Nominations for the prestigious Aberdeen’s Sports Awards, now in their 25th year, officially opened today.
Tony Dawson, Active Aberdeen Partnership Chairman, joined Connor Morrison, 2017 Disability Sports Achiever of the Year, and pupils from Westpark School, 2017’s Primary School of the Year, to mark the official opening of nominations for this year’s event.
This year there will be 18 award categories recognising contributions made by local athletes, volunteers and clubs in encouraging individuals to be active.
This non-profit event is presented by the Active Aberdeen Partnership, a collective of key sport and physical activity organisations in Aberdeen who together are actively promoting sport, physical activity and health opportunities within the city.
This year celebrates the awards 25th year and Mr Dawson today urged people across Aberdeen to come forward and acknowledge those who contribute to the city’s sporting success.
Commenting, Active Aberdeen Partnership Chairman Tony Dawson, said:
“Aberdeen’s Sports Awards are a fantastic way to recognise and celebrate the people in our city who contribute towards our sporting communities.
“Whether it is the voluntary superstars who lend their time to community coaching, or the wealth of talented athletes that Aberdeen has produced, inspiring future generations to come.
“This year we celebrate 25 years of Aberdeen’s Sports Awards, highlighting the city’s wealth of sporting talent and acknowledging the many facilities, clubs, coaches and volunteers that enable participation across the city.
“The Active Aberdeen Partnership champions a move to make Aberdeen the most active city in Scotland by 2020 and these awards shine a spotlight on the people who are dedicated to bringing this vision to life.
“There is still time to sponsor some of our categories, so I would also urge any business or individual looking to support community sport to get in touch to find out more about they can get involved as we celebrate 25 years of sporting success in the city.”
The closing date for applications is Friday 24th August 2018. Click here for more information and the list of categories.
2017 Disability Sports Achiever of the Year winner, Connor Morrison said:
“The Aberdeen Sports Awards is a great way to recognise the success of athletes, coaches and volunteers across the city. The event is a shining example of inclusion with para athletes stories and successes shared to raise awareness of opportunities and show anything is possible”
Do you know a sportsperson, team, club, coach or volunteer who deserves recognition? Nominate them now!
Sport Aberdeen can confirm that the MacKenzie Championship Golf course at Hazlehead Park is to reopen on April 20th (weather permitting), and Golf Aberdeen members can make course bookings from Monday 16th April.
Alistair Robertson, Sport Aberdeen’s Managing Director announced the news, saying: “During the winter we have been doing all we can to prepare all the courses in the city for the golfing season. We have not been helped by the weather, however conditions are improving and we are pleased that the MacKenzie course will again be open for play.”
Sport Aberdeen, which manages the course on behalf of the City Council, also announced that it will be making significant investment to tackle long-standing drainage problems on the MacKenzie course and that this work will commence later in the year.
Robertson added: “in recent months our top priority has been the MacKenzie Championship course and we have been working with Hazlehead Golf Club, our golf committee and golfers to plan a way forward. We have also engaged professional advisers, renowned industry experts and specialist drainage consultants to help find the best value for money solution.
“After careful consideration, we can confirm that we are committed to a detailed programme of drainage and improvement works that will commence in July this year. This is when the weather is dryer and ground conditions are much more favourable which will necessitate the course being closed to give the contractor maximum ease of access and avoid health & safety risks.
“We are also going to leave the course closed for the remainder of 2018. It is important that we protect the investment we are making and allow the ground to recover, improved areas to establish and new growth bed in. This will also provide our maintenance contractor with the opportunity to do other essential works. Our partners at Aberdeen City Council will also undertake a strategic tree management programme to complement all we are doing.”
Sport Aberdeen is committed to creating opportunities, inspiring people and changing lives through sport and physical activity.
Sport Aberdeen is delighted to announce the redevelopment of the outdoor tennis courts at Westburn Tennis Centre.
Funded by Tennis Scotland and sportscotland, this project is part of an overall upgrade to the tennis provision at the centre and further enhances the role that it plays as a critical focal point for tennis participation, coaching and junior development across the North East of Scotland.
Following the redevelopment works, the facility will also provide the centre with a competition standard outdoor playing surface, giving the North East the ability to host tournaments and training programmes for every level of tennis, including performance programmes. These improved outdoor courts will also play a key role in supporting the growth of the Aberdeen Tennis Academy coaching programmes.
