The 23rd National Dwarf Games were held over the May Bank Holiday weekend, Saturday 30th April to Monday 2nd May at venues across the West Midlands. Three Lothian athletes took part in the games and each had an extremely successful weekend.
A group of enthusiastic carpet bowlers at the Linburn Centre for Scottish War Blinded are looking for other bowlers to compete against. They would be delighted to welcome teams to their centre at Wilkieston, West Lothian, for a game and for lunch. Any group interested should contact the Centre on 0131 333 1369.
This club is being developed to create a paraclimbing community based out of Edinburgh International Climbing Arena. The club will meet on a Thursday evening from 7 to 9pm and is supported by a network of volunteers who are on hand to provide assistance to its members in and around the climbing activities.
You can get lots more information if you click here!
Please click here if you are interested in the upcoming Carpet Bowl Championships! This event is the qualifier for the SDS National Championships in February.
Great new event in Edinburgh during school terms.
Scottish Disability Sport (SDS) are working in partnership with Edinburgh Active Schools and [EN]GAGE Sports Centre at Napier University to deliver a new weekly boccia session for individuals with a disability across Edinburgh and the East of Scotland.
This exciting new opportunity will invite individuals with a physical or learning disability to come and try the sport of boccia in a friendly and welcoming environment under the guidance of experienced coaches and volunteers. The session is being funded through The Big Lottery Fund, aiming to remove barriers and increase the number of individuals playing the sport across Scotland – as such, there will be no cost attached to the session.
Boccia is a Paralympic Sport and was introduced specifically for athletes with a severe physical disability, however it’s also become a very popular activity for individuals with a learning impairment. Boccia is a precision ball sport and requires players to propel the ball on to court by throwing, kicking or using a ramp while aiming to finish with their balls closer to the ‘jack ball’ than their opponent.
The session is open to all individuals with a disability, from primary school aged pupils right through to more senior players – we are confident the coaches and volunteers will make you feel comfortable and provide an excellent first experience into the world of boccia.
Session Details
When: Every Friday during school term time, starting on the 27th October 2017 (2pm – 3pm)
Where: [EN]GAGE Sports Centre, Napier University, Sighthill Campus, Edinburgh, EH11,4BN
Who: Individuals with a physical or learning disability. All ages welcome.
Cost: There will be no cost.
If you are interested in this opportunity or would like to find out more, please contact Neal Herbert on 0131 625 4414 or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Chris Jacquin, captain and a founding member of Lothian Wolves Powerchair Football Club has a go fund me page to raise funds for a power wheelchair. Please find following more information!
Football has been a big part of life and since I was a young boy I have always had a massive passion for the beautiful game! However, due to my disability, cerebral palsy, which means I'm in a wheelchair, I never had the opportunity to play and compete in my favourite sport.
Even though I always wondered if I could play football in a wheelchair, it was only 7 years ago that my dream had come true when I was made aware of the sport. My vision came to a halt when I quickly realised that there were no teams in Scotland. A few years later I tried to set up a new team in Edinburgh with some friends however, we had no resources or finances to get the club of the ground.
In December 2016 my dreams were reignited when Lothian Disability Sport announced they were setting up a powerchair football team, I knew I couldn't let this opportunity pass me by. Being one of the first club members to join, I also helped with setting up the club.
Despite getting this far and waiting so long ,my dreams have been put on hold again, after realising my standard wheelchair cannot cope with the fast paced nature of the sport. My current wheelchair is only designed for everyday use, using it for the sport causes it to overheat and puts it at risk of getting severely damaged (Having a major effect on my daily life and prevents me from participating in the club's activities).
The Scottish Powerchair Football Association have advised that I need a chair that is specifically designed for this sport (Invacare Storm3 Competition). The difference with this chair is it has a cooling system built into the motors to prevent them from overheating, giving me confidence that I can participate without the worry of causing damage to my only form of mobility. Secondly, the chair will be able to meet the speed requirements set by the SPFA and other global governing bodies (FIPFA) enabling me to compete to the standard level.
Unfortunately, with most specialised equipment comes a large price tag and since my club has few sponsors or fundraisers I have been left with no choice but to attempt to raise the amount myself (£6750). I will contribute as much money as I can from savings, however I know I simply cannot afford the full amount due to being in receipt of disability benefits.
If I were to raise the funds for the chair it would play a significant role in my development in the sport. Having the chair would give me the platform to pursue my life long dream of representing Scotland and help them qualify for the FIPFA World Cup!
