Sport Aberdeen’s Active Schools team was delighted to receive funding of £3037 in November after a successful application to the Aberdeen City Health Improvement fund to deliver its ‘Stay, Play & Connect’ programme.

The programme offers sessions across the city to help young people with neurological conditions, hearing or visual impairments to be more physically active by creating an inclusive and non-judgemental environment.

So far, 65 young people have attended throughout February across 10 different sessions, with 41 of these being first time participants.

The sessions have taken place at 8 different venues and pupils from 22 different schools have taken part from all stages of primary school, as well as some S1, S2 and S5 pupils.

Each session is delivered in a relaxed environment offering exploration through play in style with equipment set up to allow all participants to engage with it as and when they choose to do so.

More sport-specific activities are also offered including basketball and tennis and sensory and play equipment.

The sessions are for the whole family to attend so that parents and carers have the opportunity to socialise with other parents and create a community they feel a part of. Siblings can also attend, eliminating any issues around childcare. 

One participant who attended said: “I would just like to say how much we have enjoyed the sessions and hope they continue to run moving forward, as there are limited classes for children with ASN across the City.”

Another person who goes to the sessions added: “We have attended many of the sessions across Aberdeen city and the staff have been absolutely brilliant with my son who has ADHD. He can be very rough and hyper! There is no judgement and they know exactly how to speak to him and guide him when he’s doing something he shouldn’t.”

A parent of one of the children who attends said: “I loved the relaxed sessions and my son enjoyed the activities also. I felt at ease knowing that my child could be himself and no-one would stare. And the icing on the cake you can bring siblings!” 

Another parent said: “I am really pleased we found these sessions; my child is much happier and calmer on days we’ve attended and he looks forward to the sessions. He has taken a shine to Scott and Jamie and looks forward to seeing them each week!”

On the evening of Sunday 10 March, Aberdeen Synchronised Ice Skating Club held its end of season showcase at Linx Ice Arena which was deemed a huge success, raising almost £500 on the night.

To mark the end of the 2023/2024 season, the club’s five teams performed their routines to family, friends, invited guests and skaters interested in joining the club, with skaters ranging in age from 8 years old up to their most senior skater who is in her 70s.

Head coach, Sara Paterson, was delighted with how the evening went: “At the end of the season we invite all our families and friends down to the rink in an evening to see the end product of our hard work.

“This year Keith Heslop, CEO, and Lois Barnard, Group Operations Manager, from Sport Aberdeen also kindly attended and it’s great to have their support.

“Synchro sessions take place early morning and late at night so they tend to happen away from the public eye, so it’s nice to have an evening where the kids can show off all their hard work to what turned out to be a pretty big audience.”

“We also had some members performing solo routines. It really was a great showcase of the vast talent our club has produced and a testament to all the hard work they have put in over the year.”

The event comes at the end of a successful season for the club who came home from the Scottish Championships with 4 Scottish titles in pre-juvenile, basic novice, beginner and senior B.

The 5 teams part of the club skated in both the Trophy D’Ecosse in Dumfries and the Steel City Trophy in Sheffield. 

Results were as follows:

TROPHY d’Ecosse 

• Starz – 2nd 
• Lil Starz – 2nd 
• Topaz – 3rd 
• Zariba – 1st 
• Quartz – 5th

Steel City Trophy International 

• Starz – 4th
• Lil Starz – 4th
• Topaz – 4th 
• Zariba – 2nd 
• Quartz – 8th

Images courtesy of RS Photography

Each year, on March 8, the world marks and celebrates International Women’s Day (IWD) to recognise the collective commitment to achieving gender equality.

This year’s theme is to “Inspire Inclusion” which emphasises the importance of diversity and empowerment across all aspects of society.

We spoke to one of our Active Schools Coordinators covering the Northfield Associated Schools Group (ASG) – Stacey Stuart – to hear about her role and how she enjoys trying to increase female participation in sport and physical activity. 

Reflecting on her time at school, Stacey said: “I did Higher PE at school, but I was one of only three girls in the class.

“I also did gymnastics and athletics as hobbies and completed coaching qualifications in both sports – by working as a coach, this saved me from having to pay any tuition fees in gymnastics or athletics, so it was a win, win.

