Tag: Sport

Heart of Scotland Appeal teams up with Scottish Squash on World Squash Day to get Scots moving

The Heart of Scotland Appeal, a fundraising campaign by national charity Heart Research UK, have partnered with Scottish Squash to encourage more people to play the sport on the 9th October – TODAY, World Squash Day.

The Heart of Scotland appeal was launched in 2019 to raise awareness of the problem of heart health in Scotland, and to generate vital funds for pioneering research at Universities’ and hospitals across the country. Recently, Heart Research UK funded almost £300,000 worth of research at universities in Glasgow and Dundee to investigate links between COVID-19 and heart disease.

Coronary heart disease is Scotland’s single biggest killer, with lifestyle factors such as obesity and lack of exercise directly impacting upon a person’s risk.

In an effort to combat the statistic that more than a third of adults in Scotland do not achieve recommended levels of physical activity, the Heart of Scotland appeal has teamed up with Scottish Squash to inspire people across Scotland to get more active, and ‘Squash the Stigma’ that squash can be a difficult and inaccessible sport to get into.

They are calling for players across Scotland to get on court this World Squash Day to #SquashTheStigma by post a #SweatySelfie and donating to the Heart of Scotland appeal.

The best selfie from the day will win brand new squash equipment for their club.

In a survey by Forbes magazine, squash was ranked as the healthiest sport in the world. Forbes consulted with personal trainers, coaches and exercise physiologists, and ranked sports as being the ‘healthiest’ in terms of cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, calories burned in 30 minutes and injury risk.

Dr Sue Robertson, who is the current Scottish Women’s over-55 champion, played squash as a child before focusing on a medical career. After 17 years without playing, she picked up the game again.

She said: “I was truly terrible when I started again, and for a couple of years just played occasionally.

“I was introduced to Masters Squash (for over 35’s) and made so many new friends I wouldn’t have otherwise met. I was the fittest and happiest I’d been for 20 years, because it’s so good for your mental health, as well as your physical health.

“It fits into that busy life really well, way less time than a good gym session, but it’s so much more fun. Sport is just so key to a happy life.

“I work in an admissions unit in the hospital as a physician, so I see people every day with heart problems for lots of different reasons.

“I know about the benefits of sport and the benefits of physical activity, and if we have a society that encourages and educates people on that, then we will have a healthier society.”

Amanda Donaldson, Senior Fundraiser for the Heart of Scotland appeal, said: “We all know that physical activity is beneficial for our wellbeing, both physically and mentally. Here at the Heart of Scotland Appeal, we want to encourage as many Scots as possible to get more active, and what better time than World Squash Day!

“We’re delighted to be partnering with Scottish Squash to promote the sport as a great way to get fit, meet new friends and improve your heart health, and to raise awareness of the Heart of Scotland Appeal and the life-saving research that we fund.

“We can’t wait to see everyone’s #SweatySelfies as they take part in games across the country and help to raise vital funds for the Heart of Scotland appeal.”

Allan McKay, Director of Development at Scottish Squash, said: “We’re really pleased with our partnership with the Heart of Scotland Appeal as we share common values across both organisations to promote physical activity and healthy living. Through this partnership we can also raise awareness of the great work that the Heart of Scotland Appeal carry out every day.

“By linking the partnership to the 2021 World Squash Day on Saturday 9th October we hope more people will get on court and experience the excellent physical and mental health benefits that squash can offer to people across Scotland while support hear research.

“Make sure to share all your #SweatySelfies across social media on World Squash Day!”

For more on the campaign, including videos from supporters, please visit: – https://heartresearch.org.uk/squash-the-stigma/

To learn more about the Heart of Scotland appeal and find out about how you can help, please visit https://heartresearch.org.uk/heartofscotland/.

You can save 10% on your specially designed Christopher Kane Heart of Scotland t-shirt and badges using the code Squash at:

https://gift.heartresearch.org.uk/onlineshop/

Scottish sporting bodies back campaign to help keep children safe in sport

  • One in five parents wouldn’t know who to turn to for help if they had any welfare concerns in relation to their child’s sport/leisure clubs
  • Campaign kicks-off to help parents understand their role in keeping children safe and who they can turn to for help
  • Scottish Athletics, Scottish Gymnastics and Netball Scotland join in supporting the NSPCC’s and Children 1st’s Parents in Sport Week

A group of Scottish governing sporting bodies has backed a joint NSPCC and Children 1st campaign which is raising awareness of where parents can turn if they have concerns about their child’s sports club.

An online survey*, conducted on behalf of the NSPCC by YouGov, has found that 20% of parents** who had children in sports and leisure clubs, would not know who to speak to if they had any worries about a child’s welfare at the club.

