Richard Brickley, Chairman, Scottish Disability Sport, commented: "We are always happy to work in partnership with Scotland's governing bodies of sport and this initiative with the Royal Caledonian Curling Club has proved to be extremely popular.

"We also acknowledge the tremendous support for this initiative from coaches and ice rinks around the country. Curling is an ideal sport for wheelchair players with the opportunity to play alongside their mainstream peers."

These sessions will be used to select four wheelchair curlers to compete for Scotland in the World Cup Bonspiel and International Workshop in Sursee, Switzerland in January 2001. This team will travel to Switzerland as part of the Royal Mail Ready Willing and Able for Sport Programme supported by Ablecare Ltd, Inverness. Negotiations are taking place with the International Paralympic Committee to include wheelchair curling in the 2006 Winter Paralympics in Torino, Italy.

The World Curling Federation's Disability Project Leader, Kate Caithness, commented: "Wheelchair curling is now one of the sport's fastest growing areas and progress made in Scotland in recent months is mirrored throughout Europe and the rest of the world.

"Scotland is committed to the continued development of the sport and inclusion in the forthcoming World Cup Bonspiel is evidence of this commitment."

The curlers attending these sessions will also be involved in a demonstration session during the RCCC Scottish finals at Braehead Ice Arena during February 2001 and plans are also in hand to finish the season with Scotland's first ever national bonspiel.

Liz Turner, Royal Mail's Deputy Director of Communications for Scotland, added her support to the initiative: "Royal Mail are very keen to develop opportunities for participation through the Ready Willing and Able for Sport Programme.

"The fact that this is a traditionally Scottish sport and that there is the potential for players to progress to the very highest level through the Paralympic movement is even more exciting."

The award winning Royal Mail Ready, Willing & Able for Sport programme has been running since 1994: targeted at the development of grassroots level participants and providing sporting opportunities for people with a disability throughout Scotland, it is a partnership between sportscotland, Scottish Disability Sport (SDS) and Royal Mail. In its 6 year run, the sponsorship programme has seen over £20,0000 invested by Royal Mail in cash terms, plus in-kind support through their Employee Volunteering programme, where employees are encouraged to help at various disability sporting events throughout the year.

Sporting activities are wide ranging and for 2000/01 include:

1. Local development programmes in South Ayrshire, Highland, Aberdeenshire, Angus, the Borders, Dumfries and Galloway, Forth Valley, North & South Lanarkshire, Lothians.
2. Support for specific sports, including: archery, golf, curling, shinty and table tennis.
3. A programme of events, including Scottish National Championships in Bowls, Swimming, Boccia and Fly Fishing.
4. A pan disability squad of Scotland's top young athletes to attend an international event overseas early next year.

The success of the grassroots programme has been paralleled by Scottish success at international level. At the 2000 Sydney Paralympics Scottish competitors won a stunning 32 medals, with the Great Britain team coming second in the overall medal table.