Here you’ll find all the latest updates from Dundee Dragons Wheelchair Sports Club
Could You Master The Fountains Challenge?
No outing at Dundee’s Waterfront would be complete for our Dragons Riders without a wee shot at the Fountains Challenge!
Come and Join Our Dragons Riders
Interested in coming along to one of our Adaptive Cycling Sessions? Click Here to Register and we’ll be in touch!
Dragons Family Enjoys Our Annual Fun Day & BBQ
We had a fantastic time at the now legendary annual Dragons Family BBQ & Push at Monikie Country Park today!
The weather was fine, the food was fantastic and it was great to take the opportunity to showcase our Adaptive Bikes too.
Chapeaux to the Dragons BBQ crew with special mention to Jon and Scott, for keeping everyone fed and watered. Thanks also to Andy Anderson for his assistance, loading our Minibus. And of course it was an extra treat to see club legend Kevin Rattray out and about following his knee surgery!
Here are some snaps from the day – we’re already looking forward to next year!
For The Most Up To Date Club Info
Be sure to check our Facebook Page as that is where you’re most likely to find the latest posts about club activities.
As a volunteer led charity we don’t have as much time as we’d like to dedicate to our social media presence, meaning our website can lag a little when it comes to posting club news.
(This seems like the perfect point to give a shout out to all those budding social media specialists out there; we’d love to help you use your skills for good through volunteering for us! Maybe you can’t play wheelchair sport just now but you’d still like to be involved with the club? Here’s a great opportunity!)
We’ll of course do our best to update this site as regularly as possible, and please don’t worry; all contact form enquiries made through the website are answered as soon as they come in.
To be on the safe side though, head over to Facebook, have a look at the latest posts on our Page and drop us a line through Messenger.
New Visitor? Start Here ⬇️
If it’s your first time visiting our website then it’s our pleasure to say hello!
All the latest club info is published and updated regularly via our social media channels like Facebook and instagram.
If you’d like to get involved with the club either as a new participant or volunteer, then please do drop us a line via the contact form below.
You don’t need to be a full-time wheelchair user to participate in any of our sports, nor do you need any special equipment. If you can self propel a manual wheelchair then we can find a team sport for you to enjoy!
The same goes for our adaptive cycling section; we have a fleet of battery assisted bikes and trikes to suit all ages and abilities, just waiting to take you on adventure.
Our charity is completely volunteer led so we’re always keen to welcome new helpers. You don’t need to be a specialist sports coach or physiotherapist – literally every task from updating the socials to pumping up tyres or from catching stray balls to driving our minibus requires the help of volunteers, so if you have a few hours per month to give us we’d love to hear from you too!
*All our volunteers are provided with the training required for their role and all are subject to an enhanced criminal records check as per the policies of the sporting governing bodies to which we subscribe.
Dundee Dragons Wheelchair Sports Club Coordinator – DEADLINE EXTENDED
Dundee Dragons recently celebrated 10 Years of changing lives through the power of sport. To enable us to continue changing lives and providing inclusive sport and physical activity opportunities for the next 10 years and beyond, we are looking to hire a Club Coordinator who will be instrumental in the development of the club.
For more information on this role please read the job description below (if you would prefer this in an alternative format please email contact@dundeedragons.net).
Revised Recruitment Timeframe
16/10/23 – Advert goes live
31/10/23 – Application closes at 5pm
5/11/23 – Notify successful applicants
9/11/23 – Online interviews (evening)
10/11/ 23- Online interviews (evening)
Role Commences ASAP
To apply for this role please send a covering letter, which provides clear examples of how you meet the person specification and a copy of your CV to contact@dundeedragons.net
We welcome, and actively encourage, applicants from diverse backgrounds especially from ethnically diverse, LGBTQ+ and disabled communities as well as those with lived experiences of tackling inequalities. We believe diverse voices are instrumental in creating transformational change.
The Nuts and Bolts of Wheelchair Sport
Our sports wheelchairs are reliable workhorses given all the activities we expect of them, so it’s no surprise they need some TLC from time to time!
Yesterday after the session we started on what is the epic task of overhauling our chair stock.
(Mega shout out to the volunteers who gave even more of their Saturday to help with this!)
Sports chairs are really just like bicycles when it comes to their upkeep – lots of bolts to tigten and tires to inflate (Never mind the fact a lot of ours could also do with a good lick of paint at this point!)
