Get ready to hit the pedals at Sport Aberdeen’s free Cycling Festival, taking place on Saturday 26th April from 13:00 to 15:30 at the Aberdeen Cycle Hub @ Seaton.
The festival will have various partners in attendance including Love to Ride, Tyred and Cranky, Stella’s Voice, Grampian Inclusive Cycling Bothies, Nestrans, Get About and beCyCle.
With multiple different bikes to try, activities going on and even an ice cream van Greig’s Ices, there is something for everyone to get involved in!
All equipment at the event – including helmets – will be provided.
Bookable sessions
There are two sessions which should be booked in advance.
- Learn to Ride
Laura and Ailsa from Sport Aberdeen’s community sport team will deliver Learn to Ride sessions with children who haven’t yet learned to ride a bike or are beginners. Children can be any age to attend these sessions.
The slots will be allocated in 30-minute increments, please email bdouglas@sportaberdeen.co.uk to book.
- Dr. Bike
This session will be delivered by Tim and Darren from Tyred and Cranky. Tim and Darren will carry out basic bike maintenance checks on adult or children’s bikes, ensuring they are safe for the road.
To book a Dr. Bike session, please email bdouglas@sportaberdeen.co.uk
Other activities with no booking required
Everything else going on throughout the festival does not need to be booked in advance.
- Adapted Cycling with Grampian Inclusive Cycling Bothies – Have a go on an adapted bike including an upright trike, handcycle or a recumbent bike.
- Bike skills and agility – Laura and Ailsafrom Sport Aberdeen’s community sport team will lead agility sessions such as cycling through slalom poles, working on overall skills and control whilst on a bike.
- beCyCle Aberdeen – Local charity beCyCle will be on hand to show attendees how to deconstruct a bike, help them learn about the components making up a bike and more.
- Multiactivity games and cornhole – Joe and Rishabh from Sport Aberdeen’s community sport team will lead these fun activities.
- Stella’s Voice Bike Amnesty – bring along an old bike (regardless of its condition) and Stella’s Voice will do it up and either sell it on or donate it. Similarly, anyone looking for a bike could potentially get one.
Don’t miss out, make sure you come along to this wheelie good event!
Please note: parking is limited at Aberdeen Cycle Hub @ Seaton as the area will be used to deliver cycling activity.
It is therefore recommended to park at the overflow car park opposite Mrs Murray’s Cat & Dog Home.
Sports clubs and community facilities across Scotland will benefit from £450k of investment from sportscotland’s Sport Facilities Fund to local partners, including Sport Aberdeen.
Eight projects are sharing £451,038, meaning much-needed investment in rural communities, areas of deprivation and for projects designed to make sport more accessible and inclusive. The investment has been made possible thanks to National Lottery players who raise £30 million each week for good causes across the UK.
Sport Aberdeen is receiving £26,474 for new floodlights at Northfield Outdoor Sports Centre. The total cost of the project will be £52,949, with the new floodlights covering three courts.
The floodlights will allow for play during the winter months at the recently refurbished courts. Sport Aberdeen is aiming to create a high-quality sport and physical activity hub for the community at Northfield. The refurbished courts have seen a high number of bookings since reopening and floodlights will allow for increased access and give more people the opportunity to play.
The LTA estimates that floodlights add 35% more playing time and can increase activity by up to 50%. The facility will be free to use for all school groups and youth coaching programmes will be developed.
Chief Executive of sportscotland, Forbes Dunlop, said:
“The physical and mental health benefits of sport are well documented, but equally important is the ability to create a space where everyone is welcome to participate at their own level.
“We are facing challenging times with significant financial pressures at all levels. But thanks to the continued commitment of our local partners, projects like this one in Aberdeen means more people will have an opportunity to become physically active and feel part of their local community.”
Mark Pain, Community Sport Manager, Sport Aberdeen:
“Being able to access funding from sportscotland and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to install floodlighting has been transformational for the park’s tennis site in Northfield.
“What was a crumbling, unused set of courts a couple of years ago has been regenerated into a high-quality community sports facility in a priority neighbourhood within the city.
“The addition of floodlighting will provide greater opportunities for year round access to local tennis opportunities, inspiring new players to take up the sport, regardless of age or previous experience.”
The aim behind the sportscotland Sport Facilities Fund is to support capital projects which are designed to create or improve the places where people take part in sport and physical activity in their local community.