We have just uploaded the swimming results from our LDS Spring Gala in March! Why not pop over and take a look to see how well everyone done.
In addition there is a great report about the Lothian Track & Field Athletics Competion in May. Great information about the event!
All information can be found at our Results and Reports Page here
Have you checked out our up to date sports review covering the successful year 2016-2017!
This year, [EN]GAGE Sports Centre at Edinburgh Napier University played host to the Lothian Open Boccia Championships and welcomed over 50 players from around Scotland to compete over three sections. Players travelled from the West of Scotland, Dundee, Dumfries & Galloway and Forth Valley, helping the strong Lothian contingent contribute to an excellent day of competitive boccia.
A full copy of the report can be found at our Results and Reports page!
Lothian Disability Sport are holding a summer programme of taster sessions for young people with disabilities including young people with Autism.
Sports include Dance, Table Tennis, Rugby, Tennis, Gymnastics, Athletics, Karate, Bowls, Football and Trampolines!
Sessions will be held in East Lothian at Meadowmill, North Berwick, Musselburgh and Haddington.
For further information contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Or to book online and register your place go to www.enjoyleisure.com
More details on sessions click: LDS Summer Sports Taster Sessions
LDS Award Nomination Form
Lothian Disability Sport are hosting their annual Awards Ceremony as part of the AGM on Monday 26th June. For all nominations please download the omination form by clicking here.
Please note that the closing date for awards are Friday 9th June 2017 and should be returned to Andrew Raeburn - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
May 2017
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT NEEDS KARATE TASTER SESSION AND CLUB
Lothian Disability Sport and Active Schools would like to let you know about an exciting opportunity coming to children and young people in Edinburgh. In partnership with Scottish Karate Federation, Dalry Karate Group and Lothian Disability Sport we are developing an Additional Support Needs Karate Club.
The first phase of this will be the delivery of karate taster sessions for primary and secondary pupils. These sessions are open to all disability groups.
Venue: (EN)gage Sports Centre, Edinburgh Napier University, Sighthill Campus, EH11 4BN. This is an accessible venue.
Date and Time: Taster session, Saturday 3rd June 11am – 1pm.
Primary 11.00-12.00am
Secondary 12.00-1.00pm
Club sessions will happen every Saturday thereafter 11.15am – 12.15pm at (EN)gage Sports Centre.
The sessions will be delivered by qualified karate coaches who have training and experience of working with children with additional support needs. The maximum participant numbers per session will be 15 children.
The sessions are all about having fun and giving participants the chance to try out Karate, no prior experience is necessary.
We would welcome parents to stay and watch sessions and meet karate coaches.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
If your child is interested in attending the free taster session please phone me to book a place and I will forward an application form via email or take your details over the phone. Please note there are limited spaces therefore places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
Should you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact Jill Coleman 07920768288, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Andrew Raeburn; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Closing date for applications is 4pm Thursday 1st June.
Kind Regards
Jill Coleman,
Active Schools Coordinator, Equality and Inclusion
Andrew Raeburn
Branch Disability Sport Coordinator, Lothian Disability Sport
East of Scotland Para Sport Festival 2017
The annual Para Sport Festival is on the horizon for 2017, welcoming young people from across the East of Scotland with a physical or sensory impairment and providing them with an opportunity to try a range of Para Sports, delivered by some of the best clubs and coaches across the country. This year’s festival is scheduled for Friday 24th March at Forrester / St Augustine’s High School, Edinburgh.
The event, previously named the Paralympic Experience Event, is entering its sixth year since inception prior to the London Paralympic Games in 2012 and comes at a time where Para Sport is fresh in everyone’s mind after a hugely successful games for GB in Rio de Janeiro last year. It is a fantastic opportunity for primary and secondary aged young people to experience some of the sports where team GB achieved significant success. The activities selected reflect the strong club structure in the region and will aim to ignite the transition from the event to more regular sporting activity with one or more of the session’s being delivered.
The festival is a partnership event between Scottish Disability Sport, Edinburgh Active Schools, Lothian Disability Sport and Edinburgh Leisure who work together, along with local club coaches, to offer sessions in swimming, athletics, wheelchair basketball and many more to the children and young people from East Lothian, Edinburgh, Midlothian, the Scottish Borders and West Lothian. To find out more, click here and download the entry information pack.
