“An Caisleán Glas seeks to ensure that the environment, culture, and ethos within which it runs its affairs is conducive to the continued good Health of all its members. It is the aim of the Club to use the skills and expertise of both its members and professional within and external to the community to best promote positive Health and Well-being.”
Engagement with Tyrone GAA, Ulster GAA and National GAA Healthy Clubs team has been critical and highly beneficial to An Caisleán Glas being able to develop its structures and programmes. We have embedded health and wellbeing as a key part of the club monthly meetings and have created a yearly planner that is regularly updated. We have a dedicated officer with a subcommittee, this along with the development of policies (Club Maith Framework, critical incident etc) means we have the structures in place to support delivery.
Currently as a club we have been awarded the Highest standard of Healthy Club- Gold. We will continue to strive to uphold this status by having a wide variety of activities on offer to suit all those within our community.
We have Player Welfare and HWB noticeboards located next to the changing rooms and gym facility that provide advice in relation to mental and physical wellbeing, disability player pathway and information in relation to our All Stars Team. Our social media and website will be regularly updated with events in the future.
Greencastle Swap Shop (Bi- Yearly April & December)
As a club we aim to support all members within the local community this includes the more recent cost of living crisis. We successfully ran a ‘Swap Shop’ to reduce wastage of sporting clothing and equipment and enable those in financial distress to access clothing otherwise outside their budget. This was aimed at children and adults.
Positive Side-lines:
Following support from Ulster GAA, inline with the GAA Code of Conduct and through discussion with parents the club has adopted a ‘Positive Side-lines’ approach at all underage games. Signage has been placed around the grounds and on social media to promote a positive emotional wellbeing during all games.
Greencastle Healthy Highway
We have our yearly ‘Ireland Lights up’ initiative in January for 6 weeks, promoting both physical wellbeing and a chance to socialise with others.
Inclusion is key!
Dad’s and Lads
We have in the last couple of years engaged past players and ‘new players’ in recreational GAA. We are now proudly fielding teams for ‘Mothers and Others’ ‘Dads and Lads’ as well as ‘Recreational Handball’ for men and woman during winter, proof that its never to late to give it a go!
Castle All Stars
Ulster GAA kindly facilitated awareness training in relation to additional needs and forming an All Stars team.
We now have an active inclusive team called Castle All Stars; catering from preschool to 12 years old.
Sessions are child-led promoting inclusion, fun and basic football skills fortnightly. It is attended regularly, with children travelling from local clubs/ communities and registering as members of our club. Feedback has been great. We will be attending Croke Park in August for the Inclusion Day!
Promoting Public Health Initiatives:
We have worked with WHSCT and PHA to provide free ‘Farm Families’ health checks and Farm Family First Aid for our community. This was targeted at older and rural/ isolated residents and those not known for visiting their GP. We have also facilitated key health services including Blood Donor Clinics and vaccine mobile clinic.
Securing the services or resources from local providers or funders has been a necessity. This has included funding towards the purchase of spin bikes, support to allow first aid and defib training.
Hosting Fitness classes Spinning, Circuits, Yoga and Mindfulness, couch to 5k programmes etc have always been successful in engaging people who would not necessarily be involved in the club.
More recently we secured funding to offer kids fun with fitness classes that are not GAA specific to get kids involved with the club as part of our community. Parents/ Carers were offered a hot beverage to promote social wellbeing through conversations while their children interacted.
Caring for our community
An Caisleán Glas continue to work hard cater for the ever-growing needs of our local community, but we can’t do this alone. All the above initiatives have been achieved by working in partnership with the local community, providers, funding bodies as well as the support and guidance of our county health and wellbeing committee, Ulster GAA and the National Healthy Clubs Programme.
Gold Healthy Club Status
The club has achieved Gold Healthy Club Status.= The club’s policies, partners, activities and environment are aligned with supporting the holistic health of your members and community. This is the highest standard of healthy club. The club will be officially recognised as a Healthy Club at a special recognition event in Garvaghy, October 17th. Our Healthy Club Officer will receive the Healthy Club Recognition Plaque and certificate at the event!
We look forward to continuing to develop and see what the future brings.
Sláinte is táinte!