Sport Aberdeen is committed to providing quality tennis provisions in Aberdeen, which is reflected by this improvement project and with the recent appointment of a dedicated Community Tennis Coordinator, and highlights the great progress being made with the tennis offering in the city.
Westburn Tennis Centre – Outdoor courts redevelopment project
The works start during week commencing 9th April and is estimated to last for 10-12 weeks.
The outdoor hard court will be closed to the public during the construction works and we anticipate the courts to be open to the public for play from the start of July. The outdoor grass courts will also be available for play from May 2018.
The indoor courts and all tennis programmes will continue as planned.
This is an estimated timeline which may move depending on the progress of the work. As and when we have any updates on the project we will be keeping our website and social media channels up to date.
Planned works
- Outdoor Courts – 4 porous courts will be installed to competition standard, configured to meet LTA specifications
- New floodlighting – will be installed over the 4 courts, upgraded floodlight system to LED over 4 courts
- New fencing – will be installed allowing the courts to be divided into 2 + 2 courts for multi tennis use, giving more capacity for games. A galvanized fence with Gate Access system will be installed. The fencing will allow the opportunity to divide 4 courts into 2 + 2 courts for multi tennis use & increased capacity
Sport Aberdeen is delighted to confirm renovations to Sheddocksley Sports Centre which will modernise the venue and provide customers with a state-of-the-art health and wellness experience.
The work, which will begin in May 2018 and is anticipated to take 10-12 weeks, will involve renovation and extension of the fitness gym, more than doubling the space available; improving the reception space to incorporate a comfortable seating area; and transformation of the existing squash courts into dedicated exercise studios.
Keith Gerrard, Director of Operations and Asset Development, said:
“This is very exciting news for users of Sheddocksley, the local community, and the city as a whole. We are committing expenditure in the region of £250,000 to make significant improvements at the venue which will vastly enhance the offer available to the local community with premium quality equipment and a new exciting inclusive programming of activity.
“Discussions with users and community groups, which have been quietly continuing over a number of months, will now be brought into clearer focus as we raise awareness of the project and ask for views and ideas about the facility, its programme and how it can best serve all local residents.
“Sport Aberdeen is committed to encouraging and supporting people to participate in physical activity, including those who are not currently regularly active. I am confident the centre and everything it will offer will be a real attraction to new members alongside our current loyal customer base.”
During this time reprogramming and relocation of some sessions may be required and normal service will be disrupted for a short period of time. As part of this extensive modernisation work, parts of the building will be closed to the public while the work is ongoing. Whilst there will be disruption to the day-to-day running of the facility, this is crucial work that will ensure the longevity of the centre.
Please find full project information, including estimated work timelines here.
A team of over 80 will assemble in May to take on this year’s BHGE 10k challenge in memory of an Aberdeen man who tragically passed away last year.
The impressive team is named Ali’s Athletes in memory of Ali Repper who passed away aged 27 in April 2017 following his battle with a brain tumour.
Above Steven, Ali and Graham after completing the Baker Hughes 2014
The team, headed up by brothers Graham and Steven Repper, have raised over £50,000 to date for The Brain Tumour Charity and will rally together to take on the North East’s longest running road race this year in memory of Ali, who himself completed the 10K twice, once after his diagnosis in which he also raised money for charity.
Graham Repper, who has had a huge hand in assembling such an inspiring number of runners, said:
“We thought the BHGE 10K was the perfect event for friends and family to gather and run in memory of Ali in his home city, just over a year after he passed. We are hoping to raise vital funds for The Brain Tumour Charity via our supporters group ‘The Repper Brothers Fund’ although raising awareness of brain tumours and the charity is almost equally important.”
The team, which consists of friends, family and others inspired by Ali’s determination, are dedicated to raising awareness and vital funds for UK based charity in recognition of the support it offered Ali and is family after he was given the diagnosis in 2013.
Ali’s Athletes have even inspired off-grid participants, with one budding runner completing the 10k challenge on a treadmill offshore.
Graham continued:
“Ali himself completed the 10K twice, once after diagnosis in which he raised money for The Brain Tumour Charity also. He would be the first to tell you that he was by no means an athlete although showed tremendous determination and strength to complete the race twice – once with a leg fracture and the other after having a big seizure 2K in.