Priority is given to projects that widen access to participation or allow people to progress further within their chosen sport locally by removing barriers, particularly in rural areas or areas of deprivation and for under-represented groups.
In addition to the investment, projects can benefit from the expertise within sportscotland’s facilities team to maximise the impact that their plans will have, ensuring they meet the needs of their local communities now and in the future.
More information on the Sports Facilities Fund can be found on the sportscotland website here.
Local charities Sport Aberdeen and Lifestars have teamed up to launch their Inaugural Golf Day, bringing together golfers for an unforgettable day on the greens whilst supporting two worthy causes.
Taking place on Friday 5th September 2025 at Sport Aberdeen’s MacKenzie Championship Golf Course, golfers are encouraged to sign up for a day of competition, fantastic prizes and charitable impact.
Golfers will compete in a Texas Scramble format in teams of four. Guests will gather at The Park Café in Hazlehead Park for delicious pre and post golf food and beverages.
After the golf, there will be a prize-giving ceremony to provide an opportunity to relax, share laughs and celebrate the day’s achievements with fellow golfers. The winning team will have the honour of nominating a school to receive a Sport Aberdeen activity.
This event is more than just a day on the course – it’s about supporting two incredible local charities.
Lifestars supports children with additional support needs, helping them to develop key life and social skills and reach their full potential.
Sport Aberdeen is committed to creating opportunities, inspiring people and changing lives through sport and physical activity. All profits made by the charity are reinvested back into the communities it serves, and it provides programmes to support older adults with long term health conditions, care experienced young people and more.
Willie McPherson, Chief Fundraising Officer at Lifestars, said: “We are beyond excited to partner with Sport Aberdeen for this event! It’s going to be a fantastic day of golf, fun, and raising money for causes that are so important to us. We can’t wait to see everyone there!”
Keith Heslop, Chief Executive Officer at Sport Aberdeen, added: “We are proud to work alongside Lifestars for this event being hosted at one of our golf courses.
“Supporting children with additional support needs and addressing the challenges of child poverty are causes close to our hearts. This event is an important opportunity to make a lasting difference in our community and we are grateful for the support that will help us continue this vital work.”
The cost to enter is £550 per team. To book a place, simply email gkelly@sportaberdeen.co.uk or call 07813 252525.
Don’t miss out on this chance to make a meaningful impact whilst enjoying a great day of golf. Let’s swing for the stars and make a real difference together!
Local Bridge of Don-based business Perform Panel has kindly sponsored 750 medals for this year’s Active Schools Fun Run Series.
Active Schools is a sportscotland initiative, delivered in Aberdeen by Sport Aberdeen, and provides children in all primary and secondary schools with opportunities to participate in sport and physical activity.
The Fun Run Series is an annual event taking place in April and May at different venues across the city and is free for primary school pupils to enter.
Primary 1-3 pupils run 400m, Primary 4 pupils run 800m and Primary 5-7 pupils have the option of running 800m or 1600m.
Primary 4 pupils and Primary 5-7 pupils who run 1600m will then be considered for the end of series ‘Champion of Champions’ event which brings together the top runners from each venue.
The main ethos of these events is for children to come together, have fun and possibly try running for the first time!
As well as the provision of medals, Perform Panel has agreed to provide volunteers to help on the day with the individual races.
To find out more about sponsoring other community-based initiatives through Sport Aberdeen, please get in touch with Graham Kelly at gkelly@sportaberdeen.co.uk
To find out more about the Fun Run Series, visit Sport Aberdeen’s website here.
Sport Aberdeen is delighted to be named February’s site of the month for its successful implementation of the ESCAPE-pain hip and knee course.
ESCAPE-pain is a group rehabilitation programme for people with chronic joint pain – it integrates educational self-management and coping strategies with an exercise schedule.
Previously the programme was delivered by NHS physiotherapy outpatient departments, and this innovative new approach by Sport Aberdeen means it can be delivered by exercise professionals at its venues.
Funding was received from NHS Grampian Charities to deliver the programme, aimed at individuals who are aged 45 years and over who are living with chronic knee and/or hip pain due to osteoarthritis.
The programme runs with a group of participants for six weeks, with two sessions per week, and the first block was delivered by Health and Wellness Advisor Bill Loxton at Get active @ Northfield. Further blocks of the programme have been delivered at Get active @ Kincorth and Get active @ Northfield, with a new block starting this week.
