WIDS (Western Isles Disability Sport) was founded to support, extend and encourage activities for and on behalf of disabled people who are disadvantaged not only as a result of their disability but also their geographical and social isolation, living in rural and in many cases remote communities throughout the islands.

The Outer Hebrides or Western Isles are an archipelago of 10 populated islands 30 miles off the North West seaboard of Scotland, stretching 150 miles from the Isle of Barra in the South to the Isle of Lewis in the North they form the last inhabited land mass before North America.
WIDS was the idea of a local sports person and their carer and was founded in Stornoway in March 2001, the organisation is run by a dedicated committee of both disabled and able-bodied people.

In the three years that WIDS has been in existence its philosophy, motivation and team aided enthusiasm has now spread and it has sub branches in Barra and the Uist’s.

The long-term objective is to make sport and leisure facilities available and accessible to all people with a disability irrespective of age or the nature of their disability. In the short term we aim to hold the first inter Island competitions, which we hope will be a success, and become regular events. The indications from the membership show that this is being greeted with great enthusiasm and should soon become a reality.

WIDS were delighted to be able to send small teams to the Scottish Disability Sport Swimming Championships and to the Discovery games in Dundee where we won gold medals; Our aim is to increase the size of our teams and the number of competitions that we are able to attend.

We have introduced New Age Kurling a novel activity that can be played indoors on any hard flat surface the size of a badminton court. This is one of the games included in our inter Island Competition.

New Age Kurling is similar to that played one on ice but the stones have been adapted to be played indoors in sports halls, community centres etc. It is an activity that can be played by anyone able bodied or with a disability and is truly an integrated sport. It is also an internationally recognised sport that offers WIDS the opportunity to represent the Western Isles in another National and even International event. We are constantly seeking new members to participate along with volunteers to assist in our projects as well as sponsorship either from local businesses or outside assistance. Without sponsorship WIDS would not have been able to achieve its success stories and many of it’s sportsmen and women would not be able to strive to fulfil their potential.