I've just returned from the Scottish Schools Curling Championship in Aberdeen. Four of the eighteen teams were comprised entirely of members of Perth Juniors Curling Club. One of them won the competition and a second made the quarter finals. Great news for the future of curling in Perthshire. 

How sad then that we are now facing the closure of Dewars Centre and the end of curling in Perth - it's unthinkable. These young players who have been inspired by the repeated successes of numerous former Perth Juniors won't be able to play the sport they love. Even if there were spaces available at other ice rinks, they can't walk to Kinross or Dundee after school. 

Like many sports, curling teaches teamwork, how to manage different personalities and how to win and lose but I can't think of another sport that allows a youngster to be in a team with their parent or grandparent or a novice to play alongside elite sports people. It's a family sport in every sense.

Perth is known as the home of curling and so many Olympians, Commonwealth Games medallists and World champions started their curling careers here. Surely that's a tradition we want to continue for many years to come?

Please sign our petition and show your support for keeping Dewars Centre open.