On Wednesday 27 May, 43 participants from the West of the region attended a Multisports Talent ID Festival at Stranraer Academy for people with a physical disability, learning disability or sensory impairment.
The festival was organised by Dumfries and Galloway Disability Sport in partnership with Dumfries and Galloway Council. Stranraer Academy kindly offered their sports facilities to host the event. Also in attendance were representatives from Scottish Disability Sport who were there to identify talented individuals and to suggest opportunities on a national pathway for them to train and compete at a higher level.
The festival itself consisted of four 45 minute taster sessions in Football, Boccia, Table Tennis and Athletics delivered by local coaches and assisted by volunteers from the school. Chair of Wigtown Area Committee, Councillor Marion McCutcheon was on hand to open the event and to try her hand at Boccia.
The event served as a means of promoting available sessions in the West of Dumfries and Galloway and to increase membership on the Dumfries and Galloway Disability Sport database of disabled athletes in the region. Dumfries and Galloway Disability Sport is a charity which, by working in partnership with our Council, forms the regional branch of Scottish Disability Sport and aims to provide opportunities for all disabled people within the region to participate in regular sporting activity to achieve and maintain healthy active lifestyles.
At Dumfries and Galloway Disability Sport runs inclusive sessions where people with any form of a disability can have a good time, make new friends and enjoy their sporting experiences whilst receiving opportunities to represent their local area or school at regional, national or even international events.
As a charity, Dumfries and Galloway Disability Sport is supported by Leisure a
nd Sport representatives from Dumfries and Galloway Council but is predominantly run by volunteers from the local community.
Reflecting on the event, Councillor McCutcheon said;
“Congratulations to all who helped organise this event. I was so pleased to be invited to be part of the day and I enjoyed every minute of it. The sheer pride the staff all take in their work shows and how much the kids and adults appreciate it is plain for all to see. I can’t wait till the next one”
If you’d like to find out more about Dumfries and Galloway Disability Sport search for them on Facebook and like their page.
