Organisers of the North East’s longest standing road race today announced the 10 affiliated charities who will call on participants to take on the challenge and raise money for a worthy cause.

Sport Aberdeen revealed that 2018 will see two brand new organisations joining the line-up of affiliated charities for the 2018 BHGE 10k Running Festival.

Charlie House and Home-Start will be joining BHGE 10k regulars CLAN Cancer Support, Aberdeen Cyrenians, Befriend a Child, Alzheimer Scotland, Friends of Anchor, Inspire, Children 1st and Cash for Kids.

Charities are encouraging budding runners and those seeking to take on a challenge this year to sign up and raise money and awareness in support of these charities which rely heavily on fundraising and donations to carry out life-changing work.

Tens of thousands of pounds are raised each year through the BHGE 10K, which celebrated 30 years in the running last May.

Jill Franks, Sport Aberdeen’s Director of Business Development, said:

“The BHGE 10k Running Festival brings together people from far and wide and is a shining example of how partnership working allows us to run fantastic community events to the North-east while raising money for great causes.

“We are thrilled to announce 2018’s affiliated race charities and look forward to welcoming new faces to the North East’s longest running road race. The support that the race sees each year is inspiring and I would urge anyone who wishes to take on a challenge in 2018 while raising money for brilliant charities to sign up to the BHGE 10k Running Festival.”

The BHGE 10k 2018 will take place on Sunday 20th May at the Beach Boulevard. General entries for the race are now open and cost £24. For more information on the affiliated charities and please click here.

An overwhelming number of dancing feet have ensured an Aberdeen initiative, aimed at bringing together older people of all abilities, has become a permanent monthly fixture.

Boogie in the Bar, hosted by the Foundry Bar, now takes place on the third Friday of every month after the disability and dementia friendly disco proved to be a resounding hit with local communities.

The initiative is supported by the Active Aberdeen Partnership alongside Sport Aberdeen, Aberdeen FC Community Trust, Aberdeen Health & Social Care Partnership and Alzheimer Scotland. Lunch is donated by Marks & Spencer Bank with the Foundry Bar providing tea, coffee and soup at the monthly event.

Boogie in the Bar organisers welcomed Maureen Watt MSP, Minister for Mental Health, to this month’s get-together, which took place on Friday (19^th January), to witness the trailblazing initiative first hand and meet some of the participants who have been enjoying the free relaxed disco since launching in March last year.

The event, which was launched with the hope of it becoming a regular fixture, has seen numbers double and now runs monthly, often attracting over 80 participants of all ages and abilities. Boogie in the Bar won Best Community Support Initiative category at Scotland’s Dementia Awards 2017.

The initiative was initially thought up by local resident Anne Duncan after a chat with a member of staff from registered charity Sport Aberdeen where she said what she really misses is a “proper bop with her husband Bill”, who is living with dementia.

Maureen Watt MSP, Minister for Mental Health, said:

“Connecting people to socialise and dance is a wonderful idea. It is a testament to Boogie in the Bar that it has grown from an idea to specifically support people with dementia and their families to welcoming so many more people from a variety of backgrounds.

“There are many reasons that people can feel isolated, and that can make it difficult to get out, socialise and stay active. Activity and engaging with people can have huge benefits for people experiencing loneliness whether that is caused by circumstance, physical or mental ill health.

“The growing popularity of Boogie in the Bar shows the significant impact you can have when you give people the opportunity to come together and enjoy themselves.”

Jo Bell, Sport Aberdeen’s Director for Sport and Active Lifestyles, said:

“To see Boogie in the Bar go from strength to strength in such a short amount of time is terrifically encouraging and I hope that we can inspire even more communities to get their dancing shoes on.

“The initiative has proven hugely successful with the sheer volume of people attending and the clear demand for this to become a permanent fixture. The fact this has been replicated is brilliant and shows what can be achieved in our communities through partnership working.

Anne Duncan also commented on the initiatives success:

“I know of people who now come along to Boogie in the Bar regularly, who rarely went out before. They didn’t go out because there was nowhere to go, and if you are single it can make socialising so much harder.

“Loneliness is a huge issue for many people but at Boogie in the Bar everyone feels welcome and safe. It’s really like a huge happy family as everyone is getting to know each other, all with the same aim of dancing, enjoying the music and the company. We’re all integrated like in my husband’s favourite musical, Hairspray!”

