls active.
“I am really proud of what Miss Hits has already achieved, and hope that over the coming months we can build on this with our junior workforce leading the way.”
Sarah Fraser, lead active schools coordinator (projects) at Sport Aberdeen, said: “Learn to Lead has been a huge hit. From our initial work with the programme we have already seen huge benefits for the girls involved. For some of the younger girls this has been the first sports club they’ve been involved in, and it has given them a chance to try out tennis. For the older girls who are leading the classes, we have been struck by the confidence and leadership skills they have gained.
“I would definitely encourage schools to get involved. Learn to Lead is easy to pick up and deliver, and it is a great way to support girls to not just try sports, but to continue playing and develop their skills as they approach their teenage years and beyond.”
Regular attendees at Sport Aberdeen’s ASN table tennis sessions competed at the Perth & Kinross Disability Games last month, with some securing medals!
Organised by Sport Aberdeen’s community sport team in partnership with Aberdeen District Table Tennis Association, the weekly table tennis sessions take place on Monday evenings from 18:00 to 19:30 at Get active @ Westburn and are always free to attend.
Amongst the medal winners were three participants from Aberdeen Amputees Table Tennis Club who appreciate attending Sport Aberdeen’s weekly sessions, remarking that it is a great way to gain extra training time.
The list of medal winners is as follows:
- Alex Rae – Gold in Learning Disability Group
- Kenny Shewan – Gold in Ambulent Amputee Group
- Atholl Smart – Bronze in Ambulent Amputee Group
- Lee- Ann Shaw – Silver in Ambulent Amputee Group
Congratulations to everyone who took part! Donna Fraser – a regular at the weekly sessions – also enjoyed attending.
Any individuals with additional support needs keen to play table tennis and make new friends is welcome to come along to the Monday evening sessions at Get active @ Westburn.
There is no need to book in advance, simply show up! To find out more, email communitysport@sportaberdeen.co.uk
Last Friday 30th May, we said farewell to Stella Farr after 26 years of her hard work and commitment working in our aquatics and coached programmes team.
Stella worked out of seven different locations in her time and originally started out with Aberdeen City Council, prior to Sport Aberdeen becoming a registered charity and arms length organisation in 2010.
From starting out in a storage cupboard behind the lifts on the 5th floor of St Nicholas House (four people crammed into a tiny space!) to latterly working at Sport Aberdeen’s open, bright and spacious HQ on the 4th Floor of the Kings Church building in Bridge of Don, Stella has seen it all.
One of Stella’s standout moments was when Sport Aberdeen won Scottish Swimming’s ‘Learn to Swim Provider of the Year’ award in 2017 – the inaugural year in front of a celebratory home crowd in Aberdeen.
Stella’s team view her as the ‘go to person’ for any problems as her knowledge is unparalleled. To put it into perspective, here are some approximate numbers of Stella’s achievements:
- Personally allocated over 20,000 participants into classes
- Over 150,000 calls made and answered
- Written over 100,000 individual emails in the last 10 years
- And in the days before the online On Course platform – stuffed over 10,000 envelopes (the stuffing machine was always broken!)
Above L-R: Dianne Breen, Stella Far and Keith Heslop (CEO)
Dianne Breen, Coached Programmes Manager and Stella’s former boss, said: “Stella was on sabbatical when I took on the Aquatics team in 2009 and I was pretty intimidated by her reputation — I heard stories about her straight-talking, no-nonsense approach and her ability to call out incompetence from a mile away.
“What I found was that yes, she is fierce. Yes, she has the uncanny ability to spot a problem before it even happens. And yes, she holds everyone — and I mean everyone — to her impossibly high standards. But what I didn’t expect was just how much heart she has for this job, for the people she works with, and, most importantly, for teaching people to swim.
“She’s the AI of coached programmes — fast, accurate and basically knows everything. But she’s also got this huge heart, and it’s the passion she has for her work that makes her so fabulous.
“She’s sharp, quick-witted and often has us in stitches, whether she’s recounting an interaction with a customer or just giving someone that look when they ask a ridiculous question or frustrate her. We all know the look!
“One of her most memorable phone calls was a customer she had been chasing for a while over unpaid debt. The customer advised that he didn’t need to pay the required amount as he had an agreement in place over how he was going to repay the debt – when Stella asked who this agreement was with, he confidently advised the agreement was with himself.
“When Stella repeated out loud “so you made the agreement with yourself?”, the whole team just about hit the floor – the perks of an open plan office!”
Dianne recalls another one of Stella’s many entertaining interactions:
“Stella was trying to chase a customer for payment but they had SO many excuses – ‘on the bus’, ‘don’t have my card’, ‘can’t speak just now’, ‘I’m on the way to doctors with my daughter who’s got diarrhoea’ – Stella kindly reminded the customer that this had been ongoing for weeks, only to be met with the customer’s response: ‘don’t you have a heart?’.