During last year’s event, video footage was captured highlighting the aims and potential impact of the event featuring testimonies from young people, parents, club coaches and professional officers. We hope this footage will prove a useful tool in providing an accurate insight to the event – please find the link to the video clip below:
Para Sport Festival promotional footage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AzP4sztaDY&t=1s
The event will also offer an opportunity for education staff, club coaches and volunteers to enhance their knowledge of disability sport with the delivery of CPD workshop, ‘How to Identify and Include Children and Young People with a Disability in Sport’. This workshop has proved extremely popular over previous events and will again be delivered by the experienced Richard Brickley, MBE. To find out more about this opportunity, please click here.
If you would like to register for the event, please complete the entry information and return to the address highlighted. If you require further information relating to the event, please contact Neal Herbert on 0131 625 4414 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
East of Scotland Para Bowls Development Day
Scottish Disability Sport are working in partnership with East Lothian Indoor Bowling Club and Lothian Disability Sport to plan and deliver an exciting new opportunity for players with a physical, sensory or learning impairment. The development day will provide an insight to the sport of bowls for new players while also providing coaching and participation information for existing bowlers.
Scottish Disability Sport (SDS) is the recognised governing body for para bowls in Scotland and are excited to be working alongside local partners to identify players in the east region of Scotland with the aim of establishing a regular para bowls session at East Lothian Indoor Bowling Club. The details of the session can be found below and also by clicking here.
Event: East of Scotland Para Bowls Development Day
Date: Sunday 12th February 2017
Time: 12 noon – 2.00pm
Venue: East Lothian Indoor Bowling Club, East Lothian, EH33 1LZ
To express an interest or for further information, please get in touch on 0131 625 4414 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
LDS PARA BOWLER GARY AIMS FOR COMMONWEALTH GAMES
Bellsburn bowler and LDS Committee member Gary Clelland has been called up for a Commonwealth Games squad. He has been selected by Scottish Disability Sport - the governing body for para bowls in Scotland - as a member of the Extended Pool of Players preparing for the 2018 Games down under.
Read the full article at; http://www.linlithgowgazette.co.uk/sport/more-sport/para-bowler-gary-aims-for-commonwealth-team-1-4332285
Everybody at LDS would like to wish Gary the very best in his preparations and bid to compete at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast.
If you think you would like to get involved with para-bowls please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information or come along to the upcoming SDS Para Bowls East of Scotland Development day - 12th Feb 2017. Click Here for more information.
2016 National Junior Swimming Championships (Learning Disabilities)
Tollcross International Swimming Centre, Glasgow
There was great representation from the Lothian Team at the National Junior Swimming Championships at Glasgow’s Tollcross International Swimming Centre on Wednesday 23rd November. 22 young people from 10 schools across Edinburgh and the Lothians participated with fantastic performances from all. A total of 20 medals (7 Gold, 7 Silver and 6 bronze) were won by the Lothian team, an encouraging performance following the successful regional trials earlier this year. The young swimmers were fortunate enough to have their medals presented to them by none other than Jim Anderson OBE, Scotland’s six times Paralympic Champion.
There were stand-out performances from George Forbes (Cedarbank) who won gold medals in both the boys 50m Freestyle Back Class 2 (40.72) and the 50m Freestyle Front Class 1 (33.63), the latter a big winning margin of over four seconds from team mate Chad Stewart (silver; 37.81) of Saltersgate school.
There was another double gold medal haul for swimmer Keira McLeod of Woodlands School. Keira won gold medals in both the girls 50m Freestyle Back Class 3 (51.38) and the 50m Adapted Breast stroke (58.02). These performances were backed up by a further 15 medals across the Lothian Team, a remarkable achievement. Three Lothian athletes were also involved in record breaking races, as Christian Buchanan (Spark of Genius; 34.43) came 4th in the boys class 1 50m butterfly behind Tayside’s Jack Milne, in a new national record of 29.89s. Similarly in the girls 50m Freestyle Back Class 1, Sarah Bleakley (Ross HS) and Shannon Crosbie (Braidburn) finished 3rd and 4th respectively behind Highland’s Tammy Neef who blazed to gold in a new national record 35.07s.
Performances were excellent right across the board and we hope to see another strong Lothian Team at the event next year. For the full list of results from the championships click here.
Lothian Disability Sport would like to thank all the coaches, volunteers and parents who came along to help and support the Lothian team. Furthermore we wish to once again congratulate all the athletes who competed and who put in the hard work and commitment to allow them to qualify for such a great event. Following the success of the GB swimmers in Rio 2016 we hope this event will serve as an excellent stepping stone to the next generation of young swimmers.
For more information on swimming clubs and events in Edinburgh and the Lothians, contact Andrew Raeburn on 0131 475 2364 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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