We would love to make connections with some of the local #MensShed organisations, bicycle shops or college DIY courses as apart from this project, the sports wheelchairs have ongoing maintenance needs throughout the year too, which is ideal for anyone who likes to fettle bicycles!
So please do share this post as we’d love to connect with suitable volunteers who could help us out!
Remember to head over to any of our social media channels (@DundeeDragons) for the most up to date club news and information too.
The Wheels on The Bus…
Our bus has sadly reached the end of its working life.
We know that the cost price for a vehicle that meets our needs could be anything up to £60K so we’ve had to look at every available option we can in order to get the club moving again.
Sadly though, whilst our beloved old DragonsWagon was waiting to go to the forever home in the sky for busses, it was vandalised.
This was a really sad end to what had been a faithful friend to the club, and it has greatly impacted how we were planning to offload it.
So where are we now?
The club is currently without a bus and that’s a big blow.
The minibus was a vital tool to get us to matches, local events and club outings.
Our old bus took us everywhere from Elgin to Wrexham and many stops in between, so at the moment we’re reliant on using multiple cars to complete these journeys, or where that’s not feasible we face not being able to make the journey at all.
What’s next?
Given the huge costs involved, we had to look at every avenue open to us in order to fund a new minibus.
Our options included corporate partnerships, longterm sponsorship prospects and good old fashioned bucket shaking!
We’ve been very fortunate to secure the support of a wonderfully generous corporate donor who, in partnership with a well known motoring brand have granted us almost all the funding we will need to take ownership of our own brand new, fully wheelchair accessible minibus.
This is such an exciting prospect for the club; we’re absolutely thrilled to be the recipients of such generosity, and we simply can’t wait to share more information about our donors as time goes on, and of course to get the wheels of the new bus turning!
So why do we need your help?
Despite all this exciting news, there’s still one major hurdle to overcome.
We still need to raise approximately £10,000 to meet the remainder of the purchase costs.
Being 90% of the way to the target is a fantastic feeling, but it doesn’t see us over the line, and until we can hand over all of the costs, we won’t be able to call the bus our own.
We know that everyone is tight for cash just now.
It’s a difficult time for the entire community and that makes it all the harder for us to ask for your help.
Being this close to our target and not being able to see it through would be a devastating blow to the club, and so we’re appealing to all our friends and supporters to help us get our bus.
Specifically we’re asking that if you can support us, you to donate to our KiltWalk Team Page.
The fabulous folks at The Hunter Foundation will top up any donation by 50% meaning any pennies you can spare will go even further!
You can find our Club Page below, where you can follow the team as they prepare for their walks on 21st August, and where you can donate directly to their efforts.
https://dundee.thekiltwalk.co.uk/teams/DundeeDragons2022
We know this is a big ask, but you can be sure that when the new bus arrives it will straightway be put to use taking the Dragons Family all across the U.K. to participate in Wheelchair Sporting events.
Our members have told us how they’ve missed the camaraderie of being together on the bus, travelling to events that help boost their confidence, improve their physical and mental health and most of all provide a fun and consistent way to live their lives fully embracing the Dragons’ motto of #AllAboutAbility.
So please, if you can spare a few pounds to help us make that a reality once more, head over to our fundraising page.
💙🐲💙 Thank You 💙🐲💙
DDWSC Newsletter: Issue 9
The DDWSC Newsletter is back! Find out what we’ve been getting up to this summer by clicking the download button below.
DDWSC Newsletter Issue 8
This issue features lots of club updates (We’ve been very busy!), the inside scoop on our surfing trip and an interview with our wonderful trustee Brian McArtney.
Download the latest issue here
Thank you Baillie Gifford!
We have some very exciting news to share with you all…. Baillie Gifford, who are an independent investment business based in Edinburgh have been incredibly generous and donated to the club. Their funding will support our club coordinator to continue in their role, which is vital for the growth and day to day running of the club. This ultimately allows us to change even more lives through sport! As you can probably all guess we are over the moon, here is what our chairperson Elizabeth Ferris had to say about the donation ….
“We were absolutely bowled over with the news of Baillie Gifford’s generous donation to the club.
It honestly took me a little while to digest it when I first heard – what a fantastic gift!
Every penny of this money will go to ensuring we can continue to provide active wheelchair sport for all; and specifically in this “new normal” we all find ourselves in just now – having such support means more to the club than words can say”
DDWSC Newsletter: March/April 2021
This issue features club updates, Scotland callups and chat corner with our newly appointed wellbeing leads and champions!
As mentioned in the newsletter Kevin, Gemma and Blair are taking on the Kiltwalk this weekend!