Image, from left to right: Jenny McCann (Sport Aberdeen Senior Development Manager – Active Lifestyles), Fiona Thompson (Foundry Bar), Maureen Watt MSP, Bill Duncan, Ally Prockter (Aberdeen FC Community Trust Chief Executive), Anne Duncan and Kieran Joseph (Foundry Bar deputy-manager). 

According to data gathered by the SNP, council owned fitness facilities have witnessed a substantial rise in visits over the last four years.

The party has collated membership figures for the past decade from 22 out of 32 of Scotland’s local authorities, with data collected through Freedom of Information requests, showing an overall 36% increase in the last three years.

During this time, since the 2014 Commonwealth Games, Aberdeen alone has seen an astounding 90.5% rise in people using local, council owned gyms.

Sport Aberdeen, the city’s principal provider of public sport and leisure facilities, is dedicated to creating opportunities for each and every person in Aberdeen to take part in sport and physical activity; with every penny generated reinvested into the communities and the people it serves.

In the last year Sport Aberdeen has witnessed a 75% per cent increase in membership uptakes, reflecting a rise in use of facilities at the heart of the local community.

Commenting, Keith Gerrard, Sport Aberdeen Director for Operations and Asset Development, said “We’ve invested over £1million during the last 12 months to improve our citywide facilities and we are looking forward to continuing this commitment to quality and accessibility over the coming years.”

19 venues citywide and membership options starting from as young as five years old ensures that Sport Aberdeen is providing a platform for people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds to take part in sport and physical activity at affordable prices in the heart of many local communities.

Aberdeen City Council recently signed a pledge to back a citywide campaign which is set to kick off early this year aimed at Activating the City. The campaign, led by the Active Aberdeen Partnership (AAP), will champion a move to make 2018 the Year of an ‘Active City’, helping more people take part in sport and physical activity, creating better lifestyles and improving overall wellbeing.

Keith Gerrard also added:

“These figures are hugely encouraging and we are immensely proud of this turnaround. It is brilliant to see such a steep rise in the number of people using council owned facilities. With Aberdeen witnessing one of largest increases in Scotland, it is my hope that these numbers continue to rise.

“We are incredibly proud to offer such a diverse range of membership options and initiatives from which the whole community can benefit. We pride ourselves of offering sporting opportunities for people of all ages and abilities.

“As a registered charity and the largest organisation of its kind in the North East, Sport Aberdeen is committed to creating opportunities, inspiring people and changing lives through sport and physical activity.”

Registered charity Sport Aberdeen is offering a number of First Aid at Work qualification courses. All our courses are taught by certified first aid trainers and assessors. Please see below for details of courses, dates and how to book a place.

Emergency First Aid at Work

March 25

May 13

October 7

December 2

3-day First Aid at Work

March 5,6,7

June 20,21,22

2 day First Aid at Work Refresher qualification

March 29,30

September 25,26

2-day Sport Injury

Dates to TBC

Half day First Aid Skills update

Dates TBC

Pediatric First Aid

February 17, 18

We can tailor courses for your business requirements, for further information please contact SATraining@sportaberdeen.co.uk or 01224 507729

One of the fitness studios at Get active @Jesmond has recently undergone an impressive upgrade into a fully functional training room.

The dedicated functional training space, which is directly accessible from the gym, now benefits from a brand new 10m speed track and sled on an artificial grass track alongside punch bags, a speed mill, kettle bells and battle ropes.

The room upgrade means the studio now has more floor space for HIIT training and circuits and the addition of extra equipment means greater versatility and room for more exercises!

The 10m speed track and weighted sled, which is brand new to Get active @Jesmond, offers a new and dynamic approach to fitness training and dedicated area ideal for sprints, sled work and bear crawls to add an extra edge to your workout.

A proud race-goer who lost a sentimental medal received after completing a North East run 10 years ago has been granted a Christmas wish.

Granite City resident Wendy Arthur has thanked registered charity Sport Aberdeen for gifting her the only medal left over from the BHGE 10k Running Festival 2007 (formerly known as the Baker Hughes 10k Running Festival).

Wendy took on the challenge to raise money for a great cause 10 years ago, saying: “When my uncle passed away in March 2007 from Cancer I wanted to raise money in his memory for CLAN Cancer Support as they do great work in the community.

“The BHGE 10k 2007 was my first ever running event and I was so proud of my medal. It meant so much to me and reminds me why I took part in the race. I raised around £350 and completed the run in 57 minutes and I remember feeling so pleased to get under the hour.

Wendy wrote to Sport Aberdeen earlier this year explaining her situation and the mysterious disappearance and was thrilled to receive an email with the news that the event organiser had found a medal left over from the race 10 years ago.

