Famous female racing driver Susie Wolff is returning to her home town to support a community sports enterprise which helped her learn how to win in her early years.
Atlantis Community Leisure in Oban has been run by local people for 25 years and a fundraising gala dinner is being held to celebrate.
Oban’s swimming pool came into community ownership 25 years ago and 20 years ago the building was expanded to include a new sports hall, cafe, gym, soft play area and health suite.
Now they are fundraising to upgrade the changing rooms and other facilities.
Susie Wolff lives in Switzerland with her husband Toto Wolff, executive director of the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team.
She was the first woman to take part in a Formula One race weekend in 22 years in 2014.
Her parents John and Sally Stoddart own a motorcycle dealership in Oban.
Mrs Wolff said: “I most definitely wouldn’t be where I am now without having Atlantis as I was growing up. It was there that I trained, learnt how to win, how to lose, discovered the virtues of discipline and motivation.
“Atlantis played a big role in my childhood and I am a great believer in the power of sport. As Nelson Mandela once said – sport has the power to change the world. It is so vital that kids growing up in Oban and those living there have good sports facilities and the opportunities to keep fit.
“I spent a lot of time at Atlantis when I was growing up. My most distinct memories are of all the swimming training with Oban Otters.
“We would be there bright and early for training before school started. I also tried my hand at squash and tennis but we figured on very early that I wasn’t very talented with rackets!
“It’s inspirational that a community run facility is still going strong 25 years later, and doing even more than I remember back when I was there all the time, this is something to be very proud of.”
An Evening with Susie Wolff and Friends is taking place on Friday September 28 in the Argyllshire Gathering Halls in Oban.
The black tie event will include dinner, entertainment, a welcome drink, raffle and a charity auction.