“That struck a chord as Stella was going through treatment for heart problems. Phil, another member of the team, was leaving Sport Aberdeen at the time and as he left, he told Stella that she was the kindest heartless person he’d ever known.
“It hasn’t all been smooth sailing for Stella; she had her fair share of health challenges over the years, but in true Stella fashion, she just takes a moment, resets herself and gets back to it. She’s the same with work challenges, whether it’s a restructure (there’s been a few!) or pool closures, she faces them all with resilience.
“She’s been the glue that’s held us together, even when it felt like we had never ending paperwork, emails, phone messages dealing with covid and primary payers and direct debits… the list goes on.”
Everyone from Sport Aberdeen wishes Stella all the best for her retirement and will miss her loads!
Sport Aberdeen Fitness member Mick Peel shares his remarkable and inspirational weight loss journey and how he lives with vasculitis.
In his younger years, Mick followed in the footsteps of his Mum and Dad who were both in the Armed Forces and decided to join at 16 years old, serving his time with the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards.
Sadly, Mick’s vasculitis started around six years ago; he was faced with frequent trips in and out of hospital for eight months before he was diagnosed.
Vasculitis is the name given to a group of conditions that cause inflammation of the blood vessels. With the disease, it is common to have one attack in 15 years, but Mick suffered 22 attacks in the space of seven months and couldn’t swim because of inflammation to his skin.
Mick described his situation: “I put on 10 stone since everything happened. My mobility was getting worse and worse.
“I’ve always been a big guy but not as big as I got and I had a lot of joint pain. It feels like I’m walking on glass all the time.
“I had bad days; I couldn’t even get out of my bed due to being in so much pain.”
After four years of living with the condition, Mick asked if he could go swimming again as it was his favourite activity and how he built his fitness back up with Sport Aberdeen.
He said: “I started with Steady Steps to get me going – I recognised the instructor Brian Harrison as he was ex-Scots Guards and so am I. Everything is on the chair, focused on getting your strength up again.
“I also found out there were other things so I started playing table tennis at Get active @ Jesmond but that was too aerobic for me, even though everyone there was older than me.
“I went to aqua aerobics classes on a Monday and Friday then started going to Good Boost classes at Tullos Swimming Pool as a man in Bucksburn told me about them.
“I was enjoying the water so much as there’s no impact at all – I’ve always been a really good swimmer and I love it.
“Every Friday morning, I get my bloods done at the hospital, so I was no longer able to go to a circuits class at Get active @ Sheddocksley that I once tried. So, I thought, what else can I do? I want to go to the gym and feel what I can do so I went to Live Well Gym at Get active @ Sheddocksley.
“The instructor Lee Hood is great. He knows what he is speaking about and takes care – he looks at what you can do and gave me a refresher and he is now going to make me a programme.”
Counterweight Programme participation
Mick took part in Sport Aberdeen’s Counterweight Programme from September to December in 2024 – a partnership with NHS Grampian to support those at risk of type 2 diabetes or looking for support with weight management to be active and live well.
When Mick took part in the programme at Get active @ Alex Collie, his target weight loss was 9kg and he lost 12kg. He was 35 stone and is now 26 stone. For the last two months, he has been on a no sugar diet.
Speaking so highly of his experience with Sport Aberdeen, Mick said: “I hope this doesn’t ever end for me because this has been such an amazing journey so far. I don’t know what I’d do without Sport Aberdeen.
“Without the pools, I wouldn’t be here. I would still be sitting in my house getting bigger.
“Sport Aberdeen really have been amazing. All the staff as well have been amazing.
“Every gym you go to, it’s lovely now. I wish I could do more, maybe at some point I will be able to.
“I’m doing stuff with my family which I couldn’t do before thanks to Sport Aberdeen again, it’s been insane.
“It’s not just the exercise – it’s the social side as well. They’re all older than me, people have coffee afterwards. Even during Good Boost sessions, you’re working and talking – that’s the fun part about it.
“If I remember rightly, when I used to go to the gym years and years ago, you know, you’d walk into the gym and everyone was buff and it could be a bit daunting, but not now. Especially not with your classes.
“Spot on for Sport Aberdeen doing that as well. There’s a guy I see at the gym on the bike with one leg and there’s nobody looking at him.
“I don’t know what else to say, the journey has been amazing and it’s only been a year so far.
“I can’t say it anymore can I, Sport Aberdeen has been absolutely amazing and even my family see a huge difference.
“The dark days were bad; I don’t even get there anymore. Yes I have bad days and I have to live with vasculitis, it’s always gonna be there, but I know if I’ve got swimming then I’ve got to get up.
