5,000th Participant As “Out Of School” Project Comes To An End
Kim Maclennan, aged 8, from Achiltibuie is the 5,000th participant from Ross-shire to have taken part in Ross and Cromarty Sports Council’s OSH (Out of School Hours) project which has been running in the area for the last three years.
A pupil at Achultibuie Primary School, Kim attends the after school multi-sport session coached by Dawn Fraser in the village hall on Friday afternoons. Kim was presented with a selection of prizes including a High Life Pay As You Go Card with £50 credit from the OSH Project and a hospitality box for Inverness Caley Thistle and 3 day passes for the LivingWell Health Club and Spa in Inverness, donated by Highland Office Equipment. Kim’s Primary School was also presented with sporting equipment including 30 metallic yoyos donated by Alan Hoeseason from Coaching Highland, 5 badminton racquets from Tain Sport Shop and 50 cones with 20 bibs from Helen Houston at Options for Project Support.
The OSH project has run 200 activities across Ross-shire - from Achiltibuie to Ardross and from Scoraig to Strathconnon, involving children from 58 primary schools. Participants have had the chance to try 33 different sports including scuba diving, skiing, cheerleading, curling, handball and hockey as well as the more traditional sports of football and badminton.
Funded by the Big Lottery Fund, OSH is coming to the end of its 3 year term.
OSH Project Co-ordinator, Howard Tolliday said: “5,000 participants in Ross-shire have had the chance to take part in after school sporting activities and develop new skills. To do this, we have utilised the talent of 50 coaches who have shown dedication and expertise in delivering the varied sporting activities. I would like to thank all of them for their support and also thank all the volunteers who have helped out week in and week out.
“The feedback from the young people and all the coaches has been extremely positive and it is very encouraging that sports clubs who have put in the time and effort to coach the children and young people through the OSH project have seen their membership triple. As well as encouraging health and fitness the activities have given the young people a chance to try sports they might never have got an opportunity to try. Everyone involved is extremely sad that this fantastic project has come to an end and I know it will leave gaping holes, especially in the more rural communities.
“I believe that the success of the project is down to its simplicity. Children need physical activity week in and week out, and with the help of the sporting clubs, coaches, volunteers, leisure centres, schools and school coordinators we have done that magnificently. I and all at Ross and Cromarty Sports Council would like to thank everyone, especially the young participants, for all their hard work and dedication.”