Glasgow Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Club Shortlisted for Community Funding
Scottish Women Warriors Wheelchair Basketball Club, a Glasgow-based group offering women across the west of Scotland a chance to get involved in the disability sport, have been shortlisted to receive funding from Scotmid Co-operative’s Community Connect initiative.
The Community Connect project, which was launched in 2017, allows Scotmid members to help local good-cause groups by awarding them a share of £25,000. The money was raised through the sale of single use carrier bags sold in stores.
The club wants to provide an opportunity for those participating to improve their fitness levels, receive support and gain some competitive experience in this inclusive activity. They work hard to tackle issues like isolation, confidence-building and self-esteem, and guarantee that the money will go to good use.
Chairperson Karen Carruth was ecstatic to be shortlisted: “We are delighted to be selected for a Community Connect award. We are a group of women who focus on capability rather than disability. We are a club for all women of all abilities.
“We have fun, keep active and just have a laugh while playing basketball. The money will help us buy specialist sports chairs and help with travel and running costs.”
The team has an initiative to include everyone and is not exclusive to disabled players, able players are also a part of the team. Their focus is on capability, not disability. Their participants’ ages range from 16 to mid-60s providing an ‘interesting dynamic’.
Being the only all-female wheelchair basketball team in Scotland, the cause gives an underrepresented part of their community a chance to participate in this sport.
The Warriors are shortlisted alongside two other great cause located in the Glasgow area. Both Dumfries and Galloway Blood Bikes and East Kilbride’s Kilbryde Hospice are also within a chance of receiving the funding.
The process to vote is quite easy, Nicole Anderson from Grayling explains: “Community Connect is simple: Every time a Scotmid Co-operative member shops in a Scotmid store they can scan their Community Connect Card to receive one vote. Members will also be able to cast their votes at Scotmid’s West Region Annual General Meeting in April 2020.”
