ANNUAL REPORT June 2020 – May 2021 Overview

This report summarises activity relating to Scotland (CGS), our Strategic Plan and operations since June 2020.

2020 marked a number of significant dates including the 90th Anniversary of the first Commonwealth (Empire) Games and 70th Anniversary of the last Games in in 1950 involving sea travel. It was also the 50th Anniversary of the first Commonwealth Games in Scotland and the 20th Anniversary of the first Youth Games, both held in . 2021 also marks key anniversaries with April 2021 being the 90th Anniversary of the formation of CGS as the Scottish National Sports Federation in 1931.

This year has continued to be extremely difficult as the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic impacted on the wider community and sport in Scotland, UK and world-wide. Lockdown restrictions and associated precautions have meant continued change in daily operations and regular reviews of forward planning, budgets and investment strategy.

With the 2022 Team Scotland Selection period opening in March 2021, the cancellation or postponement of global and national sports events, not least the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, is having a knock-on effect through to 2022 and beyond for Team Scotland related activity. We are now just over a year away from the 2022 Games. The arrival of the vaccines and road map for lockdown appear to indicate a way forward. Whilst planning continues for Birmingham 2022, with a number of COVID related adjustments in place, we are aware that the impact of COVID-19 will continue to be felt past these Games with a major impact on our communities and sport at a local, national and international level.

As the implications become clearer, we will be ready to play our part, with members and partners, in shaping and adapting to the new environment and will continue to use the profile, impact and position of the Commonwealth Games and Team Scotland to benefit all.

Successful Teams

• Sports specific policies for all sports have been completed with the Selection panel meeting to approve these. Adjustments to these policies and the sport policies approved have been made as required. In light of COVID -19 the planned review of allocated places has been delayed until August 2021.

• Regular 2022 Games planning meetings have been held with sportscotland and CGS has attended individual governing body Mission 2022 meetings.

• Site visits to Birmingham over the last year have become virtual, including one with appointed General Team management. Support was agreed with University College Birmingham to provide facilities for Scotland House, a Performance Centre and an Achieve programme in 2022. • General Team Management, Chief, and Deputy Chief Medical Officers, and all sport team managers have been recruited.

• The Team Manager Development programme, developed with input from sportscotland, has been launched and is being delivered to Team Managers by an independent company, First Ascent, in preparation for Birmingham.

• Tenders were invited for the Games design look and feel and Games Leisure Kit.

Effective Organisation

• An organisational review and annual staff reviews were completed.

• COVID related adjustments were made for staff undertaking home working with regular reviews of operating conditions.

• Two new staff, Danny Cockroft as Programme Administrator and Colin Millar as Head of Marketing and Communications, joined CGS in early 2021.

• All requirements under the Companies Act were met.

• Paul Bush and Michael Cavanagh continue to act as CGS representatives to the Scottish Commonwealth Games Endowment Fund. • Michael Cavanagh and Jen Barsby are CGS representatives on the Board of the Team Scotland Youth Trust. The Trust is supported by CGS, both financially and through provision of staff support.

• Annual review of all CGS policies and procedures has been completed to ensure we continue to operate to the highest ethical standard and best practice. New Life Member policy agreed.

• A new Sustainability Vision was agreed and an associated Action plan developed. CGS became a signatory to the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework.

• Received Equality Standard Preliminary certification. Jen Barsby continued as Board Equality Champion.

• MOU with Scottish Association of Mental Health signed. Staff training in Mental Health First Aid. David Bond continued as Board Champion on Mental Health.

• We adjusted our Paths for All ‘Walk at Work’ programme to reflect the change to homeworking.

• The Athlete Advisory Panel has provided advice on areas including leisure and parade Team Clothing, look and feel, and sustainability. Integrated Partnerships

• Team Scotland success continues to be prioritised by Scottish Government and sportscotland as part of the development and delivery of a World Class Sporting system.

• We have inputted to cross sport discussions through the newly established Scottish Governing Body CEO online forum and continue to meet regularly with sport Performance Directors and with communications staff across sports through respective forums.

• We engaged in the development of the UK Antidoping Policy through UK Anti- Doping.

• CGS continues to play a lead role in the development and direction of the Commonwealth Games Federation through on line meetings at General Assembly, and European CGA level.

