Scottish Government visitors had the opportunity to see the impact that our free athletics sessions are having on local children and young people when they joined our Dalmarnock group for the second of their Mini Commonwealth Games events.
Kebba Sanneh, our award-winning Local Community Impact Leader, put Minister for Drugs and Alcohol Policy and Sport, Maree Todd, and around 50 young people through their paces at the Emirates Arena.
The project is a partnership between Athletics Trust Scotland, scottishathletics and Scottish Sports Futures, with support from local clubs Shettleston Harriers and Red Star AC. Each week, the Dalmarnock session attracts around 50-60 children and young people who take part in athletics-based activity around run, jump, push, or throw movements.
Participants are all from the local area, where over 35% of children are growing up in poverty compared to 21% of children nationally. The project is part of our drive to make athletics and running more accessible for communities who face barriers to taking part in physical activity.
Representatives from all three partners took the opportunity to discuss with the Minister the need for community projects like this across Scotland to create sustainable and accessible opportunities for people to take part in athletics and reap the physical, mental and social benefits of a more active life.
Athletics Trust Scotland’s Head of Fundraising and Development, Jenny Selman, said: “The sessions are a safe and supportive space for local children and young people to get active in their own community with people they trust. Many of them previously didn’t think of athletics as an option for them, so it has been wonderful to see how much they have thrived in the sessions.
We’re creating pathways into clubs for those who want to try athletics out but might not have the confidence or knowledge of opportunities to go along themselves. We’ve seen several young people start attending training at local clubs and, more recently, take part in events like the Scottish XC Championships and schools competitions.”
Minister for Sport, Maree Todd, said: “I’ve had a wonderful evening with young people taking part in a mini-Commonwealth Games in Dalmarnock.
The programme demonstrates how sport can be so much more than physical activity — it can be a powerful driver of social change, helping to open-up opportunities for communities who often face barriers to being active.
‘Ensuring that people can easily access a wide range of sport and physical activity programmes is central to our aim of improving both mental and physical wellbeing. It also supports our wider government priorities to tackle health inequalities, strengthen community resilience, and ensure every young person — regardless of background, disability, or cultural identity — has the chance to thrive.
I look forward to seeing this programme continue to grow and reach even more communities across Scotland.”
Photos by Alex Thomson
