An exciting new initiative at Fraserburgh Community and Sports Centre is designed to provide fun and engaging sports activity for young people in the town aged 11 to 21 years and to give them access to a positive experience at times which can see higher levels of anti-social behaviour in the town.
Shell Twilight sessions are free and will operate every Friday night from 8pm to 10pm for both males and females. Trial sessions will be offered from 12 July to the end of the holidays when it is intended to launch the full programme.
The sessions are being run with Scottish Sports Futures who have benefitted from a partnership with Shell UK Ltd since 2010. Shell Twilight is supported by title sponsors Shell and the Scottish Government’s CashBack for Communities, which takes funds recovered from the proceeds of crime and invests them into free activities and programmes for young people across Scotland.
The national diversionary programme, sponsored by Shell UK Ltd, runs in areas of deprivation and aims to ensure young people have a safe place to take part in physical activity, make friends and learn a range of skills. The sessions also address a range of issues through interactive workshops such as mental health and wellbeing. Training opportunities are also available to support young people to achieve their full potential.
Scottish Sports Futures Manager Sean Brady said. “Our aim is to embed sessions in communities and ensure there is a legacy of local staff and young people to deliver the programme beyond our initial investment”.
Shell UK Ltd.’s Communications & Social Performance Advisor, John Raine commented on the initiative: “Shell Twilight Basketball is an exciting initiative that is making a real contribution to social inclusion by giving young people the opportunity to make a number of positive choices for their futures while having fun and learning vital skills.
“Shell support communities near to our UK operations in a number of ways, through activities that meet community needs or address particular issues, often based on their suggestions. Our contribution to communities ranges from providing grants to local charities to supporting projects that help reduce crime in the area.”
Cllr Anne Stirling, Chair of the Communities Committee, said “I am delighted that SSF and Shell are helping bring Shell Twilight to Fraserburgh. It is a priority for Aberdeenshire Council to invest in young people and improve the lives of those in our communities. This project helps to achieve that by providing healthy physical activity, support, training and positive role models”.
Chair of the Sub Committee David Cook added “Basketball is a very inclusive sport and one which is already very popular in Aberdeenshire. With the Shell Twilight we hope to introduce a new audience to the sport who will really benefit from the inclusive, supportive and most of all fun, environment it offers”.
For more information about the session in Fraserburgh, please get in touch.