Now, Scottish Gymnastics, Scottish Athletics and Netball Scotland are backing Parents in Sport Week (4-10 October 2021) – an annual campaign run by the NSPCC’s Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) and Children 1st, aiming to equip every parent with the safeguarding knowledge they need, and highlight the important role parents play in youth sport.

Doc McKelvey, Scottish Gymnastics CEO, said: “Many sports around the world, including ours, have had cause to focus and self-reflect following complaints on different issues. Scottish Gymnastics fully supports this campaign which highlights how important parents and carers are in helping keep children and young people safe in sport.

“Gymnast welfare is at the heart of everything we do, and wellbeing and protection is a priority in our clubs and programmes. We have embarked on a long-term project to ensure all our members, parents and carers know more about safeguarding and child protection, how to identify and raise concerns, and give them the confidence to do so. We are grateful to the NSPCC and Children 1st for helping raise awareness and empower parents.”

Claire Nelson, CEO of Netball Scotland and the Strathclyde Sirens, said: “We are once again proud to support NSPCC Scotland’s and Children 1st’s Parents in Sport Week. The campaign this year aims to ensure parents have access to the right resources, tools and information to feel confident that their children can return to, and most importantly enjoy, sport safely.

“After such a challenging year we know that many parents and children are feeling anxious about restarting clubs and activities, so this campaign will provide vital support to empower families to get back to doing what they love.”

David Fallon, Head of Development for scottishathletics, said: “We are delighted and proud to once again support the ‘Parents in Sport Week’ campaign, led by NSPCC Scotland and Children 1st.

“We will work with our clubs and members to promote the campaign toolkit, and encourage as many parents and guardians as possible to understand the important role they play in the bigger safeguarding picture of sport.

“We hope that by promoting this campaign, more parents will ask those important questions around safeguarding when their child takes part in athletics in Scotland, helping us to ensure our clubs are offering a safe, fun, and engaging environment.”

As part of the campaign the children’s charities have issued three key safeguarding tips for parents in relation to children’s sport:

  • Every club should have a child welfare officer in post – familiarise yourself with who that is and their contact details;
  • Check if your club has a safeguarding policy in place and understand how that keeps children safe;
  • Know that the NSPCC helpline is there if you have any questions or concerns. You can reach the helpline on 0808 800 5000 or at help@nspcc.org.uk

Children 1st provides a helpful guide for parents on finding a safe sports club for their child. And, this year, the NSPCC has launched new resources aimed at parents, to help them understand their role in keeping children safe and who they can turn to for help if they have any worries about their child’s sport.

Resources include a free e-learning course for parents on keeping their child safe; a new animation which helps parents identify when something might be wrong in their child’s sport; and the new NSPCC CPSU Parents Hub – an online destination providing safeguarding information for parents.

Paul Stephenson, Senior Consultant at NSPCC’s CPSU, said: “We’re proud to be running our annual Parents in Sport Week campaign once again, alongside Children 1st, to help more parents be a significant part of their children’s sporting lives.

“Since launching the campaign five years ago, countless sports bodies, clubs and coaches have supported our work and worked hard to develop better relationships with parents and carers.

“This year, we want to provide the tools needed to help parents and carers access important information to help keep their children safe in sport, to spot poor practice and to empower them to speak out. We’re also continuing to support the tireless work sports clubs put into involving parents in their safeguarding process.

“Sport is a huge part of childhood, with many young people spending countless hours practicing, playing and making new friends, and it is so important that every parent feels confident about ensuring their child is safe and having fun.”

Parents who have any worries about their child’s experience in sport or physical activity can seek advice from the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or by emailing: help@nspcc.org.uk.

Bellfield to sponsor Edinburgh City women’s football team

Edinburgh City FC Women’s team will be sponsored for the forthcoming season by Bellfield Taproom. Bellfield’s logo will feature on the team strips and the partners will hold a number of joint activities such as charity fundraisers and quiz nights.

Bellfield Taproom – in the city’s Abbeyhill district – is a stone’s throw from the club’s home base: the new Meadowbank Stadium.

The team will return to playing home matches at Meadowbank, from November this year, when the newly rebuilt stadium reopens.

Dave Armstrong, Head of Media & Communications, Edinburgh City FC Women said: “Sponsorship is crucial to our team and Bellfield is very local to our home base. Their reputation for being inclusive and ‘supporting local’ means they are a great partner for the club.

“We are ambitious and aiming to get to the top level, so we hope to make Bellfield proud of their association with the team.”