• We continue to have Scottish interests represented on the CGF Executive and associated Committees and Commissions through CGF President Dame Louise Martin, and Athletes Commission Chair Rhona Simpson. Thanks are given to Rhona who completed her term in 2020. Colin Gregor has continued as Europe Athlete representative on the CGF Athletes Commission and CGF Athletes Representative on the Birmingham 2022 Athletes Group, along with Dr John MacLean on the CGF Medical and Anti Doping Commission. Head of Games Operations, Elinor Middlemiss is a member of Birmingham 2022 Co-ordination Commission. Jon Doig contributed to a short life working group on CGA Rights and Obligations. Gillian Cooke sits on the CGF Communications group and is the contact point for the Pride Network project. • We have taken a lead in key programme areas within of UK CGAs and re-established an international discussion forum looking at areas of joint working leading up to and at the Birmingham .

• Adrienne Sunderland sits on the Governance Group of the Association of Multi-Sport Associations, operating the Plus 1% data base system, who have renegotiated use by the CGF and integration with Birmingham 2022 systems.

• We have developed our relationship with the University of Stirling. Support was also given to research and event planning through our ongoing partnership with the University of Stirling Archives.

• Over the course of the year we have strengthened engagement with a number of other external organisations including Sporting Memories Scotland, LEAP Sport Scotland and Scottish Women in Sport and the British Association of Sustainability in Sport.

Secure Financial Base

• Our financial management policies have been reviewed and updated and eight year forward planning budgets reviewed and adjusted.

• We have progressed discussions with CGF Partnerships, other UK CGAs and Birmingham 2022 on Joint Marketing Agreement commitments for the Birmingham Games.

• sportscotland confirmed investment support for key programme areas in the lead up to the 2022 Games, with discussions continuing on other projects. • One athlete has drawn down on their medallist reward funding from 2010 and 2014, with 64 of 76 athletes now having claimed against this programme. These funds are held and released with an RPI adjustment when claimed. Funds assist athletes in the transition to post competition life, supporting activity such as retraining, property purchase, and business start up.

• The CGS balance sheet remains strong despite the COVID-19 pandemic and, in line with investment and reserves principles, holding funds enabling us to operate across one further Games cycle. The investment risk is spread between the investment portfolio held with Aberdeen Standard and cash investment.

• Programmes re-launched in response to the COVID-19 pandemic include the Commonwealth Championship fund allowing sports to host or attend events enabling athletes to reach selection standards or prepare for the Games.

Achievements Recognised and Celebrated

• The CGS corporate logo was adjusted to incorporate the new CGF brand device.

• Through digital media and written communications we continue to promote Commonwealth Games sports, athletes, partners and sponsors. We have increased the already high Team Scotland profile through our @team_scotland digital media channels with over 120,313 Twitter, Facebook and Instagram followers. This is the highest following for a Scottish national sports body out-with Rugby and Football and the highest of any Commonwealth Games Association without Olympic responsibilities. • Online we operated a successful rolling Sport Focus programme in conjunction with governing body members. Activities such as the Christmas advent calendar also received a strong public response.

• Regrettably, the Team Scotland Scottish Sports Awards was cancelled with a Team Scotland Stars programme implemented, recognising our sports and athletes contribution to our communities during the COVID-19 crisis.

• Preparations took place for a reunion of former Youth Games athletes to mark the 20th Anniversary of the first Games in Edinburgh in 2000 and the 50th Anniversary of the 1970 Edinburgh Commonwealth Games. These were also both cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Actions underpinned by Evidence

• Underpinning the Marketing Plan, Communications Plan, Commercial Strategy and rebranding is research from an independent public attitude survey in Scotland. This was conducted in November 2020 by YouGov Sport.

• Results continue to show strong public positive appreciation of Team Scotland with 56% of Scots having a positive perception and over 51% of Scots saying Team Scotland success was important to them, though perception has steadily declined since 2014. Traits most strongly associated were hard working, good role models, source of pride, professional and inclusive. The Scottish public appears to have a greater interest in assuring athlete well-being, satisfaction and positive experience than pursuit of the glory of medals.

• There has been a clear and steady decline in the association of the ‘Team Scotland’ term with the Commonwealth Games since Glasgow 2014, with the exception of 2018 (Gold Coast).