The sessions last for 1 hour, consisting of an exercise section specifically designed to help participant’s knees and hips, then an education section focusing on advice for self-management.
Bill Loxton, Health and Wellness Advisor at Sport Aberdeen, said: “The ESCAPE-pain programme is very good and at the moment we aren’t charging for it – it’s excellent value.
“The programme is evidence-based, proving that through progressive exercise, people are taking less medication to cope with pain.
“The participants do the same exercises every week and we work closely with them so that hopefully they’ll get fitter and stronger and be suffering from less pain.
“The novel thing about Sport Aberdeen delivering this programme is that participants come away with stories and experiences that they can compare. There’s definitely a lot of peer support and the classes involve a lot of discussions.”
Lee Hood, Health and Wellness Advisor at Sport Aberdeen, said: “We were finding that the people attending had a fear that keeping active would make their condition worse, so it’s our job to remind them that as long as the exercises are done correctly, it will be beneficial and helpful.
“We try to change their perception – with the ESCAPE-pain programme, we have been able to prove to people that exercise makes their condition better.
“By delivering these sessions within our local fitness venues, it means that more people living with chronic pain can access them.”
A 67-year-old ESCAPE-pain participant, Pauline, said: “I found the ESCAPE-pain classes very helpful. Lee was a great coach, apart from showing us how to do all the exercises he gave us some excellent information on how to keep active. It was also great to be able to speak to some other participants who were experiencing the same problems.
“I would definitely recommend the programme to others.
“I am now doing the exercises at home and have been doing them in blocks of approximately 20 minutes on most days.”
Referrals to the ESCAPE-pain programme can be made from a GP, health professional or a self-referral through Sport Aberdeen’s website here.
Sport Aberdeen’s Active Schools team and Community Sport team recently reactivated the indoor climbing wall at Northfield Academy as a result of a successful funding application.
The teams joined forces and secured £3.9K in November 2024 from Aberdeen City Health & Social Care Partnership’s Health Improvement Fund, covering the cost of inspection and recertification of the wall and helping to train 32 people to deliver bouldering sessions.
Bouldering is a discipline of rock climbing, performed at a low height without ropes or harnesses, and has many benefits for physical and mental health.
The indoor climbing wall at Northfield Academy was originally installed in 2017 by Dream Climbing Walls. Unfortunately, the wall became out of use due to staff turnover at the school and the loss of qualified teaching staff to support climbing sessions.
A bustling opening event was held on Thursday 27 March to celebrate the facility being back in action, with a presentation from Sport Aberdeen’s Lead Community Sports Hub Coordinator, Joe Coleman.
This was all made possible through close partnership working between Sport Aberdeen, Northfield Academy staff and a range of community groups via the priority neighbourhood partnership that is active in the area.
Joe said:
“It has been a real pleasure to work with the team at the school to get the doors re-opened on this excellent facility.
“It’s so important that young people have access to sports that sit outside of the mainstream provision. I’m stoked to see how enthusiastic the kids at the school have been so far and have no doubt we’ll be seeing a healthy bouldering and climbing scene coming out of Northfield as a result.”
Stacey Stuart, Active Schools Coordinator, said:
“The buzz around the newly reactivated wall has been incredible, from pupils, staff and community partners alike and getting to watch so many people experience bouldering, many for the first time, has been amazing.
“There is definitely potential for so many opportunities now we have the wall recertified and trained staff available to support. It is a real asset for both the school and the local community and I am so pleased to see it being recognised as such.”
To date, more than 50 young people have taken part in school taster sessions; 24 of which are part of the school’s enhanced provision, and 17 one-to-one sessions have taken place.
Following the interest expressed from the taster sessions, school lunch club sessions have been planned, as well as an all-girls bouldering group.
One young person at Northfield Academy commented:
“Through bouldering you get to know different people better. Bouldering makes me feel supported and lets me trust others. I have been able to do a lot more than I thought I could. At the start of the year, on the residential trip, I nearly cried when we went climbing so bouldering has really helped my confidence. Now that I’ve tried it, it would be really good to be able to climb more regularly and have others try it out too.”
Another young person at Northfield Academy commented:
“Bouldering has been a really beneficial experience for me. We get to bond with the people we climb with and the instructors. There are always people nearby to help you if you need it. It’s really fun and you get to learn new skills that you wouldn’t have learnt otherwise. Now that I’ve tried it, I want to share my experience and encourage others to try it too because it’s been so positive for me.”
