COVID-19

Spòrs Gàidhlig stands ready to support schools and young people with our activities and programmes. We appreciate that young people have missed out on many opportunties and many have not been able to use Gaelic as much as normal. We are keen to emphasise what we can do and provide information on where these activities might take place.

We maintain stringent measures to prevent the spreading of COVID-19 and will always follow local and national guidance from local authorities and the Scottish Government. Clearly the measures in place to combat the spread of COVID-19 will vary and may change at short notice. Despite this, we have attempted to identify what can be delivered in the coming months.

We are a mobile service and travel (subject to any guidance and restrictions) to any location in Scotland. This means we can bring our activities to you, to your school and to your community.

There are some activities which cannot be offered during the COVID-19 pandemic. These normally take place inside, such as Mapland Alba, and social distancing and avoidance of touching equipment is difficult to ensure.  We will offer these activities as soon as possible.

Our prices are significantly lower than previously and this will remain the case until at least the end of March 2021. Anyone can request Spòrs Gàidhlig to come and deliver a Gaelic activity programme:

1. Schools – Primary & Secondary
2. Community groups such as Comann nam Pàrant and local fèisean
3. Informal groups of people such as families
4. Individuals

We are fully certified by the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA), use professional instructors who speak Gaelic and have our equipment.

Our schools residentials represent the only opportuinty for young people to take part in a multi-activity programme through the medium of Gaelic. Our prices are similar to that of our English medium counterparts and our partnership with Sport Scotland ensures that we use superb accommodation and have access to the best facilities.

We hope to be able to publish an exciting list of residentuals on our website soon (www.spors.scot) and these are open to all young Gaelic speakers.

Please do get in touch (fios@spors.scot) if you would like to discuss anything and use the list below as a guide to what we are offering in the coming months.

The following table is a guide to what we can offer in the coming months and the list is not exhaustive. 

30th September 2020 – Spòrs Gàidhlig – Update on COVID-19 operating procedures and guidance

We are following the latest guidance from Sport Scotland, a Scottish Government body, which can be found here.

Our actions:

• Appoint a “COVID-19” Officer (Donald Morris)
• Appoint a “Return to sport” Officer (Donald Morris)
• Sanitise all equipment before each activity session
• No indoor activities until schools are welcoming third party organisations
• Ensure that the organisation has appropriate processes in place to document risk assessments and that all appropriate mitigations are put in place before any activity is undertaken
• Ensure that the organisation has appropriate processes in place to allow the organisation  to take an accurate record of all attendees at each session in line with Scottish Government Test & Protect guidance
• Keep up to date with ongoing Scottish Government and SGB advice and guidance relating to COVID-19
• Ensure there is awareness of your organisation’s COVID-19 protocols and encourage members and participants to take individual responsibility
• No changing facilities will be provided.

Personal preparation

• Do not attend if anyone in your family group has symptoms of COVID-19
• Bring hand santiser
• Turn up ready for activity as much as possible (there will be no changing facilities)
• Avoid sharing transport with others from outside your family
• No physical contact when greeting someone else

Sport Scotland guidance (18/09/2020)

Sections 18, 19 & 20:

18. Adults and children can take part in organised outdoor non-contact and contact
sports training, competition or events if guidance within this document is
followed.

Outdoor sporting bubbles for training, competition or small-scale events

19. An outdoor sporting ‘field of play bubble’ can consist of a maximum of 30 people
including coaches, officials and other support staff at any one time. In
exceptional circumstances, numbers may be increased, but only if approved
directly by Scottish Government or where specific Scottish Governing Bodies of
sport (SGBs) guidance and mitigating actions have been agreed by
sportscotland.

20. Multiple outdoor sporting bubbles, each with up to 30 people, can be used in
training, competition or small-scale sporting events. In such cases facility
operators, organisers and deliverers should undertake comprehensive risk
assessment to ensure that these bubbles do not mix at any time including
before, during or after the activity.