Macduff Petanque - Club of the Month Award September 2025
Play Video
Congratulations to Macduff Petanque Club, winners of #EveryBodyMoves powered by Toyota's Club of the Month for September 2025 from ParalympicsGB. Located around an hour north of Aberdeen, the club is helping to create an accessible space for disabled and non-disabled people to enjoy this naturally inclusive activity together.
Learn about the history and rules of petanqué here.
"The outdoor sibling of boccia"
Macduff Petanque Club run from the same venue as the local bowls clubs, although the game and where they play differs greatly!
"Here we play in all weather... but mainly the snow and the rain"
Said club founder Malcolm McKenzie, making light of the club's North Scotland coastal location. "I've got a long history with petanqué and after originally moving the area I really missed playing and the community atmosphere, so decided to set this up, which is actually the third club I've helped to create."
Around 4,000 people play petanqué in England, 700 in Scotland, and more across the other home nations. With the sport enjoying a well connected series of friendly competitions between clubs and at national level.
"I've never met a person who can't play it"
Long time club member and player Shelley McKenzie told us. "It's a sport that it's easy to learn but hard to master. Whether you're a wheelchair user, or visually impaired using walking sticks and had a brain haemorrhage like me.. Anybody can do it. Anybody. "
"One player had an electric chair and she couldn't throw the ball very far, so we got some drainpipe so she would direct it where she wanted it. She could do that indoor, she could do that outdoors. The assistance is there if you need it, everybody just works together playing the game."
"It's added a fourth dimension to our relationship."
Mother and daughter participants Lesley Fineron and Wendy Stones laughed telling with us. The two had been struggling to find activities to enjoy together beyond simple walks.
Wendy said: "I'd never heard of petanque... but thought oh throwing metal balls, we can both do that and get all the aggression out! The people were so nice and if this hadn't been here, I don't know what else we would have found that would have allowed us to join in together."
The session now forms part of their weekly catch ups, but also provides mum Lesley with an additional social and support circle. She told us: "My health has taken a bit of a wham this last 2 or 3 years. I'll come even if [she] doesn't... it gives us something to talk about... gives us something to plan. We've joined competitions, played as a team together, played against each other, this has given us a new focus."
Wendy added: "We were pleased to be able to come... I think as well it gives my mum a bit of extra support, and it's not just me that's there to support."
The caring and supportive community spirit was clear to see throughout our visit to Macduff, with people enjoying the sport and equally enjoying the time spent together.
Our production team was sent home with a pack up of homemade cakes of quality and volumes that would put most bakeries to shame, we felt some welcomed and included in just 2 hours that we were beaming for days... and who doesn't love throwing metal balls around?!