A popular Aberdeen Walking Football project recently celebrated its third birthday. The project, a partnership between AFC Community Trust and Sport Aberdeen’s Beach Leisure Centre, has continued to grow and attract a wider range of participants.

Weekly footfall has increased year on year since its inception. Fourteen players attended the very first session in 2016.

Today, there are around 40 regular participants with over 118 people in total having attended. Over the three years the sessions have attracted participants ranging from the age of 35 to 72. Together they have clocked up almost 5,000 participation hours.

Sport Aberdeen’s Active Lifestyles Development Officer, Andrinne Craig said:

“It has been a delight to see the group go from strength to strength over the past 3 years.

“Its success is all thanks to the volunteers and players who have embraced walking football and created a fun, social and supportive environment to be active.

“We are pleased to work in partnership with AFC Community Trust to offer an opportunity for Football Fans In Training participants to continue their fitness journey in the Community.”

The project, coordinated by volunteers Stephen Harvey and Dougie Henderson, aims to provide people with a lower impact alternative to a standard football game, but with all the skill, fitness, fun and teamwork you would expect from a regular game.

Walking Football is a growing national sport amongst older participants, and these sessions operate an ‘open to all’ policy welcoming male and female players across a variety of ages, including those who have experienced injury or who are keen to return to physical activity after experiencing a long-term health condition.

David Smith, Senior Community Projects Officer at Aberdeen FC Community Trust said:

“It’s been great to work with Sport Aberdeen to enable this group of men and women, most of whom started their journey to become more active with Football Fans in Training, to stay active and connected in the community. Huge thanks must go to Stephen and Dougie for this commitment and helping the group week in week out, a credit to the city and the community.”