Gemma is raising money for the club, you can donate here; https://virtual.thekiltwalk.co.uk/fundraising/ScotlandsVirtualKiltwalk2021-GemmaLumsdaine
Kevin and Blair are raising money for Dundee City Disability Sport, who have supported us from day one, you can donate using the links below;
https://virtual.thekiltwalk.co.uk/fundraising/ScotlandsVirtualKiltwalk2021-KevinRattray
DDWSC Newsletter: February 2021 (Issue 6)
This issue features club updates and chat corner with one of our wonderful volunteers, Adam Elder! Click the link below to download this issue.
New Virtual Sessions Incoming
As a result of amazing support from the Scottish Government and STV Children’s Appeal Winter Support Fund, we are delighted to be teaming up with Helen Singleton (Lotus Lily Yoga) and Cal Owens (Caledonia Fitness) to deliver some new online sessions for all ages and abilities.
Helen will be running adaptive yoga sessions every second Wednesday at 7pm, starting on the 10th February. Read her bio below!
Cal will be running strength and conditioning sessions every second Saturday at 11am, starting on the 20th February. Read his bio below!
DDWSC Annual General Meeting Minutes and Financial Report
We held our club AGM on Tuesday 19th January via zoom. The meeting minutes and financial report are available to download below;
Dundee Dragons Newsletter Issue 5
We are back with our first newsletter of 2021!
This issue features club updates, Dundee Dragons Award Winners and chat corner with Paralympian and European Medallist Fiona Christie. Click the link below to download.
COVID-19 Updates
24th May 2021
Indoor sessions for everyone!
Both our Wednesday night and Saturday morning sessions have restarted for both U18’s and adults. These sessions are run in accordance with current government and national governing body guidance!
3rd May 2021
Wednesday night indoor sessions for U18’s
We are back indoors at Dundee and Angus College, Gardyne Campus every Wednesday night 6-8! These sessions are currently for u18’s only, please get in touch with us if you would like to come along.
11th April 2021
Outdoor sessions are back!
We have restarted our outdoor sessions every Saturday 10-12 (weather permitting) at Baxter Park! Please get in touch with us if you would like to get involved or are interested in how we run the session due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
We are continuing to provide virtual sessions every Wednesday at 7pm, again feel free to get in touch if you would like more details.
5th January 2021
Due to current government restrictions we have had to postpone our face to face sessions. However, we have put together a virtual session schedule which will keep everyone active and engaged during these difficult times.
Virtual sessions will take place on Zoom on these days and times;
Wednesday night: 7pm
Saturday morning: 11am
Dundee Dragons Wheelchair Sports Club Newsletter: Christmas Edition
The final newsletter of 2020 includes club updates, an interview with acting sensation Hannah Moncur and a little bit of Christmas cheer!
Dundee Dragons Wheelchair Sports Club Newsletter Issue 3!
The 3rd issue of the Dundee Dragons Newsletter is out now! This issue features some very exciting club updates and an interview with Dragons jack of all trades David Birtles!
COVID-19 Restrictions: Impact on Club Training
Effective from Monday 2 November 2020 Dundee Dragons sessions are changing, although equipment cleaning, hand sanitising and the need for screening information remains unchanged.
In accordance with current Scottish Government guidelines Dundee has moved into Tier 3 restrictions, therefore the following will apply.
This is, of course, subject to change depending upon the prevailing conditions around the virus.
• People who live outwith Dundee City cannot attend sessions due to the travel restrictions preventing people travelling from other areas into a Tier 3 area
• Adults, over 18, are unable to participate in indoor or outdoor group activity.
Adults can still assist with coaching activity but as lead or assistant coaches.
(If you want to attend as a coach or assistant please let us know ahead of each session)
• Adults can attend for one to one coaching e.g. One coach to one adult participant, Tennis and Badminton are probably the best examples of this type of activity.
(Attendance for one to one coaching must be agreed beforehand please do not simply turn up at a club session as we may not be able to accommodate you)
• Young people 12 to 17 can attend for group activity and if doing Basketball can share equipment e.g. Basketball provided, they are effectively cleaned before during and after sessions.
The coaches must also ensure that they remain socially distanced and apply the same procedures we have been adopting e.g. wearing face coverings during briefings
(Please let us know if you are planning to attend any of the sessions enabling us to plan content, this includes Wednesday 6pm to 8pm, Saturday 10am to 12noon and Sunday Tennis 10am to 12noon_
• Young people under 12 can also attend group sessions with no requirement for social distancing as before.
