OUT and About in the Highlands

22nd September 2021

New funding award from The Ideas Fund 

OUT and About in the Highlands is a new community project to help improve the health, wellbeing and social connectedness of LGBTIQ+ people in the Highlands through encouraging physical activity and sport participation; working directly with LGBTIQ+ communities and with local sport and physical activity providers. The project is a collaboration between LEAP Sports and the University of the Highlands and Islands, funded by the Wellcome Trust and run by the British Science Association through The Ideas Fund.  

The project will enable community members to participate in physical activity and sport opportunities directly through a range of support and access activities including individual mentoring, buddying and group activity. A group of project participants will also explore barriers to accessing local physical activity and sport providers and will work with some of those providers to improve access, having an opportunity to receive personal skills training in the process.   

Keith Wimbles, Chair of LEAP Sports said "This is an exciting opportunity for LEAP Sports and we are looking forward to working more closely with LGBTIQ+ community members in Highlands, and to work collaboratively with the University of Highlands and Islands to explore ways of working that improve the wellbeing of LGBTIQ+ people". 

Dr Rebecah MacGilleEathain, from the University of Highlands and Islands said “we are really looking forward to working with LEAP Sports, this is a fantastic opportunity to collaborate with them to improve the access and opportunities for physical activity and sport for LGBTIQ+ people living in the Highlands.”

There is currently an open recruitment process to employ a new LEAP Sports team member to lead this project. More details can be found here.