Women’s football in Scotland is growing at a rapid pace and the opportunities for brand and business awareness and promotion are increasing exponentially.

Edinburgh City FC Women’s team currently play in the SWF Championship which is one tier away from Premiership football. 

The Edinburgh City Women’s squad boasts many Scotland Internationals as well as former Hibs and Celtic players.

The team has a Turkish International in Yasemin Emek and an American No.1, Kelli Hanman.

Bellfield director Marie Brown said: “We’re pleased to be sponsoring such an ambitious and talented squad and look forward to following their progress this season.

“We’re also looking forward to meeting the players and to hosting events and fundraisers at our Taproom to help them on their way.”

It’s the Capital’s charity derby!

Hibernian Community Foundation and Big Hearts Community Trust are set to meet for a fundraising football game on Sunday 10th October, to mark World Mental Health Day.

It’s the first time that both charitable arms of the Edinburgh football clubs, Hibernian FC and Heart of Midlothian FC, will come together on the same pitch to raise awareness around wellbeing and mental health. The game is kindly supported by charity partner Utilita Energy. 

Kick-off is 4pm at Ainslie Park. Tickets are now on sale. All proceeds will go to fund our community projects across Edinburgh.

A single-entry ticket is priced at £5 or £2 for concessions and discounted family ticket at £10.

CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS

Tickets are available via Fanbase > Utilia Energy > Store > Events > Utilita Charity Challenge Cup > Buy Tickets.

Every year, the 10th of October is a reminder that 1 in 3 people will experience mental health issues at some point in their life. We are delighted to be joining efforts with the Hibernian FC charity on this special occasion, using the reach of football to share information on support services available across the city.

Keep your eyes peeled for further event details, including opportunities for supporters to get involved and support their team on the day!

Neilson: It’s all about today

Hearts ‘up for the battle’

Robbie Neilson has told his players to forget the last six weeks because it’s all about winning today’s Edinburgh derby.

Tynecastle plays host to the first meeting of the capital clubs this season, with both sides flying high in the cinch Premiership.

Robbie Neilson, who this week picked up the Scottish Premiership Glen’s Manager of the Month award, knows the match could be a frantic affair but he believes the Jambos have enough experience to handle the occasion and knows the importance of picking up three points.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, he said: “It’s been a good start but what’s happened in the last six weeks doesn’t really matter. It’s all about what happens when it kicks off on Sunday. We need to find a way to win the game.

“It doesn’t matter how you win it, it’s about winning a derby. It’s so important for the fanbase, the club and also for the players and their league position.

“It’ll be 200 miles an hour. It’s about being up for that battle at the start and then having the composure to go and play.

“We’ve got a number of boys that have played in it or played in Dundee or Glasgow derbies so I expect us to be ready for it.”

Robbie Neilson’s press conference can be seen on Hearts TV by clicking here.

Jack Ross revealed that star man Martin Boyle is fit for today’s Edinburgh Derby against Hearts.

The Australian winger went away for the September international break and came off against China, after scoring, which caused some concerns for supporters.

He subsequently missed the Aussie’s next game against Vietnam before returning back to Edinburgh and he went straight back into training.

Jack Ross explained that he wasn’t worried about Boyle’s injury, due to constant communications with the Socceroos: “We knew why Martin came off for Australia and that he wouldn’t play in the second game purely for precaution and not concern.

“We’ve got a good relationship with the Australian National Team, and I think they’ve been sensible with him. There was never any concern. We’ve looked after him today (Friday 10 September) and he’s ready to go on Sunday.

“He’s a match winner for us. He’s done that on a consistent level. You need them in your team. He’s had a feeling of winning and scoring goals at Tynecastle, and he wants that again.”

There’s been a two-week break ahead of this game, but with eight players returning from international duty, and a few knocks to contend with, Jack Ross may have a slight selection headache today.

“Longer-term absentees are Sean Mackie, Melker Hallberg, Christian Doidge and Jamie Murphy.

“Unfortunately, Jamie will be unavailable for a number of weeks due to a hamstring injury. We’ve had better weeks in terms of availability of players etc. and we have some concerns going into the weekend, but it’ll still be a team full of belief, confidence, and will have enough to go on and win that game.”

While Boyle’s availability is a huge boost for Hibs, it’s Hearts ‘twelth man’ that could well be the key ingredient this afternoon. The capital rivals will battle it out in front of a packed Tynecastle – and the noisy home support may just be the difference in this first derby of the season.

Tynecastle disturbance: nine men arrested

Nine men have been arrested and charged in connection with a disturbance that occurred on McLeod Street, outside Tynecastle Stadium at around 6pm on Saturday, 31 July, 2021.