Looking ahead to the future, plans include attracting further support and funding to reactive roped rock climbing, embedding the activities as a regular part of the curricular offering at the school, supporting local clubs to develop performance pathways and enabling other external groups within the community to use the climbing wall out with school hours.
To find out more about using the climbing wall for bouldering, get in touch with communitysport@sportaberdeen.co.uk
North East Scotland College (NESCol) and Sport Aberdeen have created a new progression pathway to sport and fitness courses for young people on the Active Schools Sports Leadership Programme.
The agreement provides an alternative route to College, increasing access to further or higher education for young people without traditional entry requirements. It also provides a progression opportunity to NESCol for those at the end of the programme.
Delivered by Sport Aberdeen, the programme helps young people aged 14 to 25 develop leadership skills through volunteering in sport and physical activity opportunities within their school or community. They receive regular support and training, with the programme running at various venues across the city.
NESCol offers a range of sport, fitness and uniformed services courses from introductory to HND level. The bronze, silver and gold awards achieved from the Sports Leadership Programme will be recognised as an alternative, or partial alternative, to entry requirements for these.
Graeme Dale, Director of Sport & Active Communities, Sport Aberdeen:
“Sport Aberdeen is delighted to continue working closely with NESCol. With this innovative new partnership agreement, we can further enhance our support to school pupils in our programmes, such as our award-winning SPACE programme for care experienced young people, to help them achieve sustained positive destinations at NESCol.”
Alongside the new agreement, Sport Aberdeen has confirmed updated placement opportunities for students studying HND Sport Coaching & Development and Fitness, Health & Exercise.
These placements will provide students with real-life experience in a wide range of areas, with a focus on gym instruction, sports coaching and sports development.
Ross Connell, Curriculum Manager (acting) for Sport & Fitness, NESCol, said:
“NESCol has a long-standing partnership with Sport Aberdeen, and we are excited to renew this collaboration to ensure our students have access to industry expertise and relevant placements to enhance their College experience.
“Through the Active Schools Sports Leadership Programme, participants gain valuable skills and experience, with the opportunity to progress onto NESCol’s sport courses—turning their passion into a future career.”
Study Sport & Fitness at NESCol
Completion of the Active Schools Leadership Programme is recognised as alternative, or partial alternative, entry requirements to:
- Introduction to Sport Coaching, Fitness & Exercise (Bronze/Silver Award)
- Advanced Sport Coaching, Fitness & Exercise (Silver/Gold Award)
- HND Coaching & Developing Sport (Gold Award – partial alternative)
- HND Fitness, Health & Exercise (Gold Award – partial alternative)
- Level 2 Uniformed Services (Bronze/Silver Award)
- Level 3 Uniformed Services (Silver/Gold Award)
Explore all full-time sport, fitness and uniformed services courses
Sport Aberdeen and Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) are delighted to be shortlisted in the ‘Making a Social Difference’ category of the 2025 Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards for a successful collaborative project, ProActive Minds.
ProActive Minds was a two-year Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) funded by The Wood Foundation and Innovate UK, delivered between 2022 to 2024.
Its aim was to improve the mental wellbeing of young people in local communities through the power of sport and physical activity and new resources developed including “Just Being” mental health training and the “Being Me” pilot – to help young people navigate the complexities of body image, with the aim of reducing body dissatisfaction.
A sport and exercise psychologist Dr Ciara Reidy, appointed as the Knowledge Transfer Partnership Associate, led efforts in Aberdeen through the Active Schools network and the wider Sport Aberdeen community. By creating resources, upskilling staff and volunteers, and offering individual support, the initiative had a positive impact on the mental wellbeing of children and young people across Aberdeen.
Backed by sportscotland, NHS Grampian, SAMH and Aberdeen City Council, the ProActive Minds pilot now aims to build a compelling case for wider implementation nationally.
Graeme Dale, Director of Sport & Active Communities at Sport Aberdeen, said:
“Through successful partnership working with GCU, we are delighted that our ProActive Minds project has been shortlisted for the ‘Making a Social Difference’ category for making a meaningful contribution to children and young people’s mental health during its pilot.
“We champion mental health at the core of our programmes and we are grateful to The Wood Foundation for funding our contribution to the project.
“Our KTP Associate Dr Ciara Reidy was supported by ProActive Minds project Knowledge Base Supervisor Dr Bryan McCann from GCU throughout the project’s duration.
