Champ Hammy lends backing to campaign
Curler Hammy Mcmillan believes he will not take being back on ice for granted ever again as he lends his support to the #saveleisure campaign, supporting facilities across the UK who are endeavouring to re-open following the national lockdown due to the Covid19 pandemic.
Active Stirling curling development officer Hammy is a four-time national champion and returned to socially distanced training with his team mates this week at the National Curling Academy in Stirling as part of Bruce Mouat’s team.
The lead for Team Mouat is well aware of the importance of sporting facilities within communities across the country.
“As an elite curler obviously being able to train in a facility is hugely important to me,” said Hammy.
“However, it is not just about training to win medals, I know from my job as a development officer just how crucial a role sport plays in the lives of those who live in Stirling and it will be the same for every community across the UK.”
He has worked for Active Stirling for more than four years, juggling the role with his programme curling commitments as a member of Scotland’s top ranked men’s curling team.
He has been furloughed for the past four months and does not anticipate being back at work just yet but is keen that organisations like the charity he works for is adequately supported in the challenging months ahead.
“I couldn’t ask for a better employer than Active Stirling,” he said. “They have given me so much support and flexibility when I have been representing Scotland and competing abroad, in fact they have really helped to support me to achieve my curling goals.
“Most people think of Active Stirling and think of the facility at The PEAK, when they are much more than that. They do so much with so many people in the area, hard to reach groups, the Macmillan groups, plus provide sporting provision for those with Alzheimer’s as well as the active schools programme and youth groups and so much more. In my working role I have come to realise that sport is key to almost every aspect of community life and for some it has even provided a lifeline.”
He added: “Getting facilities back up and running is important to the health and mental wellbeing of communities and it is why I want to help raise awareness.”
#saveleisure is a digital campaign run by Community Leisure UK, ukactive and CIMSPA urging the UK Government to commit relief funding to enable the full reopening and recovery of the public leisure sector following the devastating impact of Covid-19.
Without specific relief funding the campaign organisers estimate that a third of all public leisure facilities in the UK will not reopen and half will face permanent closure by the end of the year. With that in mind, Hammy wants to lend his support.
“I fully appreciate that I have been incredibly fortunate as an elite curler and I really enjoyed getting back on ice this week,” he said.
“I know how much I have been impacted by not having access to a gym or an ice rink and I want to make sure others get the chance to resume their sporting interests too, so I urge other to back this campaign.”
For more information on the #saveleisure campaign, please follow the link: https://communityleisureuk. org/work/saveleisure-campaign/