“I studied sport and physical activity at the University of Strathclyde and completed an exchange year with Laurentian University in Canada.

“My first post-uni role was working as a sports assistant and lifeguard at Robert Gordon University (RGU) and whilst there, I gained my fitness instructor qualification and started teaching classes.

“I then took a gap year and went travelling to places including Vietnam, Singapore and New Zealand which was lots of fun!

“Once I returned from my travels, I worked for Barnardo’s in a children’s residential unit and started coaching for Active Schools on the side – Graeme Dale was the Active Schools Coordinator I worked for at the time.

 “My next stint saw me change direction and work in corporate fitness for a period of time, and then I worked in a few administration roles in the oil and gas industry. It was the right time to leave oil and gas when I had my first child. 

“The ‘Looked After Project’ is what I worked on next, now known as the SPACE (Supported Physical Activity for Care Experienced) programme through Sport Aberdeen. Then I went on to have my third child.

“I enjoyed working for the Looked After Project, so I ended up going back to do this and I worked at one of the vulnerable children’s hubs in Manor Park School for a year through Covid. I then got promoted to Active Schools Coordinator and my previous experience made me the one best suited to being based in the Northfield area.

“I have worked for Active Schools now for over five years and it’s great because the schools in my area really buy into it – they really believe that sport is for the greater good.”

Helping to inspire more young girls to get into sport and physical activity…

Stacey stated that participation in sport and physical activity between boys and girls at primary school age is about 50/50, but at Academy age, there is a much higher drop off in female participation.

She said: “I totally notice a shift in attitude. Primary 7 girls will be feisty and competitive and then when they join S1 you see such a drop off. I suppose when you’re younger, you are care free and then in secondary school, you’re trying to fit in and change your social circles.

“There are various ways we try to boost participation from young females at Northfield Academy and some of the ways we do this are through fitness classes and dance classes.

“We also keep gym kit in the classroom so that girls can use this and then once they are old enough, they can progress over to Get active @ Northfield and become Teen Fitness members to use the gym.

“Some of the young people we work with receive free supported memberships. 

“We’ve put on girls only sessions in the past and during exam periods, we carried out stress buster sessions and took the girls out for walks so they could reap the benefits of being out in the fresh air and exploring.

“We pretty much try to give them as many opportunities as possible and it helps that a lot of them want to get into sports coaching or studying a sport-related subject at college.

“One of the girls I supported Kerin is now at college studying sports coaching and is an Active Schools Volunteer – she is a finalist in the ‘Young Coach/Young Volunteer of the Year’ category of the Aberdeen Sports Awards 2024 so I’m wishing her loads of luck.”

Stacey’s advice…

“Don’t let any stigma around something put you off, and don’t compare yourself to others – focus on you.

“Everyone has their successes and differences at school, and not everything has to be academic-based. Learn to appreciate why you are different from someone else and allow yourself to embrace it.

“Just because you think someone else is better than you at something, doesn’t mean you can’t do that same sport or activity and enjoy it too. Everyone has a chance and you can still enjoy participating in something without having to be the best.”

International Women’s Day is a global day celebrated on March 8, recognising the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.

At Sport Aberdeen, we want to create an environment that helps to forge a better, more inclusive world for women and collectively celebrate their achievements.

We spoke to our Group Health & Fitness Manager, Evelyn Mair about her journey to date and what inspired her to pursue a career in the fitness industry.

Reflecting on her school days, Evelyn tells us: “I wasn’t into PE or sport when I was at school, I think having to wear little blue pants and a white vest was probably the most off-putting part.

“However, I did do Shotokan Karate through to age 21 – I started karate when I was 8 years old, so I was very active, training 5 days per week, even though PE wasn’t my thing.

“My experience with karate was very positive and inclusive despite it stereotypically being male-dominated back then.”

“I achieved black belt when I was 12 years old (1^st dan) and competed for Scotland in both the singles and ladies’ team. I then got my 2^nd dan when I was 16 and I still keep in touch with my Sensei now, he is one of my greatest role models and was like a second dad to me.