Should you require any further information please contact
kevin.rattray@dundeedragons.net or
gemma.lumsdaine@dundeedragons.net
Dundee Dragons Wheelchair Sports Club Newsletter October 2020
We have lots of exciting things to share with you in this months newsletter including; club updates, an interview with wheelchair basketball legend Ben Leitch and a news report from club parent Andy Anderson about the Disability Golf Phoenix Cup!
You can access all this and more by clicking the link below!
Dundee Dragons Wheelchair Sports Club Newsletter September 2020
We are very excited to share the first issue of the brand new Dundee Dragons Newsletter, which you can view by clicking the link below. This issue features a club update and an interview with Club Chair Elizabeth Ferris!
Return of the Dragons!
Lockdown has been tough for everyone, and it’s no exaggeration to say we’ve been absolutely desperate to get back on the court!
With the recent green light to hold outdoor sporting activities (maintaining social distancing of course!) we were thrilled to see the #DragonsFamily get back to enjoying some ball time this weekend!
Sport is so important for everyone, but especially so for those of us with physical disabilities.
It’s a great way to stay healthy in both mind and body, and it’s great fun too!
We normally train indoors, but just as we’ve all had to get used to a “new normal” we’ve embraced some outside court time for now.
So as long as the weather holds, you’ll see Dragons Roaring across Baxter Park on a Saturday morning!
Perhaps you’d like to get fitter now we’re coming out of lockdown?
Or maybe you want to give back to the local community and volunteer?
If so the club would love to welcome you along, making Dragons part of your new normal!
Just send us an email on contact@dundeedragons.net and we’ll let you know how you can join in the fun.
Here’s a peak at what we got up to this weekend – look at those smiles!
COVID19: Suspension of All Club Activities.
Following on from today’s HM Government COBRA Briefing we have taken the decision to cancel all club activities until further notice.
This is understandably a very trying time for everyone in our community, and as a club we want to encourage everyone to take time to look after eachother’s mental as well as physical health.
During this time we’ll signpost members to online resources promoting fitness for wheelchair users, and our members-only discussion group will still be operating so that players and volunteers can stay in touch.
For now, may we take this opportunity to wish all our members and supporters well: let’s all keep as safe as possible, and look forward to happier times in the months ahead.
DDWSC Committee, 16-3-2020.
COVID-19: Statement from Club Chairperson, Dr Elizabeth Ferris.
I’d like to take this opportunity to reassure all members that we are keeping a close eye on the guidance from our National Governing Bodies, Local Council and The Scottish Government regarding the novel corona virus COVID-19, and continually assessing how their directives may impact upon the club’s activities.
At present we encourage all members to adhere to the current advice to self-isolate if experiencing symptoms of possible infection (fever, persistent cough) regardless of how mild: this of course means avoiding all club activities during that time.
Should there come a time that we have to cancel club sessions we will try to let you know via all our social media platforms with as much notice as possible.
In the meantime we ask the following of all players, volunteers and attendees at club sessions:
• Take care to wash your hands with soap and water before and after each session (there are sink & hand drying facilities in the toilets next to our regular gym hall).
• Ensure players take responsibility to wipe down the seats slings, cushions & backrests of the sports chair they have used with the hard surface wipes provided.
• Take extra care to wipe down the handrims of sports chair wheels after their use with the provided hard surface wipes.
We’ll stay in touch with updates as they become available, and also with tips about how to stay active if we can’t facilitate organised club sessions.
Fingers crossed we all get through the next few weeks with but a little disruption – stay safe folks!
2019 Summer Holiday Dates
Time to top up your tan and pump up our tyres!
The club will be on Summer Break within the following dates:
Wednesday Sessions
Last session Wednesday 17 July
Restart Wednesday 28 August
Saturday Sessions
Last Session Saturday 20 July
Restart Saturday 24 August
Sunday Tennis Sessions
Last Sunday Sunday 21 July
Restart Sunday 18 August
Trending Dragons
If you looked at our website lately you’d be forgiven for thinking we’ve been very quiet – not the case though, honestly!
The club is as busy as ever, with the same amount of travel to fixtures, fun at training plus national and international representation by players in lots of disciplines.
We haven’t been able to post about these individually here purely due to lack of manpower, but if you follow us on our Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, you’ll always be up to date with the latest from DragonsHQ.
