In partnership with Ability Shetland, thanks to #2026SummerOfSport funding from sportscotland, Kathryn Fielding (Goalball UK’s Senior Development Officer) recently travelled to the Shetland Islands.
Over three days, five courses were delivered on the mainland – two in Lerwick, one in Sandwick, one in Scalloway and one in Brae – that were attended, amongst others, by staff members from Ability Shetland, Qualified Teachers of the Visually Impaired (QTVI’s), PE teachers, Active Schools Co-ordinators and parents.
Working together, it is now hoped that they can start to regularly deliver goalball sessions and perhaps even introduce the sport to colleagues from neighbouring islands. All being well, goalball may then in the future be part of the Island Games!
Marc Robertson (Ability Shetland’s Sports Development Coordinator) said: “We were absolutely delighted to welcome Kathryn from Goalball UK to Shetland to deliver three days of Goalball Leaders and Visual Impairment Sports Awareness training. It was fantastic to bring together such a diverse group of people from health, education, social care and the third sector, alongside parents and families. The training has been a valuable opportunity to build knowledge, confidence and understanding of how we can better include people with a visual impairment in sport and physical activity. By bringing people together from across our communities, we are helping to create more opportunities for children and adults affected by sight loss to take part alongside their peers, develop their skills and enjoy being active within their own communities. We are incredibly grateful to Kathryn for sharing her knowledge and expertise, and to everyone who took part and is committed to making sport in Shetland more inclusive and accessible for everyone.”
Although Kathryn’s schedule was pretty packed, she still found some time to get outside and enjoy the magnificent scenery in the September sunshine. This included a short ferry ride to Bressay to take part in the UK’s most northerly parkrun!
