Newly formed charity Walking Football Scotland (WFS) has been honoured at the Age Scotland 2018 National Conference and Awards Ceremony which was held at the Raddison Blu Hotel in Glasgow on Tuesday 20 March.
The event, described as ‘Later Life in Scotland – Taking the Long View’: was opened by life peer Lord George Foulkes who was part of the judging panel along with Brian Sloan, Age Scotland’s Chief Executive.
A large invited audience enjoyed a presentation on The Changing Role of the Third Sector and Older People by Dr Robert Means, Professor of Health and Wellbeing from the University of the west of England which was followed by a question and answer session with Marjory D’Arcy, Grampian 50 Plus Network, Bill McDonald, Renfreshire Seniors Forum and Derick Tai from Hawick Senior Citizens to celebrate 75 years of older people’s groups in Scotland.
This was followed by ‘dance across the decades’ led by Chris JS Wilson and members of Still Dancing from Dance House in Glasgow.
The morning session concluded with a superb presentation by Scotlands Makar Jackie Kay.
After lunch trustees of Walking Football Scotland along with patrons, former Scotland manager Craig Brown and World Cup winner Rose Reilly were presented with the Jess Barrow Award for Campaigning and Influencing by BBC TV presenter Jackie Bird.
The award was in recognition of work done by the newly former charity whose aims are to improve, maintain and promote the physical mental and social wellbeing of older adults through walking football.
Other winners included Gladys Cruikshank (Volunteer of the Year / sponsored by Solicitors for Older People), Dalbeattie Men’s Shed (Member Group of the Year) R.O.A.R (Services for Older People Award ) Toe to Toe Footcare (Patrick Brooks Award for Best working Partnership, sponsored by McCarthy and Stone), Scone and District 50 plus Group (Age Scotland Inspirational Award Group) and Mary Walls (Age Scotland Inspiration Award)
Photo : Colin McKay (Edinburgh City), John Hislop (Gala Fairydean Rovers) Rose Reilly (WFS Patron) Gary McLaughlin (Chairman WFS) Vivian Wallace (Midlothian Aging Well Project) and Craig Brown (WFS Patron)
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
