THE North Ayrshire Shell Twilight Basketball partnership was celebrating on Friday night after winning the Partnership for Change award at the sportscotland Year of Young People Awards.

The national agency for sport, sportscotland, teamed up with Scottish Sports Futures (SSF) to kick off 2018 in style with the sportscotland Year of Young People 2018 Awards at the Radisson Blu Hotel.

The event was planned, delivered and hosted by young people, providing a perfect start to the Year of Young People in 2018.

The North Ayrshire partnership for the Shell Twilight Basketball sessions in Dalry and Irvine are an example of people coming together to give youngsters the chance to flourish.

The partners involved are North Ayrshire Council Youth Services Team, KA Leisure, Active Schools, Police Scotland, North Ayrshire Alcohol and Drug Partnership, Scottish Sports Futures and young people in the local community.

The programme not only offers sport but incorporates a needs led issue based youth work aspect that has become an integral part of the programme delivery.

Over 100 young people have benefitted directly from the programme in Irvine and Dalry and with the development of an Ardrossan Twilight, due to be launched early in 2018, many more young people will benefit in the future.

Gary Tait, Community Education Worker, said: “It feels really exhilarating to win this award.

“It’s fantastic that the programme is getting recognition.

“The programme wouldn’t work without great partnership working and so many volunteers who are so amazing and give up so much of their time.”