The men, aged between 17 and 36, have been released on undertaking to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court at a later date.

Chief Inspector Scott Richardson, Area Commander for Edinburgh South West, said: “While we have made a number of arrests in relation to this incident, our investigation is ongoing to identify those involved in the disorder.”

CALA Homes sponsorship boost for new inclusive Ratho United

A NEWLY founded football club that is bringing the joy of the sport to a part of Edinburgh has been boosted with sponsorship of a popular age group by CALA Homes (East).

Ratho United – which emerged in early 2020 to give local children an opportunity to train and play with their friends – was founded on an ethos of inclusivity, welcoming around 100 children from throughout the local area, with mixed boys and girls teams.

The CALA Homes logo will adorn the strip of its 2014 teams, which consists of six and seven-year-old boys and girls, training once a week and playing friendly matches, ahead of their first tournament in August. 

Mikey Stewart, volunteer coach and committee member, said: “Given how young the club is, having CALA’s backing is a major boost.

“We have a great mix of youngsters, from the new homes here as well as the old – with some members joining from further afield because of the welcoming nature of our club.

“We’re reliant on the support of sponsors – the big next step for us is a more permanent home – as we’re currently moving between various locations.”

Craig Lynes, Managing Director with CALA Homes (East), said: “While we sold our last home in Ratho two years ago, we recognise that our homes have left a big impression on the village.

“It’s really important to us that we get behind groups like Ratho United as their contribution to the community is invaluable. Their ethos of inclusivity is something that we’re delighted to support.”

CALA has played an important role in Ratho’s recent development, selling the final homes at its Craigpark development in 2019.

Prior to this it completed two further developments, The Moorings and The Glebe, while it even created a canal basin with berths for 14 barges, handed over to Scottish Canals.

Ratho United is a community football club for boys and girls aged between five and 10, with a clear vision to promote and develop health in fitness in children.

It also promotes sportsmanship, fair play, respect and self-discipline as well as the wider community spirit and development of friendships.

For more information on Ratho United, please visit: https://www.rathounited.club/

Aldi offers up to £2500 funding to help local sport clubs thrive

Aldi’s Scottish Sport Fund has returned for its sixth year and sports clubs across Edinburgh can now apply for a share of £50,000, with one lucky club in with the chance of securing a £2,500 funding boost.   

Launched in 2016, Aldi’s Scottish Sport Fund is an initiative that aims to help people of all ages and abilities take part in physical activity within their local communities by offering sports clubs the chance to secure essential funding.    

From gymnastics and youth tennis to local sports trusts, Aldi’s Scottish Sport Fund is open to any sporting organisation in Scotland. This year, Aldi’s prizes will again focus on developing grassroots sports, giving local sports clubs the opportunity to receive funding ranging from £500 to £2,500.   

Through Aldi’s Scottish Sport Fund, over 458 clubs across Scotland have benefitted from a funding uplift of more than £240,000, helping sports clubs across the country maximise their potential and encouraging more people to engage with physical and sporting activity. 

In 2020, Aldi supported a selection of sports clubs across Edinburgh including Forth Canoe Club, City Star Majorettes, Edinburgh Pony Club and Leith Archers (pictured).  

Richard Holloway, Regional Managing Director for Aldi Scotland, said: “Since 2016, the Scottish Sport Fund has given a wide range of sports clubs the chance to benefit from essential funding to help attract new members and invest in much needed equipment and resources.  

“The past year has been increasingly challenging for sports clubs across Scotland and has highlighted the important role they play in promoting both physical and mental wellbeing. 

“We look forward to welcoming applications from a wide range of local sports clubs and I’d encourage any club based across Edinburgh to get involved and take advantage of this excellent funding opportunity.”   

Team GB athlete, Katie Archibald, said: “Local Sports clubs have played a crucial role not only in starting and developing my career but those of all past and present Team GB athletes, and it is often understated the amazing role that sports clubs play in promoting both physical activity and an active lifestyle.  

“Aldi’s continued investment in supporting local Scottish sports clubs is admired by all Team GB athletes and those clubs that will benefit from the Scottish Sport Fund are crucial in helping to nurture the next generation of Olympic athletes.”   

Sports clubs located across Edinburgh and surrounding areas have until 27th September to apply. Sports clubs can be based in Edinburgh, the Lothians or the Borders to be eligible to apply for this round of funding. 

One applicant will be selected to receive £2,500 of funding, two aplicants will each receive £1,000 of funding, while several other applicants will each receive £500 of funding towards their sports club.

Applications will be selected at random to receive each of the funding brackets.