We love to interact with our followers so be sure to give us a Like or Subscribe next time one of our posts catches your eye. Our Social Media feeds are live-linked in the margin of this site, but to make it even easier, here they are just waiting to be clicked on:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DundeeDragons
Twitter: www.twitter.com/DundeeDragons
Instagram: www.instagram.com/dundeedragons
The Dragons Family – A Short Video.
Let our Players tell you what being a member of the Dragons Family has done for them in this short video.
We focus on Ability here at DDWSC – If you can push a manual chair, then we can find a sport for you to participate in!
Our charity is completely volunteer led, with committee & coaches all giving of their free time to deliver active wheelchair sports to people from all across Tayside.
From playing just to have fun, right through to pulling on a Scotland jersey, we’ll help you get there! #AllAboutAbility
Frequently Asked Questions
We love receiving questions and emails from potential new members!
Usually they will always include at least one of these questions, so we thought we’d take this opportunity to re-post our FAQ’s page. Enjoy!
I’m not a full time wheelchair user, can I still come to your club?
Absolutely! It doesn’t matter if you use a powerchair everyday or if you’re able-bodied; as long as you can push a manual wheelchair and you’re game for some fun, you’ll be welcome at Dragons.
I read that you have able-bodied people on the team alongside disabled players. Can you tell me more about that?
In the spirit of inclusivity, we don’t see why being able-bodied should stop someone from joining in with their friends or siblings and having fun playing team sport.
The classification structure of our sports reflects this, with Wheelchair Basketball assigning a 5 point title to those players with no disability, and Wheelchair Rugby League’s rules stating that two able-bodied players are allowed on court per team at any one time.
I’m the parent of a child with mobility problems. We encourage our child to use aids as little as possible, so I’d worry that participating in wheelchair sport would work against this, can you advise?
Wheelchair Sport participants come from all walks of life, with all manner of conditions and abilities. We know from first hand experience that children who struggle to take part in running sport find that using a wheelchair to play sport serves only to empower them, helping their confidence and growing their self-belief. We also find that as their fitness and strength increase from participating in wheelchair sport, so too does their stamina for physiotherapy and activities of daily living.
My condition is deteriorating and I’ve been trying to stay out of a wheelchair. I’m struggling with making the choice to use one for sport.
Track athletes wear spikes to run, and kayakers need a paddle to get from a-b, so why look at a wheelchair as something different? It’s a piece of sporting equipment that enables the athlete using it to get the most out of their time on court. Give it a go and we’re sure you’ll look at it the same way.
I’m used to watching Rugby on the TV, how does the sport you play differ from that?
Wheelchair sports like Basketball and Rugby League are merely adaptations of the “running” versions of these games. A lot of the referee calls, scoring structure and tactical decisions are exactly the same. Wheelchair Rugby is a little different from either the 13 or 15 a side running games; you can read more about it here.
How much does a sports wheelchair cost?
As for any sport there are budget, middle and top of the range bespoke options when it comes to sports wheelchairs. Generally speaking most chairs cost around £1200, with that figure increasing to over £5000 for a bespoke rugby wheelchair.
Is the hoop really 10ft off the ground in wheelchair basketball?
Yes it is indeed, just like in the running version of the game.
I’m not from Dundee, can I still be a member?
DDWSC has members from all over Tayside; including Perth and Kinross, South Fife and North Angus. We don’t mind where you live; if you’re up for the journey to Dundee, we’ll see you on the court!
Wheelchair Rugby! I saw that at the Paralympics. Isn’t that very rough?
You’re right, there are some big hits in top flite wheelchair rugby, but really these aren’t what the sport is about, and just like in running rugby, any bruises you take from the field, or court in our case, are hard earned!
I don’t own a sports wheelchair, can I still participate?
We have a stock of club chairs which you are welcome to use during club activities.
What’s in a Name?
We are aware of a girls football team in the Dundee area using the name “Dundee Dragons” but who are in no way affiliated with our charity.
After a number of unsuccessful attempts to communicate with this group, we can only try to make the situation as clear as possible when tagged in social media posts such as this one on our twitter account today.
Dundee Dragons Wheelchair Sports Club was established in Tayside in 2013, securing SCIO Charity Status in 2015.
We provide active Wheelchair Sports Opportunities to people of all ages and abilities from all across Tayside, and the name “Dundee Dragons” is by now synonymous with Disability Sport in the region.
We would ask all our members and supporters to be vigilant of this potential for confusion and to continue to make us aware of postings on social media etc that may mislead, especially in the context of fundraising and charitable donations.
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