LEADING THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPORT IN SCOTLAND FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND ABILITIES WITH A PHYSICAL, SENSORY OR LEARNING DISABILITY Annual Report 2006 - 2007 Scottish Disability Sport would like to acknowledge with sincere thanks the generous financial support received from the following Councils to assist with hosting the AGM and producing this Annual Report: Chairman’s Message It’s hard to believe that another is huge and we are September. year has passed so quickly, one grateful for all their Scottish athletes that has brought so many changes efforts. will make up and new developments within 50% of Team SDS and its members. It was Once again we GB. We wish always going to be a difficult time are appreciative them all well. By for all the Board members, new of the special this time next and old, and staff with Richard partnership we year the Beijing Brickley MBE standing down as have with Capability Paralympics will Chairman and many changes have Scotland and of have taken place taken place over the last year. the many sponsors and within SDS who support our we can only hope I am delighted to say that Richard programmes. Our that Scotland is has not been lost to SDS and working relationship well represented in fact has been retained with with Scotland’s on the GB Team. specific remits including coaching, local authorities is ethics and equity and keeping our exceptionally strong and we were It’s an exciting time for all within popular web site updated. Richard delighted to see many new faces Scottish Disability Sport and for has also been a tremendous at our National Events this year. many of our athletes I hope we support to Gavin and are producing pathways I offering advice, and within their chosen sport thankfully has always that offer progression been at the other and opportunities at all end of a mobile, as levels. But we cannot and when we needed rest there and with your further information or continuing support we now guidance. need to focus on building our networks with local The dedicated SDS authorities, governing Management Board bodies of sport, clubs and members have branches and encourage undergone many more youngsters to get training sessions over involved with sport. London the past year and they 2012 and indeed Glasgow have all taken on individual remits With their support we hosted 2014 are just around the corner for the future that will ensure new national events in Badminton and we want to be there in continuity to our programme and Junior Athletics. numbers. that will support our athletes for many years to come. On the international scene we have many events in the near We have an outstanding staff future and I am sure you join team led by our CEO, Gavin with me in wishing our bowls Macleod and as always the team travelling to Australia, the support from sportscotland and CP footballers to Brazil and our in particular Heather Lowden wheelchair curlers to Switzerland Gordon McCormack is fantastic. The responsibility our best wishes. Chairman of producing and ensuring the continuity of our calendar of The Special Olympics World events and training programme Games are in Shanghai in ANNUAL REPORT 2006-2007 Page 1 CEO’s Message 2007 The first 12 months of our new Steffan Hogan, remiss of me Strategic Plan, ‘Towards London Craig Rodgie not to single and Beyond’ has seen another and Stephen and out Heather year of success, development Peter McGuire Lowden in and frustration. Just another year are destined for this vote of in the life of SDS you might say. great things in the thanks as she Our athletes have continued to future. continues to be do us proud on the international an exceptional stage with medals won and new I would like to Partnership records set. We have embarked thank the SDS Manager and on new partnership initiatives Management friend to with the express intention of Board for all their disability sport opening up opportunities to commitment in Scotland. I sports and physical recreation and support also take this for people with disabilities. We over the year. opportunity to have attracted a record level There were big thank the wider of financial investment into the changes on the SDS family. Association and have delivered Board following Without the more education and training last year’s AGM and those that continued commitment of branch programmes than ever before. were elected at that time have personnel, sports co-ordinators, contributed significantly to coaches, athletes, carers, parents As always, our athletes have the work of the Association. and many others who contribute been the focus of our work and Special mention must go to our to the work of the Association I would take this opportunity Chairman, Gordon McCormack SDS simply could not function. to congratulate them all on who has coped with the The contribution that this army their triumphs and development transition admirably and has of volunteers across Scotland during 2006 / 2007. Evergreen supported me in my role as CEO makes to the work of the athletes such as Jim Anderson, throughout the last 12 months. Association cannot be quantified. Kenny Cairns and Stephen Payton The hard work put in by this have continued to achieve at the committed group of individuals Strategic partnerships have highest level and prove that there often goes unrecognised but strengthened and increased in the is no substitute for experience. is crucial to the effective last year and have contributed What has been particularly governance of SDS. I would also significantly to strengthening exciting in the last year has been like to thank all of the SDS staff the player pathway for athletes the progress made by our young for their dedication and hard with a disability in Scotland. emerging athletes. I have no work in the last year. I would Scotland’s local authorities and doubt that athletes such as also like to thank the staff of national governing bodies of Libby Clegg, Colette Martin, sportscotland for their continued sport continue to be among the Gordon Reid, James Smith, support of the Association Association’s greatest supporters Sean Fraser, Jennifer Somerville, in so many ways. It would be and the support received in Page 2 ANNUAL REPORT 20062007 CEO’s Message 2007 terms of officer time, funding and participant numbers in specific and Switzerland to participate facility hire is immense. sports, the small numbers of in World Championships and young people accessing our on 9th November we will The Association is also indebted programmes, much needed learn if Glasgow has been to the funding partners who support for our potential successful with its bid to host continue to support our Paralympians, the dearth of skilled the Commonwealth Games in work at all levels. We thank volunteers and the strength of 2014. Truly exciting times to be sportscotland, Capability our sporting structures at a involved with disability sport in Scotland, the Sportsman’s local level. However, the year Scotland. Charity, Lloyds TSB Foundation ahead will be one of the most for Scotland, Nationwide, ECAS exciting for disability sport in and the Ladbrokes Charitable Scotland for many years. We Trust for their support of our will learn how many of our athletes, teams and development athletes will be involved in the programmes. Beijing Paralympic Games, we will continue to pave the way We must continue to focus for our athletes involvement on the issues of concern for in London in 2012, SDS teams Gavin Macleod the Association such as falling will travel to Australia, Brazil Chief Executive Officer ANNUAL REPORT 2006-2007 Page 3 Review of the Year On behalf of Scottish Disability Athletics Championships, the lead role of the Education & Sport we welcome our friends ever popular Shinty Festival along Training Group and to all those old and new to the 44th with the numerous sport specific knowledgeable and experienced Annual General Meeting of the junior squads and events continue tutors who have contributed to Association. This year’s meeting to make junior development the education & training calendar marks the completion of the first a strategic goal for SDS. The during 2006 / 2007. year of the SDS strategic plan introduction of the SDS Athlete ‘Towards London and Beyond’: Academy in the year ahead will Partnerships are fundamental to 2006-2012 which will direct also provide an important support the success of the Association our work up to the London structure for those young athletes and SDS has continued to forge Paralympic Games. In the last with the potential to progress in close working relationships with year, great strides forward have their chosen sport. a wide range of organisations been made towards achieving and agencies across Scotland. the outcomes and targets of the The SDS branch structure Scotland’s national governing plan in the key areas of sports remains the primary point of bodies of sport continue to development, education & training, entry for athletes with a disability support our sport specific governance and communication. in Scotland and we pay tribute to programmes and working groups the huge number of volunteers have been established with the Scotland’s athletes with a disability who give their time to support sports of athletics, badminton, have once again enjoyed a year of the Association at a local level. football, swimming and wheelchair success on the international stage The SDS branch structure is curling. We are also delighted as well as GB level. A list of their vital to the future success of the to announce that SDS now has considerable achievements can be Association and we urge everyone Sport Specific Disability Sport viewed in this Annual Report and involved at a local level to ensure Officers appointed in partnership we pay tribute to all the Scottish that every person with a disability with four of Scotland’s national athletes, coaches and support is given the opportunity to governing bodies.