Applications can be made via www.aldi.co.uk/scottishsportfund. 

The Aldi Scottish Sport Fund is open to any sporting organisation in Scotland that meets the application criteria, from rugby clubs to after school groups and everything in between. 

All applications will be considered by the Aldi judging panel and entrants will be notified of the outcome of their funding application within four to six weeks from the region’s deadline. 

Please see the Aldi Scottish Sport Fund FAQs and Terms & Conditions for more information.  

‘Human Swan’ visits Carnoustie

● Sacha Dench (The Human Swan) is currently undertaking a World Record attempt as part of the Round Britain Climate Challenge and visited The AIG Women’s Open this week
● Flying around Britain on a journey powered solely by green energy, Sacha will be encouraging people to make their own individual commitments to slow climate change

Together with its partners ekko and HELPFUL, Mastercard has pledged to donate and plant 75,000 trees in support of the Round Britain Climate Challenge, the first ever circumnavigation attempt of mainland Britain with an electric paramotor.

Equating to roughly 25 trees planted for every mile of the trip, the Mastercard pledge made alongside its Priceless Planet Coalition partners is part of the company’s ongoing drive to tackle climate change, encourage sustainability, and equip its network to be a positive force for the environment. Working with Conservation International, trees will be planted in Sacha’s original home country of Australia as well as Kenya and Brazil.

As an official Patron of The AIG Women’s Open and to celebrate the expedition, Mastercard brought Sacha Dench, known as The Human Swan, together with Mastercard ambassador and golf pro Brooke Henderson at Carnoustie Golf Links on Wednesday to highlight how we can come together to battle climate change.

The R&A also partners with Mastercard on sustainable practices. On site at the Championship Course, water stations have been installed as part of The Open Water Initiative.

The initiative was first launched in 2019 during The 148th Open at Royal Portrush with the aim to remove all single use plastic water bottles at the Championship and has proved successful with 244,000 single-plastic bottles saved collectively in 2019 and 2021 so far at the Mastercard sponsored events.

Carnoustie will be equipped with contactless modules for fans to make voluntary donations of £1.50 to the Priceless Planet Coalition.

Scott Abrahams, Senior Vice President, Business Development, Mastercard UK & Ireland said, “We are proud to pledge 75,000 trees in support of the Round Britain Climate Challenge.

“It is an exciting and pioneering expedition, tackling climate change head-on and crucially raising awareness in the UK. At Mastercard we share the same common goal which includes our Priceless Planet Coalition commitments to restore 100 million trees by 2025. Today is another step towards achieving that goal alongside our fintech and sporting partners, to create a greener, more sustainable planet.”

Sacha Dench, Round Britain Climate Challenge pilot, commented: “Britain drove the Industrial Revolution, can we drive the Green Revolution too? This is one of the questions that the Round Britain Climate Challenge is trying to answer and we all have a part to play. 

“I am delighted that Mastercard is undertaking this pledge to plant so many trees – such a vitally important factor in combating the climate emergency – whilst also taking action at events such as The Women’s Open.”

Brooke Henderson, Mastercard ambassador and golf professional, added: “It was great meeting Sacha today to hear more about how we can tackle climate change, not just in the UK but around the world.

“The Women’s Open, and golf more broadly, is an opportunity to raise awareness so I’m pleased to see The R&A and Mastercard taking action to be more sustainable.”

Oli Cook, CEO & Co-Founder of ekko, said: “We’re proud to support Sacha and The Round Britain Climate Challenge with this pledge to donate and plant trees.

“We’re committed to positive change and turning the tide on climate change at ekko and Sacha is doing just that by raising awareness and encouraging climate action.”

Evan Michaels, Co-Founder and CEO of Helpful commented: “We are excited to support Sasha in this great expedition. It aligns perfectly with our mission here at HELPFUL to raise awareness about climate change and sustainable living to millions of people around the country.

“We want to inspire people to consider their shopping choices and along with our pledge to plant 75,000 tree with our partners at Priceless Planet Coalition, we hope to play a small part in creating a healthier planet.”

Sacha Dench, who set off in June, is leading the 3000+ mile journey and world record attempt for the longest ever flight in an electric paramotor. She has been stopping frequently, talking with, filming, and gathering information from industry, innovators and entrepreneurs, local heroes, communities, schools, farmers and individuals – anybody interested in or involved in addressing the effects of climate change in their areas.

A compilation of these stories will be presented at COP26, the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow in November.

Fans at Carnoustie and people across the UK can Start Something Priceless by donating a tree via the Mastercard Priceless Planet page. Mastercard will match every tree donated on this link.