Has your Walking Football Group got access to a Defibrillator?

 Hopefully most local authority sports facilities and well run football clubs now have these essential life saving devices in place however if your venue does not, we strongly recommend you raise the issue with your facility provider.

 
Walking Football Scotland's commercial partner Cardiac Science offer all member clubs the opportunity of purchasing a device at a discounted price of £800 plus vat.

 
Although this may initially appear a little expensive it is no more than a couple of sets of team kit and if ever required to save a life, will prove a far greater investment. 

Walking football in a league of its own

Walking Football Scotland in partnership with North Lanarkshire Leisure and Health & Social Care North Lanarkshire, are delighted to be hosting this year’s National League tournament which will once again take place at the excellent Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility.

12 teams have registered to take part, Fife Wanderers, Hearts 56, Hearts 98, Gala Fairydean Rovers, Ayr United Beresford,  Ayr United Parkhouse, Stenhousemuir, Glasgow Sport East, Glasgow Sport West, North Lanarkshire, Motherwell and Oriam (Edinburgh).

Last November three teams entered the final round of fixtures with a chance of winning the trophy before Hearts 56 eventually emerged victorious.

Games will be held indoors and outdoors on 3G pitches with fixtures commencing on Wednesday 25th April 2018.  Teams will meet on a monthly basis to play 3 league fixtures which will be 20 minutes per match.

After the games, players and spectators will have the chance to meet each other socially over a tea or coffee before heading home.

Fixtures will be held between 12pm – 2pm each month on the following dates:

•              Wednesday 25th April

•              Wednesday 30th May

•              Wednesday 29th August

•              Wednesday 26th September

•              Wednesday 31st October

•              Wednesday 28th November

Costs are £2 per player per month paid on arrival at venue.

This league will cater for players aged 50+ and a recommended squad of up to 10 should attend on match days to play 6-a-side.

Referees will be provided, however as ever we ask that League fixtures are played with the right attitude that promotes the game.

Rules will be of the published Walking Football Scotland ‘Laws of the Game’.

League table will be also updated every month which will be emailed out and available on the WFS website www.walkingfootballscotland.org.uk and at www.nlleisure.co.uk

Football Legend David Hay launched the League at Ravenscraig last year.

League Fixtures 25th April 2018

Walking Football Scotland Scottish Cup and Festival 2018

Working in partnership with Glasgow Sport, The Scottish Football Partnership Trust and Paths for All we are delighted to invite you to sign up for this year’s walking football Scottish Cup and Festival, being held again at Glasgow Green Football Centre on Saturday June 23rd.

This year we are offering a competitive and non-competitive element where teams can sign up and participate in either the Scottish Cup or take part in the friendly Festival. 

So come along and be crowned Scottish walking football Champions or enter and be part of a wonderful Festival and showcase walking football, played at its best.

·    Scottish Cup (Over 50’s only), replacing the old previous ‘National Festival’, will be competitive in nature and is priced at £50 per team.  Maximum of 32 teams can take part. (Clubs can enter more than 1 team)

·    Festival (any age) will be non-competitive inviting all those who would simply like to take part in organised friendly fixtures and is priced at £30 per team. (any amount of teams can enter)

We hope that with over 60 affiliated Walking Football Scotland clubs, you will sign up to take part in this festival of walking football.

You can sign up directly by emailing club confirmation details to Matt.Ramsay@glasgowlife.org.uk

Aldi Launch Sports Fund

Scottish walking football groups looking for a little financial assistance may consider this funding stream. 
The supermarket chain is offering grants to sports clubs based in Scotland to support the work they are doing in their local community. The funding is for groups located near where an Aldi store is operating. 

Aldi set up the fund as part of its goal to increase the positive impact it has on local communities and to help as many sports clubs as possible. 

The one-off grants of up to £500 can be used to cover a range of costs including: 

- The purchase of new team strips. 
- The purchase of equipment (Defibrillator etc)
- Subsidising transport costs. 

For more information and application forms: 

https://www.aldi.co.uk/scottishsportfund

Spartans Connections Community Walking Football

Several years ago the Spartans Football Club achieved The Scottish Football Association Disability Club Award due to the great work they carry out with players who have a disability. 

Fairly recently the group created a walking football section open to all which has now grown to include a wide range of community participants. This is an incredible example of how walking football can bring together adults of all ages, genders and abilities/disabilities. 

The senior members of the group are off to Santa Ponsa in Majorca from 10th to 14th May to participate in their WF tournament and Walking Football Scotland wishes them well. 

They meet every Monday at Spartans Community Football  Academy in Edinburgh from 12.00 to 13.00 and all members of the community are most welcome to come along and get involved in this tremendous initiative.

 For more information contact Spartans Connections team manager Garry Betts on garrybetts@spartanscfa.com 

International Women's Day - 8th March

As part of International Women's Day, Walking Football Scotland would like to encourage more women to get involved in the walking game.
There are already a few female only sessions at Aberdeen and Montrose however most of the walking football sessions across Scotland welcome both men and women. 
It is unfortunate that back in the 60's and 70's women were not particularly encouraged to play football so very few women currently over 50 had the opportunity to play. 
Girls and woman’s football is now one of the fastest growing sports in the UK and in the next few years there should be a huge growth in female walking footballers as the younger girls "mature".
Ironically one of the early pioneers of walking football is a woman. 
Back in 2012, Vivian Wallace as part of Midlothian Council's Ageing Well team introduced walking football into their programme to persuade older folks to become more active. The rest they say is walking football history!
Vivian is now a Trustee on the Board of Walking Football Scotland and along with Scotland's only football world cup winner Rose Reilly are tremendous ambassadors for women's walking football.