“At school I always wanted to be a dentist, but I didn’t get the grades I needed for university, so I went on to study dental hygiene and nursing at Edinburgh Telford College for two years.  

“I worked as a dental nurse for a couple of years and decided that university wasn’t the right path for me. 

“Opting for a different route, I then worked in bar management and the hospitality industry for Caledonian Heritable in Edinburgh. Strangely this was a higher paid industry than one that required me to study for two years; I absolutely loved it and met so many amazing people who helped to influence the person I am today.”

“When I fell pregnant with my first son, the 3am finishes just weren’t practical anymore, so I considered other options.

“My family have always been and still are heavily into sport and fitness, so I leaned into this and completed my Level 2 Gym Instructor course and worked in a small hotel gym in Dunfermline to build my confidence.

“I moved up to Aberdeen in 2003 and worked for Aberdeen Leisure (what was Sport Aberdeen back then) as a gym instructor at the Beach Leisure Centre.

“I then worked at Bannatyne Health Club & Spa in Aberdeen for 15 years as a part-time gym instructor and picked up other qualifications along the way such as Les Mills Body Combat Attack, Pump & Vive, Indoor Cycling, Aqua Aerobics, Kettlebells, as well as my Level 3 Personal Trainer course.

“I became the Fitness Manager in 2005 for four years, and then from 2009 to 2018 I was appointed as General Manager.

“I think working in the fitness industry has made me realise that I am motivated by helping people to become the best version of themselves – seeing people happy in the environment that you create gives you a real buzz.  

“In 2018 I started at Sport Aberdeen in the role of Group Operations Manager, I went for this role so I could progress but still stay close to home.

“I really enjoy my role now as Group Health & Fitness Manager at Sport Aberdeen – I started in post in September 2022 and prior to this I worked within the Active Schools division for a year (from April 2021 – April 2022).  

We asked Evelyn about her greatest piece of advice for young females…

“Trust yourself, go with your gut, don’t be swayed by the masses. Try new things, get comfortable with being uncomfortable and take risks.”

“It’s so easy to let self-doubt get in the way and talk yourself out of something, but my advice is to be open to trying new things, you never know you might like it or at the very least, you will learn something about yourself.”

“I started CrossFit almost 8 years ago – when I first walked in, I almost walked straight back out. To this day I am still learning, practicing, challenging myself and progressing…

“Don’t ever not walk through the door because you don’t think you can – you absolutely can so have that belief in yourself.”

We are excited to announce alongside North East Active Parkinson’s Group, Parkinson’s UK, Robert Gordon University, and AFC Community Trust a new Walking Football session for those living with Parkinson’s.

The inaugural session took place from 1100 to 1230 at Get active @ Kincorth sports hall on Friday 9 February.

Sessions on the 8^th March will still be indoors at Get active @ Kincorth, and the first outdoor session at Adventure Aberdeen Snowsports will be held on the 15^th March.

The programme gives a great chance for those with Parkinson’s to stay active which is proven to slow the disease process and help with pain.

Andrinne Craig, Healthy Communities Manager at Sport Aberdeen, said: “We are delighted to be working alongside our partners to bring walking football to a new group of players in Aberdeen.

“Being regularly active is beneficial in helping manage some of the symptoms of Parkinson’s and it’s great to be adding a team sport to our programme which will offer camaraderie and peer support.

“It is our hope that the pilot programme will help break down barriers and ensure everyone in Aberdeen, regardless of their health, can get active and connect with others in the same position as themselves.”

Gary Laing  at North East Active Parkinson’s Group, said: “As someone who has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s since 2016 I am aware of the importance of regular exercise, I am keen, along with other members of the North East Active Parkinson’s (NEAP) group, to support these walking football sessions and get as many PWP involved. It’s a great activity to help develop and maintain regular exercise whilst meeting up people in a similar situation.

“NEAP is a local group and with the support of Parkinson’s Scotland whose aim is to encourage People with Parkinson’s to continue with regular exercise sessions and to meet with other People with Parkinson’s.”

Amanda McKay, Physical Activity Delivery Manager for Parkinson’s UK in Scotland, said: “We are delighted to be working with partners to create a walking football programme for people with Parkinson’s in Aberdeen. We are supporting this work through our Physical Activity Grants Programme.

