First fundraising event at P&J Live to provide boost for local charities

Three charities which provide crucial services to hundreds of children with additional support needs are set to share a funding boost, thanks to Aberdeen’s premier annual sports-themed fundraising dinner, Simmons’ Sportschallenge.

SensationALL, Me Too! and Lifestars will this year join existing beneficiaries Maggie’s and Children’s Aid (Scotland) in receiving a share of the total sum raised at the popular event, which is hosted by Simmons Energy, a division of Piper Jaffray.

Demand for the event on Thursday, September 12, has been so high that organisers have arranged for a suite with a larger capacity to accommodate more guests.

With less than two months to go, table bookings and team signings will remain open for a limited time and early enquiries are advised to avoid disappointment.

The event, which is the first corporate fundraiser to be held at P&J Live, will be hosted by former Rangers player and Scotland International Ally McCoist, alongside renowned sporting personality Alan McInally.

Teams from businesses across Aberdeen and the North-east will battle it out across five rounds of sports trivia as they compete in the Question of Sport-style quiz.

Funds raised will help each of the charities reach more children with support needs and disabilities throughout the North-east and expand the services offered.

Westhill based charity SensationALL provides therapy-based activities and sensory facilities for children and adults of all ages with learning and physical disabilities. The charity also delivers training and consultation to families, carers, professionals and other organisations.

Suz Strachan, service manager and co-founder of SensationALL leads the charity’s service provision which more than 400 people have benefitted from over the last year.

Suz said: “SensationALL is the only local provider of therapy-based support for families dealing with complex conditions. Our team consists of specialist staff and clinicians who offer expert advice and practical solutions to empower families to address the challenges of life-long conditions.

“Over a third of our referrals come from the NHS, social work or education professionals as there are no statutory or local authority services offering the level of support we do. We’re thrilled to be selected as a beneficiary for this year’s Sportschallenge and any monies raised will contribute to the cost of running our activities.”

Set up by two local teenagers, Neve McPherson and Jai Taylor, Lifestars supports first year students to become more active and confident by coaching senior students to deliver sport activities.

Neve said: “Lifestars not only supports children in schools, but it is also partially run by children in schools. This way everyone involved benefits, either by developing key life skills as a participant or as a leader.

“We currently work with around 60 children across four North-east schools and the donation from Sportschallenge will help us expand the charity even further through the City and Shire. We only started the charity in 2018 but already the feedback from parents, schools and sporting organisations has been overwhelmingly positive. It gives us the confidence and motivation to believe that Lifestars is an initiative which has national potential and Sportschallenge will support this ambition.”

Me Too! was founded by Phionna McInnes from Aberdeen in 2015. The charity publishes a magazine for around 3,000 families with children who have additional support needs and organises a comprehensive range of relaxed sessions year-round.

Phionna McInnes, chief executive of Me Too! said: “Me Too! is a parent-led organisation with no referral process, empowering families, including friends, siblings and carers to access sessions and activities in their community regardless of need.

“We’d like to use any funds we benefit from to extend our relaxed sessions throughout the community, ensuring families of children with disabilities have the right to access organisations and sessions in their community in a sensory adapted, suitable environment.”

Phionna will also be a guest speaker at the event, sharing her own experiences as a mother of two children with additional support needs and the requirement for sensory adapted sessions in the area.

Now in its seventh year, Sportschallenge has raised more than £500,000 for a range of local charities; with its sights now set on reaching £1,000,000, the team is hoping that September’s event will provide an impressive kick start towards achieving this target. It will again be supported by gold sponsors CNR International.

Nick Dalgarno, managing director at Simmons said: “Each of these charities is really inspirational in terms of the lifeline services they provide to so many individuals in our communities.

“All three organisations demonstrate a real passion in providing much needed support to families and carers and we are extremely pleased to highlight each of them at this year’s event. They are true examples of the type of smaller, local causes that Sportschallenge has always pledged to support.”

Tables are still available and those looking to book a corporate package to support a local cause can find more information here, as should anyone wishing to volunteer to help on the night of the quiz.

Andy Nicol - former Scotland Rugby Captain, Tony Caplan – director of Children’s Aid and Ally McCoist- former Scottish

Andy Nicol - former Scotland Rugby Captain, Tony Caplan – director of Children’s Aid and Ally McCoist- former Scottish

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