“I know getting there will be so sore but once I’m in the pool, it’s fantastic! Even if I’m not actually swimming, just moving my body in the water really helps.
“Sport Aberdeen has been a god send.”
Mick’s typical weekly routine with Sport Aberdeen now looks like:
Monday: two morning swimming sessions at Get active @ Northfield, with an afternoon gym session at Get active @ Sheddocksley depending on how he feels
Tuesday: rest day
Wednesday: two Good Boost swimming sessions at Tullos Swimming Pool, followed by a public swimming session in the big pool to attempt a couple of lengths
Thursday: rest day
Friday: Live Well Gym at 12:00 at Get active @ Sheddocksley followed by a Good Boost session in Get active @ Northfield swimming pool
“I do eight sessions a week and it’s totally worth the money, it really is. Even if I had to pay £100 to do it, if I could do it, I would be doing it.
“I don’t work, so that was another issue for me. Then somebody told me about Get active for Less so I put my name forward and now I have that so I get a reduced rate.
“If I didn’t have Sport Aberdeen, I’d be lost. It does take up a lot of my week, even at weekends I’m waiting for Monday to come, you know what I mean? “The endorphins help; it makes you happy.”
Funded by Scottish Cycling and its Rock Up & Ride Programme, Sport Aberdeen’s community sport cycling project activator (working in partnership with Sustrans and Aberdeen City Council’s Family Learning Department) delivered a family cycling session at Bramble Brae Primary School in Northfield during the 2024 Easter holidays.
The initial aim of the session focused on educating parents on how to cycle safely as a family, whilst engaging both the children and their parents in a cycling activity. Secondary aims were to teach children to ride and encourage their parents back onto bicycles too.
Young non-pedallers had stabilisers removed and were encouraged to practice balance biking and braking before having a go at pedalling. Whilst these younger children were occupied learning to pedal, parents were persuaded onto bikes to have a go too (instead of watching their children) and a combined session was delivered with both parents and older children. The focus was on basic cycling skills, including braking and using gears, as well as tips on how to cycle safely as a family, the importance wearing a helmet and M-checking a bike before setting off.
Above: Laura Benson, Cycling Project Activator from Sport Aberdeen
Suzy was one of the parents who turned up with her child hoping for them to learn to ride but not expecting to ride herself. Having not been on a bike since she was a child, she was understandably nervous but with her son engaged in a learn to ride session, Suzy had the opportunity to have a go at cycling for herself. She clearly enjoyed being back on a bike and remarked at her surprise and delight at being able to remember how to ride! Turns out it really is “just like riding a bike”.
Suzy was invited to join Rock Up & Ride Thursday morning sessions riding from the Aberdeen Cycle Hub @ Seaton, near the beach. Initially, Suzy was extremely nervous and lacked confidence on her bike, but slowly over the months she attended, she grew in confidence.
The weekly rides are short and social, designed to build up participants’ cycling confidence and are usually based away from main roads. Suzy – along with her peers – has transformed from an initially nervous, unconfident rider, to one who encourages others along to the weekly rides.
Rock Up & Ride provides bikes and helmets to participants who don’t have their own and led rides are a welcome break from the stresses of parenthood. They combine gentle exercise with the experience of being outdoors in a friendly group environment. Over weeks of pedalling together, the group has chatted and enjoyed each other’s company cycling in a variety of weather conditions. Dolphins, skylarks, cold water swimmers and a traditional Shetland herring fishing boat have been spotted – to name a few and the riders have toured the local community hydropower scheme situated on the nearby River Don.
“The rides are relaxed and a good way to switch off for that hour and just enjoy the scenery, chat and building confidence each week“.
– Suzy, Rock Up & Ride participant
Leading into winter, Suzy expressed a concern that cycling in the cold might negatively affect her health, expressing that as a single parent, she couldn’t afford to get ill. The project decided to trial using basic turbo trainers located at the Aberdeen Cycle Hub @ Seaton whenever the weather was particularly cold or unpleasant. Initial comments were that cycling on a turbo was harder work than going outside for rides, but the ladies got stuck in and it is the intention to continue with these sessions whenever the weather isn’t conducive to outdoor cycling, although the preference is always to be outdoors where possible.
Looking forward, Suzy is still cautious cycling anywhere near a road but now rides short, shepherded sections on quiet roads and has voiced an interest in being able to cycle a little further in the future. Her overall aim is to teach her youngest to pedal and take her kids cycling in the future, whilst feeling confident doing so.
“To begin with I was unsure, however Laura makes you feel at ease and the group cycling has increased my confidence at using a bike safely and each week this is growing as my main goal is to take my son for a cycle and if it wasn’t for Laura and her team this wouldn’t be possible“.
– Suzy, Rock Up & Ride participant