“Physical activity can help people with Parkinson’s live better with some of the symptoms of the condition, improve their wellbeing and lift their mood.

“We encourage anyone interested to come along, get active and become part of a real community of support.”

For participants interested in this incredible class, they should phone 01224 507701 or email  activelifestyles@sportaberdeen.co.uk

The ProActive Minds programme is a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) between Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) and Sport Aberdeen, created to embed the principles of sport and exercise psychology within Aberdeen schools.

Sport and exercise psychologist Dr Ciara Reidy is the KTP Associate employed to drive the project forward, with her knowledge integrated throughout the existing work of the Active Schools team as well as more widely across every area of Sport Aberdeen.

Further details on initiatives taking place as part of the project are highlighted below.  

Active Schools Leadership Programme

The Active Schools Leadership Programme proved to be a transformative experience for the young participants involved, helping them develop personal growth and leadership skills.

Throughout the summer, approximately 12 young people per course, predominantly S3s and S4s, engaged in dynamic leadership courses at St Machar Academy, Northfield Academy, Bucksburn Academy and Hazlehead Primary School.

The programme began with an activity exploring fear, hopes and concerns, allowing the students to express apprehensions about making friends and more. Following the leadership activities, the programme integrated reflective sessions, providing the participants with notebooks to document their experiences, both good and bad. These notebooks served as a tangible reflection of their achievements, fostering a more developed understanding of their personal growth.

A symbolic Gingerbread person was used at the start and end of the notebook to show the progressive journey of each young person through the programme. The overwhelmingly positive feedback from the young people highlights the programme’s success in nurturing leadership skills and instilling a sense of accomplishment and self-awareness.

Summer Holiday Camps

ProActive Minds holiday camps provide more than just physical activities for young children; they prioritise the mental well-being of participants through thoughtful initiatives.

During the school holidays, Sport Aberdeen runs a series of holiday camps for children and young people. The ProActive Minds project introduced daily mental health check-ins during a select number of holiday camps as a pilot to ensure each child’s emotional wellbeing was acknowledged.

During warm-ups and cool-downs, coaches conducted brief 5-minute wellbeing check-ins, opening up the dialogue an allowing the young people to feel comfortable when speaking about their feelings.

“Just Being” Mental Health Training

Another great example of work carried out by the ProActive Minds project was the “Just Being” mental health training programme, designed to create a person-centred, safe space for young people.

Active Schools Assistants and Project Activators working for the SPACE and community sport teams received the training initially across two days, with a focus on fostering an environment that encourages active listening, reflection, and empowerment of a young person’s voice.

The goal of Just Being is to eliminate barriers between coaches or support staff and the young people they are interacting with, showing the staff that all they need to do is simply be themselves and truly listen. By embracing this approach, those working with young people are equipped with the tools to create a supportive atmosphere that benefits not only the Active Schools Assistants and Project Activators, but also the young people they are helping.

Being Me Pilot

Another fantastic upcoming ProActive Minds pilot is called “Being Me”, dedicated to supporting young people in navigating the complexities of body image, aiming to reduce body dissatisfaction. In collaboration with Aberdeen City Council’s education department, the initiative will be piloted in selected schools who have been identified that could benefit from the support.

Employing a comprehensive full year group approach, Being Me will have a combination of full-class sessions and private tasks throughout the programme. The curriculum covers various aspects including body ideals, body comparison, appearance teasing and prejudice, with different themes addressed during group work sessions. The pre-intervention phase is crucial for understanding and combating the challenges faced by young people. The programme emphasises that there is no perfect standard and encourages students to focus on areas of positivity and what they like about themselves.

Through interactive activities including different games of physical activity, the initiative delves into the impact of social media and everyday life comparisons. Various examples including sport stars with diverse body types are highlighted to promote acceptance and appreciation. Homework assignments include identifying false glamour, encouraging continued learning beyond the programme’s duration.

With Active Schools Assistants delivering the programme across six schools, the “Being Me” initiative started in January for P5 and April for P6, aiming to instil lasting positive perspectives on body image.