“We think the BHGE 10K has such huge significance for Aberdeen in bringing people together for what is always an extremely fun and family friendly event. It’s an incentive for people to get out there and keep active while in a lot of cases such as our own helping to raise vital funds and awareness for some extremely worthwhile causes.
“There are a significant number of Ali’s Athletes who have taken part previously although there are also many signed up to run who claim they have never run in their life! I have to say it’s the ones who haven’t done much running before out there training hard and showing the rest of us up!”
An exert written by Ali with the support of brothers Steven and Graham shortly before he passed away:
“In August of 2013 at the age of 24 I (Ali) received the news that I had a large and incurable brain tumour – at the time a grade 2 astrocytoma. The only sign had been two seizures I had the previous week. Since diagnosis life took a completely different route with not only the associated epilepsy and medication as a daily reminder but the treatment I have received in recent years. (Biopsy, Surgery x 2, Radiotherapy x 2 and Chemotherapy). I’ve been extremely lucky to have great support from family, friends old and new, medical staff and my work, who have all helped in many ways.
“Through this experience, my brothers (Steven and Graham) and I decided we wanted to give something back and raise money to support others in a similar position. In October 2013 we started our fundraising efforts and in 2014 set up as ‘The Repper Brothers Fund’ – an official supporters group to The Brain Tumour Charity. The Brain Tumour Charity is a fantastic organisation that is doing some great work – saving life’s through research, information, awareness and policy.”
Jill Franks, Sport Aberdeen Director of Business Development, said:
“Hearing of not only Ali’s dedication, but the team of runners who are now rallying together to raise money and awareness for this brilliant charity is truly inspirational and I am certain that he would be extremely proud and overwhelmed by the support people are showing in his memory, ensuring his legacy lives on to the full.
“The BHGE 10k is an event at the heart of our city which brings people together from all walks of life and it is this support and community spirit which brings the race to life. Raising awareness and money for brilliant charities is at the forefront of the BHGE 10k Running Festival and I wish all of Ali’s Athletes the best of luck on the run up and on the day.”
Find out more about how you can use the BHGE 10k Running Festival to raise awareness and funds for your chosen charity here.
A Dyce Primary School pupil’s design has been selected to appear on the water bottles that will be handed out to thousands of runners taking part in the 2018 BHGE 10K road race.
Ten-year-old Shannon Mowat’s design was picked from over 150 entries that were sent into the competition run by Deeside Mineral Water, an official partner of the BHGE 10K Running Festival, now in its 31st year.
The winning design will be printed onto the label appearing on water bottles that will be handed out to the 4,000 runners on race day, Sunday 20th May. Shannon will also have the chance to be part of the official 10k race start and be invited to attend a special tour of the Deeside Mineral Water facilities where she will see her label being applied on to the bottles.
Young people from schools across Aberdeen and Shire were asked to design labels which would encourage children to drink more water and highlight the importance of staying hydrated.
Shannon used her imagination to help to inspire her peers to drink more water by using Sport Aberdeen’s very own mascot in her design, McMurtle the Turtle.
This is the 31st year of the North East’s well-established road race organised by registered charity Sport Aberdeen in partnership with BHGE.
Commenting, Sport Aberdeen’s Director of Business Development Jill Franks said:
“On behalf of Sport Aberdeen, I would like to congratulate Shannon, and say a huge thanks to all of the children who took part in this fun competition. This year we had a record number of designs to choose from which made it extremely hard to pick a winner amongst so many brilliant ideas.
“I would also like to thank Deeside Mineral Water for supporting us for the third year running. This is a brilliant competition which allows young people to step up and be part of this event at the heart of our community.
“The countdown to this year’s event is on and there is still time to sign up for one of our races”.
Martin Simpson, Managing Director of Deeside Mineral Water commented:
“This competition is always popular because the winning design is featured on the labels for all the water bottles that will be handed out at the BHGE 10k event. The standard of entries from schools across the region was extremely high. We love Shannon’s design and look forward to welcoming her to our factory in Ballater to see her design brought to life.”
Lesley McMullan, Marketing Specialist for BHGE said:
“On behalf of BHGE, thank you to Shannon and all the other entrants for taking part in the competition. It was great to see the pride and passion which our local community has for the BHGE 10K being expressed in all the wonderful artwork which was submitted.”
