Throughout Perth and Kinross, more individuals with disabilities are able to take part in sport and physical activity. This is due to the work of one of Scottish Disability Sport’s Member Branches, Perth and Kinross Disability Sport. Where they have been working hard to implement a no cost participation programme throughout the region.
Opportunities to take part in sport and physical activity are expanding for people with disabilities across Perth and Kinross. At the heart of this change is Perth and Kinross Disability Sport, a Member Branch of Scottish Disability Sport, whose commitment to delivering a no‑cost participation programme is helping remove barriers and create a more inclusive sporting community.
The programme started seven years ago and was introduced in a bid to open sport to more individuals. Graeme Doig, Perth and Kinross Disability Sport Branch Coordinator commented: “It was one of the first philosophies that we wanted to put in place, to eliminate the financial barrier that could otherwise stop people from taking part in sport and physical activity.”
With sport and physical activity providing participants with many benefits, both physiologically and psychologically, reducing the cost of participation was seen as a must for the member branch “The cost of a bike for example may cost £200 or £300 from a bike shop. But if you want an adapted bike, it may be £2000 or £3000 for that. People with disabilities have a far higher cost of living, and we are just looking to ensure that they can take part in physical activity with no cost to them.” Graeme said.
The devoted staff, coach and volunteer team at Perth and Kinross Disability Sport have been working hard to ensure that there are opportunities for all to get involved in activities throughout the region.
With football, athletics, wheelchair sports, swimming, boccia, badminton and many more activities being offered at no cost, the uptake in participation has been noticeable “Just last week we had over 50 people at our boccia session in Perth, and that wouldn’t happen if we were to charge people.” Graeme said.
To further help the member branch reach individuals across the region, enabling them to begin their sporting journey, they deliver school events each year. Graeme explains: "We are also proud to deliver six school events each year for pupils with disabilities to try sport. For many, this is the first time being introduced to sport and we hope they find a new passion for getting active. We choose sports where there are pathways into local clubs so they can journey to participate at weekly sessions.”
The no cost participation programme that the member branch is delivering has seen individuals of all ages and abilities take part. Another key element, is an opportunity to compete in the sports throughout the year, Graeme said:” We have also got our Perth & Kinross Disability Sport Fair City games, which is a ten-sport championship style event programme that takes place across the year. People from across Scotland are invited to come along to that, and again that is no cost participation for all.”
Participants often face further costs outside of the price of a club or session, such as transport and clothing. To help mitigate this, many sessions throughout the region provide free sportswear to participants to further reduce costs.
The success of the no cost participation programme is evidenced by 1100 participants accessing it in 2025 which has resulted in more individuals being impacted by the benefits of activity. “Parents, especially those with young children are coming up and telling us every week about how wonderful it is. The thing is, it’s not just the physical benefits, it’s the social benefits, children coming together, who maybe have a physical disability or learning disability or vision impairment, and they are meeting other people with similar conditions.” Graeme said.
Alongside the benefits that the participants gain, Graeme has noticed how it has impacted parents and carers, creating a community for the group, he commented: “So many parents say that, alongside seeing their children enjoy themselves, they are also talking to other parents and building up their own support network for different things that they are going through.”
As well as impacting individuals daily, the no cost participation programme provides an introduction to multiple sports, giving many individuals their first step on the performance pathway “We have a number of people that have come through our programmes that are now representing their country, with Alex Medley being a recent example, he’s come through our local boccia sessions, into our regional squad, into the Scottish Development Squad, into the Scottish Squad, and he is now in Boccia UK’s Talent Transition Squad, and he has come through our programme of no cost participation.” Graeme said.