If you would like to find out more about the ProActive Minds project, click here.

In an effort to enhance relationships between Sport Aberdeen and local schools, a group of 20 girls were invited down for a group bike session, studio fitness and small group sessions in the gym at Get active @ Jesmond. This was a 4-week block which took place prior to the Christmas holidays.

Pupils from Oldmachar Academy thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to take part in what was a new experience for most of them.

Following the success of the sessions, S3 boys have since been given the opportunity to visit and practice their gym-based lifts and exercises under personal trainer, teacher and Active Schools supervision.

17 of the 20 girls who participated in the sessions at Get active @ Jesmond said they really enjoyed the classes and as a result, feel more confident in an exercise-based setting. Many of the girls are now considering joining as Sport Aberdeen members.

Enrika, who particularly enjoyed the different challenge, said: “It was something new, away from the school in a new environment. I liked the fact it was mainly all girls which allowed me to build confidence. I really appreciated this opportunity and it allowed me to have the correct mindset around exercising in a public gym.”

Another female who participated, Grace, said she has been enjoying the environment at the gym: “I volunteered to join one of the small groups who trained in the gym, I really liked this as we worked on squat variations and weight machines.

“The employees were really nice, funny and comforting. They explained the exercises well and talked us through warm-ups, gym routines/plans and cool downs. This has made me less stressed deciding what I can do when going into the gym and I can follow a gym plan which allows me to track my progress.”

Lily said she believes she’s gaining more confidence: “I would say yes, I am more confident, and I didn’t find it as awkward as I thought I would. I was shown new exercises, which I now feel comfortable doing. I really enjoyed the coach part, as it can be difficult when you are doing it on your own or copying a video. I signed up to the gym after the sessions finished.”

If you feel you could benefit from a personalised training plan and advice from our health and fitness instructors, then this is included in our Teen Fitness membership. Find out more here.

On December 14, our Active Schools team organised a Christmas celebration event, inviting care experienced children, young people and their families, as well as young carers and children with social workers to come together for an afternoon of festive fun.

The event took place at Get active @ Westburn and welcomed around 70 young people and their families along, with buses provided to and from the event by Sport Aberdeen. Guests enjoyed food, drink, arts and crafts, a climbing wall and a variety of games, activities and prizes.

A Kit for All stand was also at the event, providing a range of free preloved and recycled sportswear whilst some Active Schools Coordinators were in attendance to keep everyone active and having fun.

During what can be a challenging time of year, it was a brilliant opportunity for the children and their families to spend time together, meet other youngsters whilst also celebrating the festivities and their own personal achievements from the year.

At the end of the evening, each young person was given a gift and selection box to take away with them which were gratefully received.

Those in attendance were thrilled with the evening:

One parent said: “Thanks very much for the invite we loved our first time there and made a few friends. We would love to come back to more events.”

Another parent said: “We had a fantastic time and are very thankful for being able to join you.”
Whilst one parent stated: “It literally was the best festive party and both the kids and myself had a brilliant time and they were chuffed with their gift also.”

A young person who came along said: “Thank you! I had lots of fun and liked the art too.”
With another saying: “That was so good, made it almost to the top [of the tower].”

To find out more about the impactful work carried out through the SPACE (Supported Physical Activity for Care Experienced) programme, click here!

Through effective partnership working with Active Schools, final year BSc (Hons) Sports Coaching students from RGU worked with more than 2,000 pupils from 13 primary schools in Aberdeen on November 7 as part of FUNdamental Movement Day.

The students focused on using playground games to create physical activity opportunities that would enhance fundamental movement skills and encourage them to play more and move more.

Fourth year student Chloe Watson said: “It was a great day experiencing how to manage a fundamental fun day for the children of Aberdeen and it has allowed me to gain experience and give me an insight into my ultimate aim of becoming a primary teacher.

“The day was full of surprises and each session had to be adapted to suit the class needs which has allowed me to develop more as a person and coach. This experience was outstanding in helping align academic teaching into my practice.”

Sport coaching lecturer Thomas Craig said the events, which took place within the different schools, had been positive for the pupils as well as the students.