Jill Franks, Sport Aberdeen’s Director of Business Development, commented:

“It is wonderful to be able to give Wendy the replacement medal. It clearly means a great deal to her and it is great to hear about participants stories from over the years.

“We always see tremendous support for charities, with BHGE 10k Running Festival participants raising tens of thousands of pounds each year for worthy causes. Wendy’s story really highlights that taking part is the most important part of sport and shows what we can achieve through community events.

“I would like to wish Wendy the best of luck for next year’s race and would urge anyone who would like to take on a challenge whilst raising money for fantastic charities to sign up for the BHGE 10k 2018.”

Wendy Arthur added:

“I am thrilled and very thankful to Sport Aberdeen for gifting me the 2007 medal as a replacement, it is a brilliant early Christmas present! The medal is a constant reminder of the fond memories of my uncle, who I ran the race for, and the fantastic charity that I raised money for running my first ever race.

“I have already signed up for the BHGE 10k 2018 and am really looking forward to it. Since taking part 10 years ago I have taken on more races and my medals mean so much to me. It is about training hard and working towards my goal of completing the run whilst also raising money for very deserving causes, of which I have seen the amazing work they carry out first hand.”

For more information on the race and to sign up click here.

MORE than 50,000 Scottish children – including hundreds from the Aberdeen area – are benefitting from potentially lifesaving swimming lessons during the first six months of a partnership between Scottish Water and Scottish Swimming.

Both are thrilled with the response to the innovative Learn to Swim programme, part of Scottish Swimming’s National Framework for Swimming in Scotland which has already been adopted by more than 17 Leisure Trusts and Local Authorities covering 100 pools across the country. The aim of the National Framework is to provide quality environments for children to learn to swim.

The programme could not be delivered effectively without the support and commitment of Local Authority, Leisure Trust and local Learn to Swim partners, many of whom have already seen their programmes grow and are reporting an increase in the quality of lessons and provision through the adoption of the National Learn to Swim Framework.

Olympic pool hero Duncan Scott agreed to be the ambassador of the three-year partnership, which it is hoped will eventually reach more than 100,000 youngsters across the country, also inspiring the next generation of competitive swimmers.

Earlier this year Scottish Water agreed to partner with the programme for three years, essential backing that will allow it to reach every corner of Scotland. Already the Learn to Swim programme has been adopted across Scotland and reaches as far north as the Shetland Islands and as far south as Dumfries and Galloway. It also stretches to Aberdeen in the east and to the Western Isles.

Sport Aberdeen was among the first leisure trusts to adopt the framework and is already running the programme across 10 pools with more than 5400 children already taking part and learning to swim.

Dianne Breen, Aquatics Aberdeen Manager, said: “The scheme’s main aim is to teach children and adults to swim safely, giving them the opportunity to participate in an activity which can be enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities. “

Brian Lironi, Director of External Communications with Scottish Water, said: “This is a brilliant scheme for us to be involved with in so many ways and we’re delighted it is off to such an excellent start.

“First and foremost, we’re thrilled that so many children are learning how to swim and that this will help give them the confidence and skills to be safer in the water, whether at their local swimming pool, at the beach on holiday or just if they are out and about around Scotland’s miles of coastline, rivers and lochs.

“Beyond that, it’s a great way to show how water is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle, from keeping hydrated with the clear, fresh drinking water at your taps, to taking the plunge in your local pool as the ideal form of exercise.”

The Learn to Swim programme is aimed at youngsters from birth to 11-years-old and provides consistently high-quality teaching at least once a week and which progresses through a series of lessons and levels over a number of years.

Since helping to officially launch the programme, double Olympic silver medallist Duncan Scott has been enthusiastically championing the cause. Now in training for the Commonwealth Games in Australia in 2018, he is delighted with the results so far.

Duncan, 20, who also has World Championship and European Championship gold medals, added: “Wow. To have reached 50,000 kids already is simply brilliant. This is a great start and long may it continue.

“Getting children into the pool so that they can have fun while learning how to stay safe is the number one priority. But I know from my own experience that loads of those children will be interested in taking it further.

“Whether they simply become regulars at the pool with their friends or whether they go onto enjoy competitive club swimming, nothing but good things can come from encouraging more and more children – and hopefully their families – into the water.

“While there’s a lot of international swimming talent in Scotland at the moment, if we want to keep winning medals on the global stage, then this is one vital element in achieving that. We need a pipeline of talent for the future.”

