Registered charity Sport Aberdeen took the top spot in the Team Aberdeen category at last night’s HEART Awards (Thursday 3 December), an annual event organised by Aberdeen City Health & Social Care Partnership, recognising people working and volunteering in health and social care in Aberdeen.

The Active Lifestyles programme, run by Sport Aberdeen, won the ‘Team Aberdeen Integrated Working’ award at a virtual ceremony following the postponement of the awards evening in March. 

The programme provides inclusive opportunities for everyone to get active and participate in physical activity regardless of whether they are starting out, recovering from injury, living with a long-term health condition or are older adults.

Sport Aberdeen was nominated for the award by colleagues in the NHS CAARS (community adult assessment and rehabilitation service) team for the way in which the charity works collaboratively with them and service users on a range of co-produced projects. 

Sport Aberdeen have been heavily involved in several joint initiatives and projects over recent years, of note, the co-design and delivery of the Carer’s Stable and Able Group which runs on a weekly basis with support from NHS occupational therapy staff.

Part of Sport Aberdeen’s Active Lifestyles programme, Carers Exercise classes were developed in response to a need for ongoing support for carers and those being cared for, as identified by NHS Grampian colleagues.

Working in partnership with participants, the organisations developed parallel classes which allow both carers and cared for to participate at the same time, mitigating anxieties around leaving loved ones alone and allowing for more people to improve health and wellbeing, reducing risk of a fall and the potential for re-referral back to stretched NHS services.

Andrinne Craig, Sport Aberdeen Healthy Communities Manager said: 

“This award really highlights that by working collaboratively we can change people lives through the many projects, services and programmes that we deliver and is testament to the incredible work that is carried out by the Active Lifestyles team year after year.

“I am thrilled that we have been named ‘Team Aberdeen’ and would like to congratulate all the other nominees and winners from this year’s HEART Awards. I would also like to thank our valued partners at NHS CAARS for nominating us for this award. It really is fantastic to see the sheer amount of partnership working that is carried out in the north-east, and I am proud that Sport Aberdeen can play a key role in this.”

“Sport Aberdeen certainly embody the values of the partnership and are prepared to go that “extra mile” to make collaborative working with them so seamless.” 

Sandra MacLeod, Aberdeen City Health & Social Care Partnership

Speaking at the virtual ceremony, Sandra MacLeod, Aberdeen City Health & Social Care Partnership Chief Officer said:

 “The team at Sport Aberdeen have made every effort to work in partnership with many different teams in Aberdeen but have certainly become an important and consistent partner to AHP’s working within the partnership. This is reflected in the reciprocal referrals that are regularly made between the services and the confidence with which these referrals are made.

“Sport Aberdeen certainly embody the values of the partnership and are prepared to go that “extra mile” to make collaborative working with them so seamless.”