Parasport Festival brings smiles to peedie faces

Orkney’s Parasport Festival returned on Friday 23 February, bringing huge smiles to peedie faces.

Organised by Orkney Islands Council’s Sports and Leisure team, the event offers event children with physical disability, vision impairment, hearing loss or Down Syndrome a huge range of sports and fun activities to try out.

With the help of local sporting clubs and Picky Centre staff – and, for the first time, Sports Leaders from Stromness Academy – children were able to try out rugby, athletics, climbing, kayaking and swimming.

The children also enjoyed a high-five with Ola the Orca, official mascot of the International Island Games 2025.

Now in its third year, the event is supported by Scottish Disability Sport, the Pickaquoy Centre, the Inclusive Orkney charity, the Council's Sports and Leisure team, and local sporting club heroes from Orkney Rugby FC, Orkney Athletic and Running Club, Kirkwall Kayak Club and Orkney Amateur Swimming Club.

The seven Sports Leaders from Stromness Academy also helped plan the Festival as part of the ‘Events’ and Inclusivity’ elements of their Level 6 Sports Leaders award. They were Thorfinn Sinclair, Max Linklater, Ewan Foubister, Bradley Cormack, Katie Tullock, Libby Smith and Emily Fisher.

They were put through their paces by the children, with plenty of dares posed at the climbing wall in particular, as Thorfinn found out!

Emily Fisher said: “We’ve been here helping make sure the kids are getting involved and enjoying themselves – they’ve all been trying really hard at everything and doing so well!”

Elaine Harcus is OIC’s Community Sports Officer and brought all the elements of the festival together: “I’d just like to thank the Stromness Academy Sports Leaders and the many folk from local sporting clubs who came along on the day and offered up their expertise on how activities in their sports can be modified for different abilities. Their support was crucial for ensuring every child enjoyed themselves and came away feeling accomplished with some new and improved skills under their belt!”