University Brings Tullibody Together

Young people from Clackmannanshire have come together to celebrate community thanks to a partnership between one of Scotland’s top universities and a leading national charity.

Over one hundred pupils from Abercromby, Banchory, St Bernadette’s and St Serf’s primaries in Tullibody teamed up at the University of Stirling’s Sports Centre mixing across school lines to participate in a range of sport activities based around competition and collaboration.

More than 100 children attended the event bringing together four primary schools

The event is the culmination of a year’s activity across the authority by anti-sectarianism charity Nil by Mouth which saw it deliver a range of educational workshops and STEM sessions helping young people better understand issues around sectarianism and identity, connect across their community and enhance key employment and life skills.

Stirling students led on the planning and delivery of the event, securing support from the University and sponsorship for transport from the Stafford Trust, ensuring the whole day was free of charge to schools. Pupils took part in a range of activities designed to test their reflexes and teamwork including ‘The Masked Kicker’ which saw them try to score penalties whilst blindfolded and enjoying a special appearance from the University’s squirrel mascot.  

Organisers Nabil Gadi and Hamza Khalid took on this event as part of their credit-bearing work placement of their MSc Sports Management programme. This is a 30-hour work-placement designed to given them the opportunity to develop the skills and attributes required to be successful in sport and related industries through practical engagement in a work-related placement experience in the sport sector. 4th year undergraduate and University of Stirling footballer Abigael Wiseman also lead group activities on the day.

The event provided the pupils to sample some of the benefits of going to a University with many of them visiting one for the first time. It was also supported by Stirling Chancellor, former First Minister, Lord Jack McConnell who initiated many measures to address sectarianism during his term in office.

Nil by Mouth Director Dave Scott said:

‘This is a brilliant way to celebrate twelve months of work across Clackmannanshire which has seen our charity help hundreds of young people better understand difference. We are also pleased to have the chance to have Lord McConnell along to show him how the work he set in train in office is continuing and thriving twenty years later. We are incredibly grateful to the students and the University for providing us with this opportunity to bring the schools together in such a vibrant way. For a small charity like us having this level of support from a major Scottish institution like the University of Stirling is a massive boost. You can see simply by looking around how much the young people are getting out of the day and its’ also giving many of them their first taste of what University is like.

The students have abeen amazing pulling everything together on such a scale, and the support the University has provided for the project is deeply appreciated by the schools and our charity. For many of the young people this will have been their first experience of a University environment and the warmth of the welcome has made such a positive impression.’