With thanks to Eoin Smith, Senior Account Executive, Tricker PR.
Aberdeen hoteliers are showing their team spirit by banding together in order to provide a day of inclusive sporting activities for disadvantaged adults in the city.
The annual Aberdeen Fun Games return to the city’s Beach Ballroom, allowing around 120 young adults with physical and learning difficulties to take part in a series of sporting challenges, on Sunday November 8.
Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels’ Association (ACSHA) has run the event for over 20 years, in conjunction with Aberdeen City Council, and expects this year to be a resounding success.
As well as sponsoring the event, ACSHA also makes a donation to the Sport Aberdeen disability fund to support the provision of sporting activities across the city.
Jim Byers, honorary treasurer of ACSHA, has been a driving force behind the Aberdeen Fun Games since its inception. He says:
“These kinds of inclusive events are often run for children, however there are far fewer for adults in the north east. ACSHA founded the Aberdeen Fun Games alongside Aberdeen City Council over 20 years ago in order to provide an enjoyable experience for young adults with learning or physical difficulties.”
Throughout the day, teams of up to eight will compete in a series of challenges which cover a wide range of sporting disciplines – from adapted versions of basketball and field athletics to indoor curling and bowls. The Games are presided over by Bill Farquhar, another Aberdeen Fun Games stalwart, and the team that earns the most points across each sporting discipline will be presented with a trophy at the end of the competition.
All competitors will also be awarded a medal for their efforts, and the day’s activities will culminate with a buffet and disco.
Jim continues:
“When we first started the Aberdeen Fun Games, we held an outdoor ‘It’s A Knockout-style’ competition in Duthie Park, after which the city’s hotels would host the competitors for a meal. However, with the north east’s variable weather forecast, we made the decision to move indoors to the Beach Ballroom and we have never looked back.”
Staff from hotels across the north east volunteer their time on the day to assist the teams, judge each sporting challenge, and keep score. Jim says:
“The original aim of the Games was to create a fun event for less fortunate individuals than ourselves, and we believe that we have achieved that over the last two decades.
“It’s very easy for someone to donate money to a cause, but for the hotels and their staff to donate their time is something that is arguably much more valuable. Everyone involved in running the event comes away feeling very humbled by the whole experience.”
Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels’ Association represents 49 independently operated hotels and conference venues, along with a further nine associate members. These hotels provide around 4,500 bedrooms in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. ACSHA is committed to improving the quality and standard of hotel services and to furthering the overall standards of excellence and hospitality within the region.
For more information about Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels’ Association, visit www.aberdeenhotels.org
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