all you need to know about Days 3&4 of European Championships 2018:
Chance for youngsters to try out sports and arts as part of Championships event
GLASGOW Green has been transformed into a buzzing festival of sport, arts, food and drink.
The “Go Live! At the Green” festival, organised to celebrate the European Championships, offers the opportunity to not only come together and watch the events, but to have a go at them.
Over 15 free events, including the chance to challenge champion athletes at their own game, are free to the public in the hope that it will encourage people to lead healthier, more active lifestyles.
One such stall in the “giveit-a-go” section of The Green gives you the chance to challenge swimming champion Duncan Scott. Using motion sensing technology layered over footage of Scott’s record breaking swim, you could see if you can beat him in a straight race.
Kate Clark, 68, who is a volunteer at the Scottish Swimming stall, said that the instillation represented “A great opportunity to let kids try different sports”.
There are also projects which are able to use “Go Live! at the Green” to promote their ambitious visions of a happier, healthier Glasgow. The “Glasgow Community Cycling Network” is a collective of five individual cycling projects aiming to further secure cycling as a part of life for Glaswegians.
She told us that their network aims to challenge social issues through cycling: “Free Wheel North, for example, work with adapted bikes for children with disabilities and special needs…South West Community cycles are very strongly working with people on low incomes and relieving poverty through cycling and cycling related activities”
Cycling may serve as a perfect example of an accessible activity, but there were many yesterday who wished to re-engage young people in sports which perhaps have a reputation of being inaccessible.
This was the challenge taken on by Joe McBrearty, 31, and his team at Mearns Castle Golf Academy.
“We’ve been asked to come here by Scottish Golf,” he said. “Kids don’t actually get the opportunity to try golf, because golf in Scotland isn’t going where we’d like it to go.
He cites anxiety over cost as the main reason for young people being disengaged from sport, but says the event on the Green gives him and many others the chance to encourage kids to take up previously unthought of sports.
Arts are also a huge part of the festival, as the MacLeod family said when celebrating Alistair’s publication in the “Tales of the City” book project.
His Gaelic story is among many written by the city’s children to showcase their writing talent. Children’s literature and music were represented not only by the book, but by the Port Glasgow High School Orchestra who played classics from musicals and edgier 80s Rock from Bon Jovi.
Saturday sees Boxer Charlie Flynn and Golfer Carly Booth try out one another’s sports, with some help from the public. Events for the whole family will continue until the August 12 and are all free.
‘‘ Kids don’t actually get the opportunity to try golf