Athletes, volunteers, Trustees, parents, representatives from member organisations and Scottish Disability Sport gathered on zoom for the 43rd Annual General Meeting of Disability Sport Fife on Monday 3rd August. The Chairman delivered the annual review and coordinated proceedings. Treasurer Paul Noble MBE presented the annual accounts for 2019 – 2020 independently examined by Tom Foster FCCA.
Disability Sport Fife (SC048722) – Annual Review – 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020
The Board of Charity Trustees of Disability Sport Fife (SCIO) has successfully completed year one of operation with a review of membership categories, satisfactory upskilling of the Trustees and the introduction of more efficient ways of operating. The introduction of online banking has improved the financial efficiency of the charity immensely and even stronger ties with Fife Sports and Leisure Trust have improved our financial position.
The Get Out Get Active (GOGA in Fife) programme supported by Spirit of 2012 has come to an end after three years and its legacy is far reaching and exciting. Active recreation is now firmly embedded in the DSF (SCIO) constitution as well as sport and this is a direct result of GOGA. DSF (SCIO) is much more inclusive in ethos and practice and reaching out to more diverse communities because of GOGA. The DSF data base includes information on over 700 members of all ages and abilities with physical, sensory or learning disabilities because of the GOGA initiative. Succession planning and robust fundraising has enabled DSF (SCIO) to continue with all the participation initiatives established through GOGA. GOGA influences are here to stay in Fife.
DSF weekly sessions continue to thrive and remain the cornerstone of our movement. GOGA influences have led to higher attendances and a wider range of participant interests. Successful negotiations with Fife Sports and Leisure Trust have led to the employment of additional coaches and extra facility space. The expansion of the peer mentor programme has increased the quality and quantity of our volunteer force. The DSF programme of weekly sessions has never been stronger and FSLT has recognised its importance by including DSF sessions in Leisure Active, reducing costs for disabled participants.
Education and training remain an important aspect of the core business of DSF. The target is always to try and organise 10 sessions of training in conjunction with partners. In the year past DSF (SCIO) with support from GOGA, SDS and others has delivered training in safeguarding, first aid, autism, disability inclusion, inclusive swimming etc. Specific members of DSF (SCIO) have accessed Scottish Governing Body Awards and DSF is particularly proud that four Para swimmers from Fife have reached Level 2 of Scottish Swimming coaching. Fife has three young Para athletes on the Scottish Disability Sport Young Start programme and embarking on careers in coaching.
The DSF (SCIO) events programme continues to thrive with higher entries than ever and continued support from partners and sometimes sponsors. DSF (SCIO) can provide young sports leaders from Kirkcaldy HS with the experience of assisting at inclusive Fife sports events. DSF (SCIO) entered athletes and players for almost all SDS national events and won team trophies in senior athletics, indoor bowls, inter area bowls and sportshall. DSF (SCIO) has a very strong relationship with mainstream clubs in Fife and would single out Fife Athletic Club, Carnegie Swimming Club, Glenrothes Amateur Swimming Club, Headwell B.C, Beveridge Park Bowling Club, Glenrothes Strollers Football Club, Enigma Gymnastics Club, Dovecot Park Bowling Club, Abbeyview Bowling Club, Windygates Bowling Cluband Dunfermline Tennis Club for special mention.
DSF (SCIO) is immensely proud of the special relationship it enjoys with Fife Sports and Leisure Trust and Fife Council. It also values greatly the support it continues to receive from Fife Rotary Clubs, St John Fife, STV Children’s Appeal, Trefoil, Celtic Foundation, Russell Hogg Trust, Fife Charities Trust, Scottish FA, Robertson Trust, SDS, Education Scotland and others. DSF will always be indebted to Spirit of 2012 that supported GOGA in Fife, a movement that changed the organisation forever. Many thanks to the individuals and organisations that have funded specific bursaries to support emerging athlete members.
Congratulations to Fife high performance sportsmen and women whose ambassadorial qualities are second to none. We pay tribute to Derek Rae, Owen Miller, Sam Fernando, Oliver Carter, Alison Peasgood, Glen Livingston, Billy Allan and Mike Drever who continue to excel at the very highest level in their specific sports. Congratulations to Kieran Steer and Tyler McLellend who have made an impact in national boccia in the past year and the juniors who are showing considerable promise across a range of sports. In all aspects of DSF (SCIO) it has once again been a most successful year.
Many thanks to coordinator Norma Buchanan for her loyalty, compassion and considerable expertise. Many thanks to Paul Noble for always being there to advise, support and add his considerable financial expertise to the management of DSF (SCIO). Many thanks to Trustee Pamela Robson for being a large section of my right arm and fellow Trustees Carolyn Clunie and Maureen McSeveney for their enthusiasm, expertise and encouragement. Scottish Disability Sport officers Mark Gaffney, Heather Lowden, Lynne Glenn, Caroline Lyon in particular have been immense help during the year past. Last but by no means least thanks to Fife athletes, coaches, volunteers, peer mentor volunteers, families, significant others for being the best in the business.
During the short review of the year the Chairman highlighted the following issues:
DSF (SCIO) is now the employer of DSF staff and staffing links with SDS are now terminated. Fife Voluntary Action is supporting DSF with payroll arrangements.
107 members and friends recently attended the annual awards held via zoom. Mark Gaffney and Caroline Lyon of SDS assisted the Chairman on the night. The awards were recorded and replayed on Facebook. Many positive comments were received. Around 40 awards presented. The number of athlete members and partner representatives who attended was extremely encouraging. Fife Free Press and other local papers covered the awards. The Annual Awards were recorded and are available on the DSF Facebook page.
Chairman reported that the final GOGA report has been issued and circulated. It makes good reading. DSF (SCIO) should be proud of all that has been achieved over the three years of GOGA which has seen the establishment of a new comprehensive database with quality athlete data; changing of the constitution to include active recreation as a way of life; the development of peer mentor programme in Fife and a significant increase in DSF volunteers, coaches and participants; DSF is proud of the fact that the core activities of walking, adapted cycling and adult recreational swimming were progressed as intended at the start of the project. DSF is proud of the incredible rise in number of different sessions and thanks to FSLT support it has been possible to increase our coaching personnel; DSF is proud of the new partnerships that have developed with mainstream sports clubs; the many stories that have evolved in Fife and have been published throughout the UK are another highlight of the GOGA programme; DSF has developed a significant number of new partners as a consequence of the GOGA initiative both within Fife and throughout Scotland and beyond; GOGA in Fife has influenced much of the DSF way of working and there is pride in new initiatives like coastal rowing, gymnastics, inclusive walking football, inclusive martial arts, inclusive bowls etc.etc.
DSF delivered 28 events in 2019 involving 1,489 participants. DSF delivered 10 education courses or workshops. DSF supported 765 Fife participants to compete in 18 SDS events. There are over 700 fully registered members on the new database supported by GOGA. DSF has 6,200 Facebook followers, 20 registered member organisations and 20 honorary members with voting rights. DSF (SCIO) represents the interests of participants of all ages and abilities with physical, sensory or learning disabilities in physical activity including sports.
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Richard Brickley OBE MBE Chairman DSF (SCIO) Board of Charity Trustees