Sport Aberdeen has welcomed a fun pair of sport and fitness ambassadors as its two new community mascots have been officially unveiled.
The dynamic duo, Dee the Red Squirrel and Ref Don the Highland Bull, took centre stage on Friday (December 12th) as they ‘stepped off’ a plane from London at Aberdeen International Airport and landed to a warm Granite City welcome.
Brought to life by Sport Aberdeen to inspire pride, movement and joy and to encourage community spirit, Dee and Don will champion active lifestyles while standing as beacons of inclusivity, equality and diversity in sport.
The new mascots will bring their unique personalities to life by taking an active role in school activities as well as guest appearances at local events and city-wide sports programmes.
The mascot campaign, designed with community at its core, aims to build a genuine connection with people across the city to ensure everyone, no matter age, ability or background, feels supported and included.
Both characters are proud to reinforce the message that living with certain health conditions doesn’t necessarily have to limit anyone’s ability to enjoy an active lifestyle. Dee, who is hearing impaired, proudly wears a hearing aid, while Don the Highland Bull wears a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) for diabetes.
Commenting on the arrival of Dee and Don, Sport Aberdeen interim chief executive Graeme Dale said, “Community mascots have an amazing ability to spark joy and bring people together. Dee and Don are more than simply new characters, they are fun and visible reminders that sport is limitless and that there is truly something for everyone at Sport Aberdeen.
“Dee and Don stand for inspiring movement while having fun and we are delighted to welcome them to Sport Aberdeen as we work to strengthen wellbeing and create even more opportunities for people to enjoy active and healthy lifestyles”.
Mark Beveridge, managing director of Aberdeen International Airport, added: “We warmly welcomed Dee and Don to Aberdeen International Airport, and we wish them well in their mission to support health, wellbeing and inclusion across the city.
“Dee and Don were very well received as they arrived at our airport.”
As a registered charity with a clear purpose, Sport Aberdeen manages 31 venues across Aberdeen and reinvests every pound generated back into the city, ensuring local people benefit directly from every success.
For more information about Sport Aberdeen and the services available, please visit www.sportaberdeen.co.uk