Tag: football clubs

Prostate Football Fans in Training to return following successful pilot programme

The SPFL Trust, in partnership with Prostate Scotland, are continuing their exercise programme for men living with prostate cancer following a hugely successful 12-week pilot programme.

The  initial phase of this project took place in the capital at Tynecastle, delivered by Heart of Midlothian FC and at Ibrox, with Rangers Charity Foundation.

The programme is a tailored version of Football Fans in Training (FFIT), the SPFL Trust’s flagship health and wellbeing programme which takes place at football clubs across the country, helping people to get active and feel fitter, healthier and happier.

The next cohort kicks off on September 19 in Kilmarnock, with The Killie Community, and in the capital, with Heart of Midlothian FC at Tynecastle on September 20.

Working together with experts from Prostate Scotland, the University of Glasgow Health and Wellbeing Institute and The Exercise Clinic, the programme has been developed based on clinical guidelines for men living with prostate cancer, which recommend a structured 12-week exercise programme. 

Prostate FFIT is open to all men living with prostate cancer, who can self-refer online, or be referred by a clinician.  

As well as having the opportunity to take part in exercise supported by trained coaches, participants will learn more about nutrition. They will also receive a personal workbook to help them follow the course and have access to specifically developed videos to continue exercise at home. 

Crucially, Prostate FFIT will create space for men affected by prostate cancer to meet others in a similar situation, offering informal peer support. 

David Plain took part in the pilot programme with Heart of Midlothian FC. “It was really good on a number of levels,” he said. “You immediately have something in common with every single person in the room. We’re all at different stages of our journey, but we all have prostate cancer.

David (fourth from left) and his Prostate FFIT group during a session at Tynecastle 

“There was someone else on the course who had the same treatment as me. It was just good to know that what I was experiencing wasn’t out of the ordinary.

“I’ve continued with exercise after the course. Three of us meet up once a week to go to a fitness class and have a coffee.

“You don’t feel the need to hide the fact that you have Prostate Cancer. Prostate FFIT is a safe place to go and everyone there is going through a similar journey.”

Adam Gaines, Director of Prostate Scotland, said: “We are delighted to be offering these new courses with our partners at the SPFL Trust, The Killie Community and Heart of Midlothian FC.

“Prostate FFIT is aimed at helping tackle the impact prostate cancer can have on the lives of men living with it, especially for those on hormone therapy.

“The benefit of Prostate FFIT courses, offered in professional football clubs, is in providing engaging and helpful exercise and healthy lifestyle sessions, in line with clinical guidelines. Recent research by the University of Glasgow has shown many benefits that Prostate FFIT courses can have on men living with prostate cancer.”

For more information about the Prostate FFIT, visit: spfltrust.org.uk/prostate-ffit

Scotland’s fallen heroes remembered on the Somme

Veterans Minister attends commemorations

The role played by professional footballers, and the many others who served at the Battle of the Somme, has been marked at a ceremony in France.

Veterans Minister Graeme Dey took part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the McCrae’s Battalion Cairn in Contalmaison, as part of the memorial events to mark the first day of the Battle of the Somme (1st July 1916).

Representatives from clubs including Heart of Midlothian, Hibernian, Falkirk, Dunfermline, and Raith Rovers regularly attend the annual event.

Mr Dey said: “At the start of WW1 a campaign was launched against professional footballers who were labelled ‘shirkers’ and ‘cowards’ who were happy to stay at home while better men risked their lives at the front.

“The players who joined McCrae’s Battalion proved the critics wrong and demonstrated incredible bravery.  Indeed, many of them made the ultimate sacrifice. They went from being called shirkers and cowards to become known as ‘Edinburgh’s finest – Scotland’s Sporting Battalion’.

“Today we honour the bravery of those young men and all those who fought and died on the Somme.”

During his visit Mr Dey also met with the Mayor of Arras, Frédérique Leturque, as part of the Scottish Government’s European engagement work, which aims to strengthen ties with priority EU countries and their regions.

The 1,350 strong McCrae’s Battalion, led by Sir George McCrae, was formed in Edinburgh and included volunteers from Heart of Midlothian, Raith Rovers, Falkirk, Dunfermline, Hibernian, St Bernard’s and East Fife.

In all around 75 clubs (of all levels) provided volunteers along with many other athletes and football supporters most notably of Hearts and Hibernian.

The Battle of the Somme eventually lasted for 141 days. Some 20,000 soldiers were killed in the initial assault on 1 July 2016 with a further 37,000 wounded.