“It is great to see that Dr McCann has also been shortlisted for the Knowledge Exchange Champion award. Congratulations to all the finalists!”
Alison MacLachlan, The Wood Foundation’s UK Director, said:
“At The Wood Foundation, we are committed to investing in innovative approaches that create meaningful change for young people. Knowledge Transfer Partnerships offer a unique opportunity to fund organisations who want to test and learn from innovative solutions for social gain.
“ProActive Minds is a fantastic example of how collaboration can drive impact, equipping communities with the knowledge and resources to support mental wellbeing through physical activity and healthier choices.”
Dr Bryan McCann, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Glasgow Caledonian University, said:
“It is wonderful to see Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) and Sport Aberdeen’s partnership recognised by being shortlisted for the Making a Social Difference award.
“GCU is the University for the Common Good, and our Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with Sport Aberdeen demonstrates how powerful these partnerships can be.
“The ProActive Minds KTP has seen a range of resources grounded in sport and exercise psychology principles developed and piloted which aim to support and improve children and young people’s mental health. This knowledge exchange project really shows how powerful collaborations can make a positive difference.”
The Awards ceremony will take place in Edinburgh on Wednesday 19th March 2025, the full shortlist can be viewed here.
Through a long-standing successful partnership between Active Schools Aberdeen and Robert Gordon University (RGU), Stage 3 and 4 BSc (hons) Sport Coaching students from RGU worked with around 3,000 pupils from various Aberdeen primary schools as part of a FUNdamental activity day on 5 November 2024.
The students worked with 18 primary schools to increase engagement in physical activity, enhance fundamental movement skills and promote health and wellbeing through playing a variety of fun games and activities.
Sarah Fraser, Lead Active Schools Coordinator at Sport Aberdeen, said: “Following the success of last year’s FUNdamental activity day, we were delighted to work in partnership with RGU to deliver this event again.
“The student’s professionalism and coaching knowledge ensured that young people from our primary schools got the opportunity to experience a fun and engaging day of activities. We look forward to expanding the offer next year following positive feedback from the primary schools involved.”
Stage 4 students and class representatives Isla Ramsay and Bradley McCallister said: “This was an incredible opportunity to go into the primary schools in Aberdeen to deliver sessions based on fundamental movements. These skills are essential to developing confidence in their movement and within themselves.
“We thoroughly enjoyed teaching the pupils about different movement patterns and delivering this in a fun and engaging session which kept everyone involved. This is hopefully an opportunity that can be continued and improved to both the schools of Aberdeen and the sport students at RGU in the following years”.
Lecturer Dr Andy Hall said the events, which occurred simultaneously within different primary schools, had been a positive experience for students, pupils and primary schools.
He said: “The opportunity for students to work collaboratively across year groups and with external partnerships such as Sport Aberdeen is an excellent development experience, allowing them to implement academic theory within practical settings, while showcasing their high-level coaching skills.
“The chance to support the community within Aberdeen, promote physical activity opportunities, and develop fundamental movement skills such as running, jumping, catching and throwing for primary school pupils through innovative fun activities is an excellent opportunity for all involved.
“These opportunities are not possible without the continued engagement from effective partnerships such as those with Sport Aberdeen and is something we are all looking to continue to grow in the future. This event has built on work from previous years, demonstrating the need and success of these events for the local community within Aberdeen”.
Above: Stage 4 student Reece Hurrell (left) and Stage 3 student Robert Cruickshank (right)
Award-winning charity Sport Aberdeen has kickstarted 2025 by appointing two new individuals to its growing marketing, communications and commercial development team.
Graham Kelly joins as Sales Executive and Molly McLeod joins as Content Creator – both in newly created roles.
With a background spanning 30 years of sales and marketing experience, Graham has worked in the finance, home improvement and advertising sectors.
His role will aim to grow commercial advertising and corporate sponsorship opportunities for Sport Aberdeen, so the charity can generate more revenue for reinvesting back into its meaningful community projects and initiatives including support for care experienced young people.
Molly McLeod recently graduated from Robert Gordon University with a 1st Class BA (Hons) Fashion Management degree.
During her studies, she gained work experience in London and travelled internationally as a PR and Marketing Assistant. She has a background in fashion and sport and loves keeping up to date with the latest social media trends – where her passion for content creation started.
In her new role, Molly will strive to enhance Sport Aberdeen’s video content creation, with a key focus on Instagram and TikTok to tap into new audiences and stay current with trends.