Scottish Disability Sport Annual Report 2004 - 2005 Leading the development of sport and physical recreation for people with disabilities throughout Scotland Shetland Islands Council Scottish Disability Sport would like to acknowledge with PERTH & KINROSS DISABILITY SPORT sincere thanks the generous financial support received from the following Councils to assist with hosting the AGM and producing this Annual Report: The Highland Council Comhairle na Gaidhealtachd SERVING The Highland Community Chairman’s Message 2005 Another busy year marked by athlete success, staff developments, partnership initiatives but a fair degree of concern. Just another typical year in the life of SDS but a significant one nevertheless. The Scottish members of Team GB at the Athens Paralympic Games yet again produced outstanding performances. Special mention must be made of Aileen McGlynn (cycling) and Jim Anderson (swimming). The latter went on to further recognition by being voted Scottish Sports Personality of the Year by the listeners of BBC Radio Scotland ahead of none other than Colin Montgomerie. Frank Duffy also had a great year and ‘skipped’ the Scottish wheelchair curling team to a second world title but this Jim Anderson in competition at the Athens Paralympic time on home soil. Games 2004 New special partnerships have been forged with Capability The year ahead will bring into action a new development Scotland and the Sportsman’s Charity in particular and plan and consolidation of exciting programmes such as consolidated with the Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland. Ethics and Equity which are led by National Development The chairman and CEO had the privilege of presenting Officer Claire Mands. SDS desperately needs to identify to the Cross Party Committee for Sport and independently and then support more new athletes with potential across to Patricia Ferguson MSP, Minister for Tourism, Culture sports who can fly the flag for Scotland and Great Britain and Sport. Both meetings were held in the new Parliament as successfully and proudly as our existing and past building. Paralympians. Performances in international sport are improving faster than we are producing quality performers New staff members Joanne Riordan (administration) and with real international potential. There are several good Ailien Pallot (finance) were welcomed on board and we local and national programmes which focus on children said farewell to Cynthia Clare on a full time basis. During and young people but they must start to produce if SDS her short employment period with SDS Cynthia has is to continue as a force in GB and international sport. greatly influenced working practices and procedures and I end on that note of concern but reflect on another year still continues to play a part one day per week. We have of progress and achievement. a wonderful staff team very professionally led by the CEO and we can call on the services of numerous sportscotland To the many individuals and agencies who support this officers spearheaded by Heather Lowden. great organisation in so many different ways I say thanks on behalf the many SDS members who benefit. This year past we have lost the services of our Honorary President Bob Mitchell who has been such an influence on so many of us and the Association specifically in so many different ways. Bob now resides in a residential home but for the past three decades he has played a part on a voluntary basis in developing sports, organising Richard Brickley MBE competitions and managing finance. An exceptional Chairman Scottish Disability Sport volunteer whose skills are greatly missed. CEO Message 2005 As we reach the end of another successful year, I would like to take this opportunity to celebrate the successes of the last 12 months and thank the vast number of people who contribute to our ongoing development. Whilst it is important to reflect on what has gone, it is also important to look ahead and identify what can be done to ensure sustained progress in the future. SDS athletes have continued to perform with distinction on the international stage. Scottish athletes representing Great Britain at the Athens Paralympic Games upheld our Missile throwing in Irvine strong tradition of success at these games, returning home Finance Manager, Ailien Pallot. I would also pay tribute to with 8 Gold, 5 Silver and 2 Bronze medals. Performances our outgoing Administrator, Cynthia Clare and thank her worthy of special mention include those by Jim Anderson, most sincerely for her support and dedication during her Maggi McEleny and Aileen McGlynn. I congratulate all time with the association. We are all delighted that Cynthia those involved in Athens on their successes and thank will continue her involvement with SDS on a one day a them for keeping Scotland’s profile at the forefront of week basis. I also pay tribute to the work of our National Paralympic sport. I also congratulate the Scottish Development Officer, Claire Mands and our Administrator Wheelchair Curling squad on their World Championship in the Fife Office, Norma Buchanan. Title and for becoming the first nation to retain this title. Our athletes are the front line of our association and we 2004/2005 has brought success and development in areas are indeed fortunate to have so many fine ambassadors of the association’s work such as education and training, acting on our behalf. I take this opportunity to congratulate governance, marketing and publicity and in our sports and and thank all those athletes who have competed and local development programmes. However, we must defend achieved in the last year. against complacency and double our efforts to ensure that areas of concern are addressed. We must identify I thank all my colleagues on the SDS Management the next generation of elite performers, strengthen our Committee for their support and hard work in the last branch structure to ensure pathways into national squads, year and I look forward to working closely with you all strengthen our sport specific structures and recruit and again in the year ahead. I thank our Chairman, Richard retain volunteers with the knowledge and abilities to drive Brickley MBE and our sportscotland Partnership Manager, forward the work of our association in the years ahead. Heather Lowden in particular for their guidance and These issues are at the forefront of our thoughts as we friendship. We are indeed fortunate to have this level of begin to formulate a new national development plan which knowledge and commitment leading the association at a will direct the work of the association until 2012. national level. I know that everyone involved with SDS will join me in wishing our President, Bob Mitchell health I finish by thanking the huge number of agencies and and happiness in the year ahead. Bob has led the organisation who work with SDS to help us achieve our development of the association for over 30 years and we aims. Your support in terms of finance, manpower and will all miss his friendship, guidance and endless enthusiasm. expertise is greatly appreciated and we look forward to I also thank the vast army of branch representatives, sports working even more closely with you all in the year ahead. co-ordinators, coaches, carers, volunteers and parents across Scotland who give so much of their time to ensure These are exciting times for SDS and I thank all those the development of opportunities for people with involved with the association for all their support. disabilities to meet their full sporting potential. This enormous amount of work often goes unrecognised but without it, our association simply could not survive. I would like to officially welcome our new appointments Gavin Macleod in the SDS Office, Administrator, Joanne Riordan and Chief Executive Officer Review of the Year On behalf of everyone involved with Scottish Disability Sport athletes continue to represent SDS with distinction at the (SDS), I would like to welcome you all to the 42nd Annual very highest level. General Meeting of the Association. This year’s meeting coincides with the final year of our National Development Between 2nd and 9th July, Glasgow played host to the Special Plan, ‘Changing with the Times 2’ which has driven the work Olympics GB National Summer Games. 2,500 athletes of SDS for the last four years. As we reflect on the successes competed in 23 different sports over the eight days raising and challenges of the last 12 months, work is already well the profile of sport for people with a disability in the process under way to put in place a dynamic and comprehensive plan and leaving a lasting legacy for the city. The Games were a which will provide the focus for the development of the huge success and we take this opportunity to pay tribute to association for the next six years. Gordon McCormack and his team of staff and volunteers on their achievement of organising such a spectacular event. In the last year, SDS athletes maintained the proud tradition of Scottish success at Paralympic Games, returning home SDS athletes also enjoyed considerable success at GB level from Athens with 15 medals. The star of the show was Jim in the last 12 months. In November, a 27-strong Scottish Anderson who amassed an amazing 4 Gold medals and a team travelled to Sheffield to compete in the British Senior new world record in the pool. Cyclist, Aileen McGlynn Short Course Swimming Championships. A tremendous achieved a Gold and Silver double along with a new world effort from the Scottish team earned them a second place record to mark her Paralympic debut while swimmer Maggi finish in the competition with Andrew Lindsay also setting McEleney achieved Gold and 2 Silvers to cap a remarkable a new World Short Course Record for the 100m Backstroke.