Scottish Swimming, the national governing body for a number of aquatic disciplines, has the vision of eventually ensuring everyone in the country can swim. Extensive evidence shows that, as well as being a superb form of exercise for all age groups, swimming can also spur children on to attainment in other areas of life.

The main success of the Learn to Swim framework is the collaboration between local partners and Scottish Swimming.  Local Authorities and Leisure Trusts have embraced the ethos of the programme, which aims to create more opportunity for children to learn to swim in a quality environment.

Forbes Dunlop, CEO of Scottish Swimming, said: “We have got off to a flying start and we’re grateful for the support of Scottish Water and the local learn to swim providers who have signed up to adopt the framework.

“There is no downside to getting more and more children learning to swim. It’s good for health, it helps promote safety, it encourages children to higher attainment in their schoolwork and other areas of their lives and it’s good for families and communities.”

Are you an adult swimmer and want to develop your swimming? Are you looking to improve your technique to take part in a triathlon or open water swimming event or are you swimming purely to keep fit? Maybe you just want to come along to try something new and meet like-minded people? Then look no further, the Adult Swim Series sessions are what you’re looking for!

Skills and Drills and Powerswim are coached sessions for adult swimmers.  You must be 16 years or older and able to swim at least 200 metres.

The Skills and Drills session will last for up to 1 hour and will focus on your technique and perhaps work on one of your weaker strokes. This session is ideal if you would like to improve your front crawl breathing or learn how to get more out of your swimming.

The Powerswim session will last for 1.5-2 hours and is for intermediate and more advanced swimmers looking for a more challenging session   This session will work on your swimming technique as well as providing a tough workout.

A Masters come and try session will also be available.

Places need to be pre-booked online. Refunds are available until 2 weeks before the event. Otherwise the full cost will still be charged.

See the links below for booking:

Aberdeen Adult Swim Series

Scottish Masters Training

Directors from Macmillan Cancer Support UK yesterday (Wednesday 29^th November) travelled to the Granite City to meet with the trailblazing team behind the pioneering Move More Aberdeen (MMA) programme.

Key figures from the national cancer charity, led by John Pearson, Executive Director of Cancer Support Operations, heard from the MMA team, showcasing the successful work and positive impact of the project through integration with NHS Grampian, and other third sector cancer charities, in a presentation on the day.

The award-winning programme, aimed at supporting people living with and beyond cancer, is the first cancer-specific physical activity programme in the city and offers a person-centred package of activities including walks, gentle movement classes, circuit training and gardening.

The meeting included discussions about how to guarantee the sustainability of MMA, helping to ensure it can benefit citizens of Aberdeen for years to come. As well as how learning from the programme can be applied to help others with long-term health conditions become more physically active, improving overall wellbeing.

The visit was also an opportunity to recognise the success of the local programme and a recent win at the Macmillan Professional Excellence Awards, where MMA took the top spot in the Integration Excellence category at the annual conference in London. The programme has had a fruitful year, picking up two top industry awards and being named as finalist four times in 2017.

Working with local partners CLAN Cancer Support, Paths for All, Maggie’s Aberdeen and Friends of ANCHOR, as well as training up a skilled volunteer workforce to further integrate the programme into the community, MMA is embracing cross-sector collaboration and has successfully integrated physical activity into cancer care.

Speaking after the visit, Alistair Robertson Sport Aberdeen’s Managing Director, said:

“This was a great opportunity to highlight the success and innovation of the programme which is delivered by Sport Aberdeen and funded by Macmillan Cancer Support.

“I am proud to see the Move More Aberdeen project at the forefront of pioneering cancer care, and through positive integration with NHS Grampian, and local third sector cancer support charities, we can continue to impact the lives of people living with and beyond the diagnosis.

“Through forging new ways of working with NHS Grampian and broadening partnerships, the team has successfully integrated physical activity into cancer care and by utilising the learning from the project to date, Sport Aberdeen hopes to continue to positively impact people living with other long-term conditions”

John Pearson, Macmillan Cancer Support UK Executive Director of Cancer Support Operations, said:

“I am delighted that Move More Aberdeen is proving to be so hugely successful. The programme benefits and supports people living with cancer from the very point of diagnosis, throughout treatment and beyond.

“Physical activity is proven to have a positive impact on participants and we are proud to embrace cross-sector collaboration with Sport Aberdeen, NHS Grampian and other local charities to deliver a high quality physical activity programme accessible to all people living with cancer in Aberdeen.”