Community Champion Awards 2024 - Suzanne Gahagan
Meet the winner of the Sport Champion category at the 2024 Provost Community Champion Awards!
Suzanne began volunteering with the Active Schools team in East Dunbartonshire last year.
Using her experience as a personal trainer she decided to start and coach a new football team at Castlehill Primary school.
After an initial success, even more pupils began to attend the next block of sessions and the school was able to enter two teams into three different tournaments. Suzanne also began to deliver fitness sessions to P2 pupils increasing her volunteering time to 21 hours of coaching time across two academic terms.
Suzanne was presented her award
Ensuring the sessions are fun, building a rapport with the pupils and increasing their confidence has brought many physical and mental benefits to those involved.
Suzanne was presented her award by Provost Gillian Renwick and Depute Provost Colette McDiarmid.
As she was presented with her Award Suzanne said,
I was delighted to hear I had been selected as Sports Champion in this year’s Provost’s Community Champion Awards for my volunteer work with East Dunbartonshire Active Schools.
Castlehill Primary School engaging with sport and fitness
I’ve been volunteering with the Active School team for over a year now and I absolutely love it!
“As a personal trainer, I am passionate about ensuring everyone has access to active sessions, regardless of the individual’s physical abilities or age. I get so much out of seeing the children at Castlehill Primary School engaging with sport and fitness – and the increase in the number of girls signing up to take part in the football coaching sessions each block is hugely rewarding.
“It is my hope that I’m helping to instil a lifelong love of sport and fitness in the children I work with – being active is so important for our physical and mental health.”
Congratulations to our Sport Champion – Suzanne Gahagan.
