Glenrothes girl Ruby shining bright as she's up for another top sporting award

Ruby McDonald is pictured with her proud foster mum FionaRuby McDonald is pictured with her proud foster mum Fiona
Ruby McDonald is pictured with her proud foster mum Fiona
Having been named as Unsung Hero regional winner for Scotland while meeting UK sporting legends at last year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards in Salford, Glenrothes teen Ruby McDonald is up for another gong at a prestigious ceremony in London next Monday, November 25.

Ruby, 18, whose challenging start to life saw her enter foster care aged five, has been nominated for the ‘Inspiration Award’ at the Variety Disability Sports Awards at Soho Place Theatre, for promoting diversity and acceptance for those with disabilities.

She said: “I’d be grateful if I was named as a winner there. It would be a great end to the year for me.”

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The youngster, who has Foetal Alcohol Syndrome, an avoidable but lifelong disability which restricts brain cells, retains a very active lifestyle.

Ruby has been nationally recognised for her commitment to volunteering in her communityRuby has been nationally recognised for her commitment to volunteering in her community
Ruby has been nationally recognised for her commitment to volunteering in her community

She helps Primary 2s at Warout Primary School, assists Glenrothes Strollers football team’s after school club and plays as a midfielder – as the team’s only female seven-a-side player alongside her best friend and goalkeeper Leo Cameron in this year’s title-winning squad – also coaching in para football.

Ruby has also helped out at Dundee Football Club school camps and Fife Active Schools.

Her impressive list of previous accolades also includes winning both Sports Personality of the Year and the Gary Innes Memorial gong at the 2023 Kirkcaldy and Central Fife Sports Awards.

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She is currently doing a Passport to College course for people with additional needs at Fife College, preparing her for a mainstream course next year.

Ruby receives Garry Innes Memorial Shield (Pic by Mike Dooley)Ruby receives Garry Innes Memorial Shield (Pic by Mike Dooley)
Ruby receives Garry Innes Memorial Shield (Pic by Mike Dooley)

Ruby also recently returned from Westminster having received a British Citizen youth award for her voluntary work and – in company with her foster mum Fiona – she will be in the UK capital again for the aforementioned awards ceremony next Monday.

"It is really exciting to be going down to this red carpet event,” Fiona said. “I believe the ceremony is being recorded for Channel 4. I was also very proud that Ruby won the BBC Sports Personality award last December.

"We met loads of sportspeople – including football legend Kenny Dalglish, middle distance runner Josh Kerr, Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds and ex-javelin thrower Fatima Whitbread.

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“Fatima was also raised in foster care so it was really interesting talking to her. Getting loads of photographs of her and all the other stars makes for fantastic memories.

"It’s not every day that your child is on national television for voluntary work that children or young people her age don’t normally do or very few people do. She’s on the right path.

"Ruby puts a lot of enthusiasm and commitment into all the volunteering work she does. You don’t get paid for it, yet Ruby still turns up every day to volunteer and is very well supported.”

Despite Ruby’s Foetal Alcohol Syndrome meaning she can struggle with reading, writing and understanding numbers, her long list of achievements also includes being a finalist at both the Herald Diversity Awards and the Scottish Women in Sport Awards.

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“When I first became Ruby’s foster mum 13 years ago she couldn’t swim,” Fiona said. “She hadn’t really taken part in any sports before.

"So it was about trying out different sports and finding which ones that she really enjoyed and just focusing on that.

"Because she’s got a learning disability, academic things are not really the route she is going to succeed in.

"But she is really sporty and takes part in lots of sports, football, swimming – where her best event is the 50m front crawl - athletics and archery on top of all the volunteering.

"Just because you’ve got a disability doesn’t mean you’ve got to be stuck in the house all day.”

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