A FORTH Valley based curling team has secured continued sponsorship ahead of the upcoming season.

Team Aitken, one of the leading teams in the UK, trains out of the National Curling Academy at Stirling University and has announced that Mole Valley Farmers will be continuing its sponsorship in the forthcoming season.

Team Aitken, made up of Gina Aitken, Sophie Sinclair, Mili Smith and Rebecca Morrison, has faced difficulty in recent months due to coronavirus restrictions meaning all the players have had to train individually until recently.

They were allowed to train on ice as pairs eventually before finally being able to take part as a quartet at the tail end of August.

Gina, team skip, described how tough it’s been to work with the restrictions.

She said: “It’s been extremely challenging to train during ‘lock-down’ and we’ve all participated in individual training routines to maintain our fitness levels. However, in team training, we are required to maintain a strict six-foot social distancing rule.”

Mole Valley Farmers is pleased to continue its sponsorship according to Mike Phillips, Head of Feeds North. He said: “The company is delighted to sponsor Team Aitken and help the group achieve its target aims. The group is one of Scotland’s and Great Britain’s up and coming Women’s Curling teams and we wish the team success for the 2020 – 2021 season.”

Team Aitken has close links to the farming community with Gina and Sophie coming from the outskirts of Edinburgh; Mili Smith from Perth and Rebecca Morrison from Aberdeen.

This season’s national competitions are in the process of being organised albeit international competitions have yet to be considered explains Rebecca.

She said: “The Covid-19 rules may change at any time but we have to work within the current frame-work on a national and international-basis. This is the fourth year Mole Valley Farmers has provided sponsorship and we would like to thank the company for its continued support for the forthcoming season.”