We would also like to congratulate our runner up and highly commended entries:
Runner up (2nd place) – Alice Craig – Dyce Primary School
Runner up (3rd place) – Alicha – Ferryhill Primary
Highly Commended – Lauren Thomson –Ferryhill Primary
Highly Commended – Ava Johnston – Westpark School
Organisers of the North East’s longest running road race are encouraging participants to take on a new challenge this year while helping to support visually impaired runners.
Sport Aberdeen and BHGE have teamed up with Granite City Guide Running for 2018’s BHGE 10k Running Festival and are urging budding runners to step up to the challenge by entering the race this year by either guiding or being guided.
Guide running allows people with a sensory impairment to take part in the sport by ‘guiding’ someone throughout the duration of the race.
Registered charity, Sport Aberdeen, in partnership with Granite City Guide Running, will be hosting two taster sessions, giving people the opportunity to learn how to become a guide runner.
The sessions are free to attend and will give participants the opportunity to see what it is like to be a guide runner but also what it’s like to be guided.
The sessions will take place:
- Wednesday 11th April – 7-8pm – Get active @ Jesmond
- Saturday 14th April – 10.30-11.30am – Beach Leisure Centre
Jill Franks, Sport Aberdeen’s Director of Business Development, said:
“We are thrilled to be working with Granite City Guide Running, creating more opportunities for people of all abilities to take part in a sporting event at the heart of the community.
“On behalf of the race organisers I’d like to thank Ben from Granite City Guide Running for teaming up with us this year.
“I would urge anyone who has not already entered the BHGE 10k to sign up as a guide runner. Not only is this a great challenge but it raises awareness of a brilliant cause and is such a simple step towards helping people with a sensory impairment take part in the North East’s longest running road race”
Ben Mair, Granit City Guide Runnings, said:
“Granite City Guide Running is delighted to be working with the team at Sport Aberdeen to increase awareness of Sensory Impairment, as well as the need for running-guides in the North East of Scotland. I’m hoping anyone who comes along to the sessions will get a real insight into what it’s like to run either as a guide or being guided, and be encouraged to try it out for themselves as a fantastic challenge at the BHGE 10K!”
Register your interest for the taster sessions here.
An Aberdeen partnership has awarded a record number of grants in the last year helping to support and develop Aberdeen’s sporting community.
Over 70 grants have been awarded by the Active Aberdeen Partnership (AAP), a collective who support and encourage everyone in the city to be as active as they can, regardless of age and ability.
The AAP Sports Grants have supported the personal and professional development of the voluntary sporting workforce across the city alongside clubs and organisations and are committed to backing Aberdeen’s talented athletes, helping them reach their full potential.
The Community Sports Grant supports clubs and organisations who play a vital role in encouraging people to be active in sport throughout their lifetime.
Filippo Antoniazzi, Chairman of the Sports Grants Committee, said:
“It’s great that the sports grants allow us to support local clubs to develop new opportunities that provides sport and physical activity for groups within their communities.”
Tony Dawson, Active Aberdeen Partnership Chairman, said:
“The Active Aberdeen Partnership (AAP) Sport Grant scheme supports clubs, organisations and the individuals who play a vital role in encouraging people to be active in sport throughout their lifetime.
“The awards allow Aberdeen’s voluntary sporting workforce to continue to create opportunities for people of all abilities and ages to take part in physical activity. It is hugely important to support the personal and professional development of those who are championing a move to get more people in the city active more often.
“The AAP is a partnership of organisations existing to place the wider sporting and physical activity needs of the city ahead of each members’ specific interests, and we are committed to making Aberdeen the most active city in Scotland by 2020.”
Colin Dalgleish, a recipient of the talented athlete’s grant, said:
“Receiving this grant from the Aberdeen Active Partnership has been a huge boost before the Commonwealth Games. It has allowed me to travel to Düsseldorf, Germany and train in one of the top table tennis centres in Europe for two weeks in the lead up to the games. This is the ideal preparation and I can’t thank them enough for the grant and their support.”
The number of participations by school pupils across Aberdeen in extracurricular sport has doubled in just five years, new figures have reported.
