Spotlight on Westfield Health British Transport Games

North Lanarkshire Council has teamed up with radio station Clyde 1 to raise the profile of the Westfield Health British Transplant Games 2017 which will be held from July 27 to 30.

The Games, which are being hosted in Scotland for the first time in ten years, exist to encourage those who have received a transplant to lead active and healthy lives while showcasing the benefits of transplantation, and raise awareness of the need for more people to sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register.

In North Lanarkshire there are currently a record 124,559 people on the Organ Donor Register with around 30 people receiving an organ transplant every year. There are currently 52 people in North Lanarkshire waiting for a transplant.

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When Clyde 1 heard the Games were taking place on their doorstep they were keen to support this important event which helps make a huge difference in the lives of transplant recipients.

The radio station will be running a series of on-air trailers designed to put the spotlight firmly on the Games, by encouraging people to go along to one of the 14 venues across Lanarkshire, as well as driving people online to clyde1.com/transplant to find out how organ donation has helped those taking part in the games.

Presenters Grant Thomson and Gina McKie are lending their support during the Games. Grant is part of the closing ceremony celebrations including being the DJ for the children’s disco, while Gina will attend the Donor Run on Saturday July 29 at Strathclyde Country Park.

The Donor Run, which takes place each year is a very special event as it is open to all transplant recipients, donor families and the general public – and is more of a celebration.

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Gina said: “Here at the station we have a fantastic longstanding relationship with North Lanarkshire Council and when we heard that an event as incredible and inspiring as the British Transplant Games was coming to the area we were delighted to get involved and offer our support. I’m looking forward to taking part in the Donor Run as I hear it’s a real highlight!”

And Grant echoed this adding: “With so many inspiring individuals at the Games it’s bound to be an amazing few days. It’s an honour to be part of the closing ceremony celebrations. Let’s make sure it’s one to remember.”

Over 750 inspiring athletes from across the UK, each of whom has received a life-saving organ transplant, will descend on North Lanarkshire, along with around 2000 supporters to take part in 23 different sporting activities over the four day event. Athletes are aged between three and 81 and will compete in competitions including volleyball, archery, athletics, golf, squash, snooker, tennis and swimming.

Jim McCabe, chairman of the North Lanarkshire Games, said: “The support we’ve had from local companies in and around Lanarkshire has been overwhelming. We really need to get the word out there to as many people as possible about the Games and the benefits they deliver and so it’s ideal to have Radio Clyde’s support with this.”

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The Games are not ticketed and there is free entry to all sporting events, except for the darts.

For more information about the Games visit: www.britishtransplantgames.co.uk and www.transplantsport.org.uk or follow @WHBTG on Twitter.

The opening ceremony will be on Thursday, July 27 at the Ravenscraig Sport Facility in Motherwell from 6pm to 9pm.

The closing ceremony will take place on Sunday, July 30 were it began at the Sport Facility.

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To enter the donor run please visit: www.britishtransplantgames.co.uk/get-involved/donor-run/.

For the full timetable of events visit: www.britishtransplantgames.co.uk/north-lanarkshire-2017/sports-schedule/.

In the UK, more than 7000 people are waiting for a life-saving transplant and three die each day waiting.

To help try and reduce this number people are urgently needed to register as organ donors.

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To register on the NHS Organ Donor Register, you can telephone 0300 123 23 23, or go to www.organdonationscotland.org to register online. It is also important to let your loved ones know your wishes.

You can also join the bone marrow donor register. To find out more about this and how you can help, go to www.anthonynolan.org.