News or Event
01 August 2010
PERTH AND KINROSS SPORTS COUNCIL 2009/10 ANNUAL REPORT
Looking back on last year’s Sports Council’s activities, it has certainly been a year to remember.
Chairman’s Report
Looking back on last year’s Sports Council’s activities, it has certainly been a year to remember.
Firstly, I have to thank all of the Sports Council Executive members who have put in a lot of hard work over the past year and in particular Elaine Oliver my Vice Chair. Basically Elaine took over the reins of part time Administrator after Katja left to go back home to Germany and during the last nine months along with the assistance of both James Black and Michelle Henderson have kept the administrative work in order. This hasn’t been an easy task and this work was on top of Chairing the Operations Sub-Committee, however, Alice Yeung has now joined us as our Administrator in conjunction with her other job as Administrator of the Sports Development Team. Also, Ashley Sinclair has really stamped his mark as the Chairman of the Grants Sub-Committee.
SPOTY went ahead without any problems and was a night to remember by many successful nominees. Also Perth 10k with the new route, which was designed by Perth Road Runners and the finish line, which was very ably staffed by Perth Strathtay Harriers proved to be another successful event, which attracted runners from all over Scotland. Also the eagerly awaited Mini-Olympic tournament between our twin towns of Aschaffenburg and Bydgoszcz and ourselves is shaping up. A more detailed report on all of these events will come from Elaine.
The new way in which the Sports Council conducts its’ business has had a both positive and it has to be said, negative experience. It was decided that we would go out to the geographical areas to share a two-way experience between ourselves and local clubs. Also this meant that the Executive Committee would meet every two months but the Grants Panel would still meet on a monthly basis. I think it is true to say that meeting every two months has not had an adverse effect on the working of the Executive but going out to the geographical areas has to be reviewed as we are not getting the audience which we anticipated.
As I stated earlier, Katja left us last July to be nearer to her parents in Germany. Katja had her own way of working and it has to be said, worked well over the hours that she should have done, she even did more hours above and beyond the call of duty than Elaine did when she was our Administrator. Katja really came into her own when we visited Aschaffenburg for the last Mini-Olympic tournament but, she has decided to come back across in time for this year’s competition and assist where necessary.
The Sports Council has now entered into the hi-tech world. At the Sports Personality of the Year Awards ceremony we launched our very own web-site, www.perthandkinrosssportscouncil.co.uk. We are very proud of this achievement and it again is down to a sub-committee who pulled it all together. We cannot take all the credit though as we enlisted the skills and knowledge of Gary Beck of BedfordBeck Limited and Gary will continue to assist us when and where necessary.
Finally, the Sports Council lost one of its’ real stalwarts this year and it is without doubt that his great enthusiasm, humour and dedication to the cause will be greatly missed. Jim Hitchen, who I regarded as a true friend and someone with whom I could confide in, sadly passed away in the early hours of the 14th February 2010. Jim was one who could be relied on in any event to step forward and volunteer not just his time but also his lovely wife, Sheila’s time. Jim had his own way of contributing to the fray and I do not think that he ever lost an argument or debate, the fact of the matter was, that he was always right. All of us will continue to have fond memories of a man who would stand up and be counted whenever or whatever the occasion.
Click here to download a full copy of the report.
Bob Ellis