Aberdeen FC Community Trust (AFCCT) has been shortlisted for the first Sports Business Innovation Awards which will take place on 11th March 2015 in Glasgow.
The awards, run by Sporting Chance Initiative (SCI), will recognise and reward the very best and most innovative businesses and individuals in the Scottish sport industry at a glittering awards ceremony at Glasgow Science Centre.
AFCCT has been named as a finalist in the ‘transformative innovation award’ category for the fantastic work done throughout Aberdeen in partnership with Aberdeen City Council’s Social Care and Wellbeing team to reshape care for over 65’s in the city.
A dedicated wellbeing programme, launched in 2013, provides access to physical activities and an environment where older people can grow in confidence, raise their self-esteem and feel a sense of belonging. Activities include Pittodrie health walks, park-based physical exercise, active reminiscence, walking football and ten pin bowling.
By focusing on prevention, reliance on public and private services are reduced or delayed, and quality of life is increased. The charity develops strong working relationships with all who participate, and as a result, the over 65s programme has already evolved from a weekly session to daily activities for hundreds of people in the city. It also actively targets the most isolated people and individuals from areas of social deprivation, and will soon be rolled out to sheltered housing across the city and integrate individuals with dementia, their carers and people from ethnic minorities.
Ally Prockter, Chief Executive of AFCCT, said in response to the Trust’ nomination, “Being shortlisted for this award is fantastic recognition for the excellent and innovative work being undertaken by everyone involved with AFC Community Trust. We have existed as a charity for less than a year, and the significant progress that has been made is testimony to the outstanding support we have received from all our community partners.
Our ‘Over 65s’ programmes have exceeded all expectations, and the proactive support we have received from Aberdeen City Council’s Social Care and Wellbeing team, and of course Aberdeen Football Club, has been pivotal in this success. Our ‘older people’ participants are now an integral part of many of our community activities and their positivity and energy seems almost boundless. Finally, I’d like to pass on my sincere congratulations and best wishes to all the other nominees.”
Julie Somers, Principle Planning Officer, Aberdeen City Council said, “Our partnership with AFC Community Trust has a very important part to play in active ageing. Active ageing is vital to address many areas including; tackling social isolation, maintaining independence as well as increasing physical participation.
Our work with AFCCT has been proactively innovative and already illustrates positive outcomes, and this work will continue to make a significant impact for those taking part in these great activities. I wish AFCCT very good luck for the forthcoming award ceremony in Glasgow. Being nominated is a great achievement as the Trust is still very much in its infancy and going from strength to strength.”
AFCCT will also be flying the flag for the city on the night along with fellow Aberdeen initiative, The Aberdeen Youth Games. The Aberdeen Youth Games is a programme developed by Robert Gordon University and Sport Aberdeen which promotes physical activity, health and wellbeing among young people across the city. The Aberdeen Youth Games has been named as a finalist in the ‘best innovation in community sport’ category. Everyone at Aberdeen FC & AFCCT would like to take this opportunity to congratulate them on their nomination.
The Scottish sport industry is estimated to be worth more than £1billion to the Scottish economy – in terms of consumer spend, and supports a number of other sectors leading to innovation in textiles, food and drink, product design engineering, life sciences and many more.
With over £500million spent in Scotland annually on sports clothing, footwear and equipment alone, the sports industry is both profitable and hugely exciting. The Awards recognise the innovative work of small to medium sports businesses highlighting not only the role they play in wider industry, but in encouraging sports participation throughout the country.
The Sports Business Innovation Awards are the brainchild of Stirling-based Sporting Chance Initiative, Scotland’s only hub for innovation in sports business. In its first three years, SCI supported 561 small to medium sized enterprises, creating/safeguarding an estimated 518 jobs and adding a predicted £5.94m to their turnovers.
Winners will be presented with a medal, specially designed for the event by Sarah Raffel of Brazen Studios Glasgow.
Tickets for the awards ceremony are available at http://sportingchanceinitiative.co.uk/the-sports-business-innovation-awards-2015/
The awards will be judged by Dr John Anderson, a director of the Hunter Centre, Dr John Rogers, Director of Research and Enterprise at University of Stirling, and Dr Wendy Inglis Humphrey, Project Director of Sporting Chance Initiative.
The awards will be judged by Dr John Anderson, a director of the Hunter Centre, Dr John Rogers, Director of Research and Enterprise at University of Stirling, and Dr Wendy Inglis Humphrey, Project Director of Sporting Chance Initiative.
