Gaelic and football combine to inspire an innovative new learning and fitness programme for schools with support from Highland Council and Bòrd na Gàidhlig
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Strathspey and Badenoch schools will be able to take advantage of a new initiative which combines Gaelic and football.
Highland Council's Gaelic team has welcomed FC Sonas – an innovative Scottish Gaelic Football service which has been set up by Calum Ferguson and Donnie Forbes with support and financial assistance from Highland Council and Bòrd na Gàidhlig.
They are both fluent Gaelic speakers, who have been engaged in football circles for a number of years, and have combined their two passions of the language and sport to create FC Sonas.
Mr Forbes has held various roles with the Scottish Football Association and Heart of Midlothian FC and Mr Ferguson is a professional football player who has played for clubs both in Scotland and on an international level in Canada and New Zealand.
The idea is to use football as a way to engage those both learning Gaelic and fluent speakers whether young or old; providing an opportunity to enhance and strengthen language skills as well as their football abilities.
Mr Ferguson said: “We are delighted to have FC Sonas up and running. We hope that the six week video series can engage children and families during lockdown combining football with speaking the Gaelic language at home.
"Going forward we have a number of exciting plans in place and we are looking forward to what the future has in store despite these uncertain times."
Steven Kellow, a funding and project officer at Bòrd na Gàidhlig, said: "We're delighted to be able to support this exciting project as part of our #cleachdiaigantaigh initiative that will benefit many young people across the country to use Gaelic at home."
FC Sonas have been commissioned to produce six weekly videos which will be available to 22 schools throughout the Highland Council area.
The videos set weekly football challenges which the whole family can take part in and all you need is some household items.
For further information send an email to Dolina.Grant@highland.gov.uk
