THE North Ayrshire Table Tennis Club has notched up yet another success this year, but this time it is not for winning a tournament.
Earlier in the year, the club’s former head coach, Billy Main, applied for a new sport and healthy living bursary from Quality Meat Scotland (QMS).
QMS worked with sportscotland and launched the ‘Go for It Scotland!’ Programme earlier this year to award 20 £500 bursaries. .
Jennifer Robertson, QMS health and education coordinator is a qualified dietician and she visited the club to present a framed certificate to three of the clubs international players, brothers Chris (24) and Richard (21) Main, and Jill Taylor (15).
Jennifer commented: “The judging panel was really impressed at the high standard of all the applications and this made it a really tough job for the judging panel.
“In their application, the club explained that they would use the £500 award to pay for coaching at ‘grass roots’ level and to buy basic equipment.”
One of the aims of the club is to target youngsters from Primary 4 to 7 by introducing table tennis to schools as a new sport, with the objective of setting up after school clubs in North Ayrshire.
In the club’s application, former head coach, Billy Main, stated: “The funding will be used by two qualified coaches and Scottish internationalists, under the guidance of Head Coach, Chis Main, to cover the costs of 24 sessions over a 12-week period and to buy table tennis bats and balls.”
Jennifer explained that QMS undertakes a range of health and education activities with the aim of encouraging awareness of the importance of red meat in a healthy, balanced diet and an understanding of where food comes from.
“Anyone could apply for a ‘Go for It Scotland!’ bursary, provided they live and train in Scotland and their sport or healthy activity increases their heart rate. The bursary can be used to fund equipment, specialist clothing, travel, training, nutrition, coaching or to set up or develop a new or existing group or club.
“The North Ayrshire Table Tennis Club certainly made a great case in their application, with the club having 20 adult and 75 junior members from seven to 83 years of age.”
When the application form asked for more information about the club, Billy wrote: “Table tennis is fun for all the family, no matter what age they are, and our aim is to encourage active participation in our sport within the community that is North Ayrshire.
“The sport is physically demanding and keeps everyone active.”
The judging panel believed the ‘Go for It Scotland!’ £500 Bursary would help the Club meet these objectives.
Caption: Pictured left to right: Jill Taylor (15), Richard Main (21),Head Coach Chris Main (24) and QMS Health and Education Coordinator, Jennifer Robertson.
ENDS
Editors notes:
North Ayrshire Table Tennis Club
The club recently won the Scottish National League for the first time which means they are eligible to compete in the European Champions League.
Quality Meat Scotland
‘Go for It Scotland!’ bursary programme
- Scotland’s very own ‘Iron Lady’, triathlete and Texas Ironman champion, Catriona Morrison, launched the ‘Go for It Scotland!’ sport and healthy activity bursary programme in January 2012.
- 20 £500 bursaries will be awarded annually in the run up to Glasgow 2014.
The organisation
- Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) is the public body responsible for helping the Scottish red meat sector improve its efficiency and profitability, and maximise its contribution to Scotland’s economy.
- Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Specially Selected Pork have whole chain assurance with six assurance schemes behind the brands, covering areas such as production, feed, haulage, auction marts, processing and animal welfare.
- QMS undertakes a range of health and education activities. The aim of these initiatives, along with our free publications, is to encourage awareness of the importance of red meat in a healthy, balanced diet and an understanding of where food comes from.
- QMS offers free education sessions and interactive cookery demonstrations to both primary and secondary schools – www.qmscotland.co.uk
sportscotland
- sportscotland is the national agency for sport and the lead agency for the development of sport in Scotland.
- sportscotland passionately believes in the power of sport and the unique contribution it makes to Scotland’s economy, health, communities and lifeskills.
- sportscotland invests its expertise, its time and public funding in developing a world-class sporting system at all levels.
- sportscotland works with partners to develop this sporting system, investing in and joining up the people, places, partnerships and planning that makes sport happen – www.sportscotland.org.uk.
MEDIA RELEASE posted by Quality Meat Scotland. You too can post media releases (aka press releases) on allmediascotland.com. For more information, email here.
Contact: Doreen Graham
Phone: 0131 472 4046
Email: dgraham@qmscotland.co.uk
Website: http://www.qmscotland.co.uk