Thomas said: “I managed to visit all of the schools on the day and the most apparent aspect was the wall of noise with kids having fun whilst participating in physical activity. For various reasons including a loss of green space and accessibility, a number of children lack fundamental movement skills and experiences like jumping, throwing, catching and climbing and our aim was to provide this opportunity with our Active Schools partners at Sport Aberdeen. Importantly, it provided our students with a real life experience that added value to the community, and this is something we’d like to continue and grow in the future.

“RGU and Sport Aberdeen previously managed the Aberdeen Youth Games which fell victim to Covid-19 closures, and we’ve been keen to contribute to a model that supports school pupils with minimal funding.

“Our placement partnerships with Sport Aberdeen, Active Schools Aberdeenshire and individual schools, together with innovative and collaborative events such as the November FUNdamental Movement Days provide us with the opportunity to contribute to our local community utilising both staff and student expertise.”

Sarah Fraser, Lead Active Schools Coordinator at Sport Aberdeen, added: “It was fantastic to have RGU Sport Coaching students out to deliver curricular sessions to 13 primary schools. It was a great opportunity for schools and we hope that we can build on this for next year.”

A popular annual event providing games and entertainment for people with additional support needs celebrated its milestone 25^th anniversary this year.

Organised by Bill Farquhar, supported by Andrinne Craig from Sport Aberdeen and Jim Byers from the Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels Association (ACSHA), Aberdeen Funolympics took place on November 12 at the Beach Ballroom and hosted a variety of team challenges inspired by different sporting activities.  

Volunteers from across the Aberdeen hotel community and Sport Aberdeen employees were on hand to support teams as they navigated through the sports activity stations.

Recognised as a civic event, Aberdeen City Council kindly provided use of the Beach Ballroom as well as the post-games buffet and disco.

15teams participated, and the winning team was Henry Rae Centre. The Endeavor Award is presented to the participant who shows determination, teamwork and joy in taking part, and this year the winner was Courtney Reid from Create Aberdeen. All participants were awarded a medal from the Lord Provost Dr David Cameron and his wife Hazel, Len Ironside CBE and Frank Whitaker, Chair of ACSHA.

Sport Aberdeen received a generous donation of £1,000 from ACSHA to arrange further sports activities for individuals with additional support needs. 

Lord Provost of Aberdeen, Dr David Cameron, said: “I was delighted to be present for the 25^th anniversary of the Fun Games. The event has been established on the community calendar as one that celebrates all that’s good about sport – teamwork, camaraderie, and of course the sheer enjoyment.

“The games are an enduring example of what can be achieved when organisations and volunteers get together behind a great idea. The success is down to the efforts of many, not least the participants and the enthusiasm they bring to the event.”

Andrinne Craig, Healthy Communities Manager, said: “Funolympics is always a joy to be a part of – it provided an afternoon full of fun, entertainment and laughter and it was great to witness all the teams enjoying themselves.

“Thank you to everyone who helped to organise the event and those who volunteered, the afternoon would not be possible without your contributions. 

“We are so grateful to Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels Association for its £1,000 donation to Sport Aberdeen. This will go towards providing more regular sporting opportunities open to those who attend the Funolympics each year, such as our new Boccia sessions at Cummings Park Community Centre.”

Frank Whitaker, General Manager at Park Inn by Radisson and Chair of Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels Association, said: “When you see first-hand how much fun everyone has at the Funolympics, it’s easy to understand why teams from ACSHA Member Hotels look forward to supporting this event every year. It is very worthwhile and a testament to the hard work from Bill, Andrinne and Jim that it continues to be the success that it still is after 25 years.”

Bill Farquhar, said: “It has been an amazing journey to witness the growth and continued success of the Funolympics and to celebrate its 25th event held in November this year.  

“Quite a few of our participants have been with us since the very first Funolympics which was held in the Duthie Park in 1997. The event continues to attract new teams of all abilities and ages and the joy on all their faces competing in the fun filled games gives testament to the popularity of the Funolympics.

“The continued support from Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels Association throughout the years has been fantastic and very much appreciated. 

“I would also like to thank Sport Aberdeen and Aberdeen City Council for their support in making the Funolympics the success it has been.”