The figures for term one (August to December 2017), reported by Sport Aberdeen’s Active Schools team, showed that participant sessions have risen by over 100 per cent when compared to the same term five years ago and an 11 per cent increase seen from 2016 to 2017.
Football, basketball and netball are shown in the report to be the most popular sports within the extensive extracurricular programmes run and supported by Active Schools Aberdeen.
The number of distinct participants taking part in activities also increased significantly with a 63 per cent rise over the last five years and the number of volunteers also rose, with an eight per cent year on year increase in those helping to deliver sessions.
Registered charity Sport Aberdeen which delivers the Active Schools programme in partnership with sportscotland across Aberdeen, has been delivering opportunities for school pupils to get involved in sport and physical activity for more than a decade.
Graeme Dale, Sport Aberdeen Senior Development Manager (Young People), said:
“These are brilliant results and it’s great to see we are continuing the trend of increasing participation levels year on year. To have an increase of over 100 per cent in five years is testament to a real team approach in the city and shows what can be achieved through partnership working. A huge thank you must go to schools and all the volunteers involved, such as Teachers, PE Teachers, parents, students and senior pupils.”
Stewart Harris, Chief Executive, sportscotland said:
“It is terrific to see the significant increases in participant sessions being reported by Sport Aberdeen’s Active Schools team. We know that working in partnership with local authorities and leisure trusts, schools, clubs, Active Schools Managers and Coordinators and sports development officers is having such a profoundly positive impact in the growth of Active Schools and Sport Aberdeen’s results are testament to that.
“Investment from the Scottish Government and National Lottery continues to allow us to develop a world-class sporting system and this collaboration is helping to ensure that young people in Scotland have the best sporting opportunities and experiences available and can continue to develop and progress throughout adulthood.”
For more information on Active Schools Aberdeen, click here.
Vicki Moir with Buddy, her Myeloma mascot, who will be joining her on every run
A first time 10k race goer, and self-confessed ‘non-runner’, is to take on Aberdeen’s oldest running event as part of a mega 175kilometre fundraising challenge this year.
Vicki Moir will this May travel back to her home city to take on her first 10k road race when she competes in the BHGE 10k Running Festival.
Vicki, who now lives in Glasgow, decided to sign up for a running event to fundraise last year after her dad was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in October 2014.
Vicki decided to take on a challenge in order to not only raise money for a charity that was now close to her heart, but also to raise much needed awareness. Vicki commented, “we had never heard of myeloma and very few people we knew had any idea what it was, so the resources and support that Myeloma UK have provided has been invaluable.”
“I wanted to do something that would, in a small way, help raise awareness and let others who need support know of the great work the charity does, and to let others who are diagnosed know that they are not alone.”
However, Vicki decided that “one 10k didn’t really seem enough” and set herself the challenge of completing 175kilometres, 14 organised runs in total, within the year.
Jill Franks, Sport Aberdeen’s Director for Business Development, said:
“On behalf of the BHGE 10k race organisers I would like to wish Vicki the best of luck not only taking on Aberdeen’s famous 10k but for the rest of her sprint around Scotland.
“Every year the BHGE 10k Running Festival raises tens of thousands of pounds for charities and brings people together from far and wide for an event at the heart of the community. It is this community spirit and continued support for deserving charities that makes Aberdeen’s longest running road race stand out from the crowd.”
Vicki Moir also commented:
“When Dad was diagnosed with Myeloma in October 2014 it was a massive shock. We knew that he wasn’t feeling well as he went to the doctor, something he never did, but we didn’t expect him to be diagnosed with cancer. What made it even more worrying was that we had never heard of Myeloma before.
“My dad has been so extremely brave and has faced everything with humour and determination. I’m unbelievably proud of him, and also massively thankful to Myeloma UK for the wonderful support and information they provide. I wanted to do something that would be personally challenging to raise funds and awareness for the charity.
“Running was ideal as I’m not at all athletic and the idea of running filled me with fear! Despite this, running one 10k didn’t seem to be enough of a challenge, so it escalated pretty rapidly and I’ll now be running 175k in events this year.
“Of all the events, the BHGE 10k is the one I’m looking forward to the most as it’ll be really special, and probably quite emotional, to run in my home city.”
For more information and to sign up to the BHGE 10k Running Festival 2018, click here. The race will take place on Sunday 20th May.