Good sports deserve support

I WAS very pleased last week to be asked to go along to a meeting of the recently- constituted Oban Community Sport Hub.

There was a gratifyingly large attendance at Oban Bowling Club for the hub. Chaired by Nicola Hackett, Argyll and Bute Council’s Active Schools manager, the hub saw representatives of a broad sweep of local sports clubs, including hockey, shinty, karate, orienteering and the Atlantis Leisure Centre, among others, including councillors.

The local hub is part of a nationwide movement which aims to help promote the members’ sports, improve publicity, source funding and increase participation.

Those present were keen to inquire as to how they can ensure their clubs can have reports published in The Oban

Times. The simple answer I gave them was to make sure information, previews and match reports are sent to us at the earliest opportunity, preferably with photos as well.

We are sports mad here at The Oban Times, and it may surprise people how many different sports are covered in the paper and our online platforms. In the past few weeks alone, we have covered shinty (men’s, women’s and children’s), rugby (men’s, women’s and children’s), football, sailing, martial arts, athletics, rallying, table tennis, 10-pin bowling, swimming, badminton and shooting.

The gathered hub members, who also enjoyed a presentation from Derek Connery of Bid4Oban, were hugely positive and bursting with ideas for ways to develop their sports.

One thing they can all be sure of: The Oban Times will support them in every way we can.