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.”

An Aberdeen initiative, aiming to level the playing field for young girls in sport, this week welcomed Aberdeen City Council co-leader Jenny Laing to witness their pioneering work first-hand.

Councillor Jenny Laing attended the Active Girls Committee (AGC) meeting where it was revealed that 73% of a previously inactive group has expressed a positive change in attitude towards sport since engaging with the group.

The AGC, put together by Sport Aberdeen’s Active Schools team, is run by girls from secondary schools across the city who are championing a move to get more young girls involved in sport and physical activity.

Local secondary pupils interested in joining the AGC were recently invited to attend a Sports Leaders UK, Women Get Set, Go! course, equipping them with leadership skills to help break down barriers and increase girls participation in sport.

Councillor Jenny Laing attended the meeting where she presented certificates to the girls who completed the course and was able to find out more about the expanding group taking it upon themselves to change young girl’s attitudes towards sport and physical activity in Aberdeen.

As a result of research undertaken earlier this year, where it was found that nearly six out of ten Aberdeen secondary school girls don’t take part in sport because they feel self-conscious, the AGC ran an ‘Active Girls Big Day Out’ in June.

The event welcomed around 400 girls from 15 different Aberdeen City Schools, offering a fresh approach to participation in sport.

The committee received feedback from 8 out of the 10 schools that attended the event. The results highlighted the following:

• 33% of the girls who attended the event were currently inactive as they admitted they did not take part in any form of physical activity or sport.

(All the below figures are based on this inactive group of girls)

• 73% said that because of the ‘Girls Big Day Out’ their opinion on sport and physical activity had now changed.
• 76% were made to feel confident throughout the event at each of the sessions.
• 90% of these girls would like to see the activities which were covered at the event brought to their school’s extracurricular timetable.
• 79% would now feel encouraged to try a new club /activity at their school.

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

“Since the get go these girls have shown incredible commitment and passion towards increasing participation in sport and showcasing the positive, lifelong effects this can have. The very personal stories and impact of the girls’ individual journeys have been truly inspiring to others.

“These results, and the encouraging feedback, show that the levels of participation are on the increase, however this issue is still very much an uphill battle and for too long, participation levels plummet as girls make the transition from primary to secondary school.

“Sport Aberdeen is committed to creating opportunities for young people to take part in sport and physical activity, and this is another important step in the right direction. The Active Girls Committee are proving that they have the power to influence and support their peers and it is hugely important that we continue, as a whole, to break down barriers to girl’s participation in sport.”

Councillor Jenny Laing said:

“The Active Girls Committee has already demonstrated strong results and I look forward to watching the initiative grow and thrive.

“It was fantastic to meet the participants and the young people leading the project – it is inspiring to see so many girls engaging with sport in such a positive way.

“On behalf of Aberdeen City Council, I congratulate everyone who has played a part in the success of the Active Girls Committee.”

Active Girls Committee Chairperson, Aimee Work, said:

“Women Get Set Go course was a chance to improve and increase our confidence through leadership, communication and inclusion within the activities we were faced with.

“It has allowed us to connect as a committee, so that we can confidently produce ideas and take action within our schools. As a result of this we have bonded and are already making a huge difference in these schools, and hopefully will slowly, but surely, increase girl’s participation in sport.”

On 18th November, our Get active @ Jesmond team will be hosting three Workout for Water Les Mills classes to raise vital funds for UNICEF!

All proceeds from your Workout for Water will go to support UNICEF and help to build life-saving clean water pumps in East Africa.

There will be a new track and new moves for each routine. The workouts will represent the average journey to collect clean, safe drinking water in East Africa – helping to connect you with the people whose lives you will be transforming.

Clean water. It’s fundamental for our survival. It fuels our bodies and our workouts. But, around the world, 2.1 billion people don’t have access to it…

That’s why UNICEF are installing clean water pumps in vulnerable communities. The pumps cost USD $414 to install and can protect an entire community from deadly disease, help parents grow crops and allow children to go to school.

And that’s where you come in. Together, we can raise enough funds to help UNICEF bring clean, safe water to thousands of people and change lives on a huge scale.

Our Get active @ Jesmond classes include:
Sh’bam: 0820 – 0905
BodyPump: 0920 – 1020
BodyCombat: 1030 – 1115

To take part in our Workout for Water classes members can sign up to each class by calling the Get active @ Jesmond team on 01224 507755, to reserve your space(s).

Any donations are welcomed on the day and all funds raised will be donated to UNICEF.

Sport Aberdeen’s Active Schools team and Bridge of Don Academy PE department today hosted an Active Boys Day, bringing together pupils from local schools for an action-packed morning.

Pupils from P7-S2 took part in a number of activities at tutor lead work stations. The activities included rowing, dodgeball, fitness, Soyang Do and wrestling. The pupils also all spent time learning the Yellow Belt Soyang Do form, culminating in a group display at the end of the morning.

Volunteers from Scottish Schools Rowing Association, Granite City Guerrillas Dodgeball Team, Aberdeen Wrestling Club, Aberdeen Soyang Do Club and the Sport Aberdeen Health and Wellness Team were on hand to ensure the Active Boys Day was a huge success.

Senior Pupils from Bridge of Don Academy School Sports Council, who are championing a move to get more young people to participate in sport, were also volunteering at the event.

Bridge of Don Academy School Sports Council (left to right) David Jesowski, Lewis Duncan, Arran Clubb, Stuart Keith, Stacey Jackson and Caitlin Mair.

A local charity, providing the very best treatment, care and support for North-east patients affected by a cancer diagnosis, is set to receive an impressive sum of money raised by attendees at a local awards ceremony.

Friends of ANCHOR was chosen as 2017’s charity to receive money raised by guests and finalists who attended Aberdeen’s Sports Awards in October, hosted by the Active Aberdeen Partnership.

A total of £2523.07 was raised for Friends of ANCHOR at the annual awards ceremony which welcomed over 400 guests and a host of the North East’s finest sporting finalists, hoping to take top spot in one of the 18 categories up for grabs.

Neil Fachie and Hannah and Patrick Miley were guest speakers at the event which took place at the AECC, with Fachie appearing as Aberdeen’s Sports Awards first ever ambassador.

2017 is a particularly special year for Friends of ANCHOR as it marks 20 years since the charity began; a charity with a vision to help make cancer and haematology care in the North-east of Scotland the best it can be.

Every penny donated to Friends of ANCHOR goes directly to the cause as all of the charity’s running and administration costs are covered by Balmoral Group.

Tony Dawson, Active Aberdeen Partnership Chairman, said:

“I am thrilled to present this impressive sum of money to such a deserving charity at the heart of our city that works hard to ensure that those affected by cancer have access to the best possible treatment

“Each year Aberdeen’s Sports Awards appoint a local charity to be beneficiaries of money raised at the annual event. The awards not only serve to recognise and celebrate our sporting superstars but also to highlight the fantastic community driven work that goes on day after day in Aberdeen.”

Senior Finance & Fundraising Executive, Rhona Miller comments;

“We are truly grateful to the Active Aberdeen Partnership and to everyone who contributed to this fantastic fundraising total for Friends of ANCHOR.

“Every penny raised will go directly to patients in the ANCHOR Unit at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary as all of the our running and administration costs are generously covered by our founding supporter, Balmoral Group.”