Walking football for the over 55s is amongst a range of physical activity projects today sharing in £665,402 from the Big Lottery Fund’s 2014 Communities fund.
A slower paced version of the beautiful game, walking football enables older people to return to a sport they once loved or to try out a new activity that suits their fitness levels.
Two groups – the Blantyre Soccer Academy in South Lanarkshire and Links Park Community Trust in Montrose – receive Big Lottery Fund awards to bring in coaches, purchase equipment and hire facilities for weekly walking football sessions.
Walking football is just one of the many innovative projects we have funded which make exercise fun, accessible and enjoyable at any age
Blantyre Soccer Academy is a community sports club which provides amateur football coaching for the local community. The group receives £3,792 to set up ‘Saga Soccer Stars’, its first walking football club for the over 55s.
Linda Riddoch, Blantyre Soccer Academy Club Secretary, said: “We are delighted with the news of our award. This initiative will see us completing the link with all ages of the community.
“At the moment we have football classes for children as young as four and adults up to the age of 45, including our disability section. This award will allow us to start up classes for the seniors to allow them to participate in walking football and engage in fitness techniques presented by our suitably qualified coaches who will deliver a programme that ensures each player is challenged whilst keeping fit and having fun.”
Based in Montrose, Angus, Links Park Community Trust will also set up walking football sessions with an award of £3,600.
The sessions will run twice a week over a 37 week period encouraging older people who have decreased health and fitness levels to be more active.
Peter Davidson, Project Manager, Links Park Community Trust, said: “At Links Park Community Trust we aim to use the power and widespread appeal of sport to inspire change. In our community, there are many older adults who retain a love of sport, and in particular football, but whom feel that they are unable to participate in traditional programmes due to falling health and fitness levels.
“We are delighted to receive financial support from the Big Lottery Fund for our proposed Walking Football programme, an initiative which we hope will encourage inactive older adults to reignite their affinity with the game in a playing capacity.”
Announcing today’s awards to 196 different groups, Big Lottery Fund Scotland Chair, Maureen McGinn said: “As we draw to the end of a truly memorable year, today’s 2014 Communities awards show how people across Scotland are continuing to reap the benefits of sport and physical exercise. I’m delighted that many of these community groups are helping older people try out new sports and physical activities. Walking football is just one of the many innovative projects we have funded which make exercise fun, accessible and enjoyable at any age.”
2014 Communities from the Big Lottery Fund is providing National Lottery funding and supporting the legacy of the 2014 Commonwealth Games, by encouraging people to take part or volunteer in sport or physical activity or use sport as a way to bring together people from different generations.
The Big Lottery Fund has already pledged up to £11 million in National Lottery funds to ensure Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games have a positive and lasting impact across the whole country.
