Shepherd Managing Partner attends Scottish Disability Sport Development Day
Shepherd Charted Surveyors managing partner, Steve Barnett (pictured above) attended Scottish Disability Sport (SDS) Development Day at Scotstoun Stadium in Glasgow to meet up with the boccia community after Shepherd having signed up last year to provide financial support to further aid boccia development throughout Scotland.
Steve was in attendance along with National Development coaches Peter McGuire (brother of Stephen, gold medal winner at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games) and Jenny Nethery.
Mr Barnett said: “It was a pleasure to attend and to meet the boccia community at the development day. I had a fabulous morning, and it really was inspiring talking to the athletes and to see how much they enjoy this hugely inclusive sport which caters for all abilities.
I learned all about boccia and, more importantly, the value of the game to the athletes that attended. Having tried the game, I experienced first-hand the skill and strategic thinking required to compete and I will be sure to keep an eye on the development of boccia!”
Acting as the Scottish Governing Body for boccia, SDS is continually campaigning to make the sport accessible for all; providing clear pathways to engage in the sport in both urban and rural areas of Scotland.
SDS’s vision is to ensure that sport and physical activity in Scotland are welcoming and inclusive for participants with disabilities. Through strong leadership and effective partnerships, SDS strives to engage and sustain participants, support athlete progression and influence change.
SDS has 14 branches covering most of Scotland, reaching from Shetland in the north to the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway in the south.
SDS is constantly attempting to widen the range of available sports options for individuals of all levels of ability with a disability in Scotland. SDS has the responsibility of creating appropriate sport specific pathways for individual sports people. Playground to Podium is the goal of many talented Scottish disabled sportsmen and women and SDS is there to offer support and advice when required.
Jonathan Kennedy, Boccia Development Officer for SDS, added: “The backing and support from Shepherd Chartered Surveyors is vital to help fund our ongoing commitment to provide opportunities for people of all abilities and to enable us to host development days like this.”
Currently Scotland has 36 boccia opportunities which allows over 720 people to enjoy the game of boccia. To make this happen there are over 199 volunteers who support these opportunities. These volunteers are vital in supporting the athletes to thrive and develop.
