Two UDECIDE grants worth over £2,750 will be invested into improving the lives of children and young people in Aberdeen, by helping them to get more active.

Registered charity Sport Aberdeen celebrated being awarded over £2,750 from Aberdeen City Council’s UDECIDE participatory budgeting programme in the Northfield and Torry areas of the city.

The UDECIDE programme is linked to Community Planning Aberdeen’s Local Outcome Improvement Plan (LOIP) to generate ideas and allocate funding in Aberdeen. This directly involves local people suggesting ideas and voting on how public money is spent in their local community. 

A range of ideas were put forward by individuals, groups and organisations as part of this process, with residents voting on which ideas and projects they wanted to see being awarded funding.

Sport Aberdeen was successful with two proposals from Active Schools Coordinators in Northfield and Torry, both of which focused on activities that enhance physical and mental wellbeing by getting more children and adults physically active.

Sport Aberdeen’s Director of Healthy and Active Communities, Keith Gerrard said:

“We are very pleased to have been part of the UDECIDE process and have two of our projects awarded funding. It’s particularly special because it has been selected by the local community.

“Taking sport and physical activity opportunities to the heart of communities is an important part of our effort to create opportunities, inspire people and change lives through sport and physical activity.”

The Northfield UDECIDE funding will finance the establishment of free monthly ‘For Fun Run’ events held within the Northfield community and at Get active @ Sheddocksley, for children over the age of five and their parents, guardians or carers. The funding will also subsidise t-shirts and medals for all participants in addition to first aid training, a designated first aid kit and a free workshop with Jog Scotland.

In addition, the ‘For Fun Run’ events will link in with schools in the area and will make use of Westpark School’s new purpose built running track, which also received funding from the UDECIDE programme.

The Westpark School running track will be built in memory of long standing Head Teacher Mr Cowie, who sadly passed away last year, for his commitment to the school and the local community. Mr Cowie’s family and friends have also helped raise money for the project.

Councillor Jenny Laing, Aberdeen City Council Co-Leader and Chair of Community Planning Aberdeen, said:

“Participatory budgeting is vitally important in realising the vision of Community Planning Aberdeen – which is for a city where everyone can prosper.

“UDECIDE funding supports projects and initiatives in key communities and is enabling residents to make important decisions on priorities in their neighbourhood, helping to increase opportunities and improve outcomes through a collaborative approach.

“Sport Aberdeen is an important partner in fostering healthy and active lifestyles for young people and the latest funding award will enable the great work that is being done in the city to be expanded.”