Special Olympics GB February Update

Special Olympics GB welcomes a new COO

Developing and growing the Special Olympics movement across Great Britain is a key objective for all of us, enabling us to transform as many lives as we can through sport.

You will have read in the January newsletter how we are strengthening our board with six new trustees. The work to strengthen the effectiveness of our national office to best support our network across GB is also continuing with key appointments being made this month and next.

We have also just set up a new Advisory Board which is made up of significant and influential business leaders, in addition to some of the board members who are rotating off the board. The first meeting of the Advisory Board took place during the last week of February. We will update the membership of the group in our next newsletter. The purpose of this group is to support the full board in terms of generating income, support and profile for Special Olympics GB.

In terms of strengthening the core team at national office, we have appointed Paul Lockyer - pictured above - as our new Chief Operating Officer. Paul started in February after a successful career as a senior leader in the technology industry. For a biography of Paul please click HERE.

Paul's role is positioned to give me the time and space to focus on my critical priorities as CEO. After 18 months of working on the internal operations and functions of the organisation – strengthening our governance, finance and operational systems, it is now time for me to be more external facing. It has been a very tough juggling act to date, wearing many different hats and undertaking many different roles. We have been very stretched as a very small team, which has been a tough position to be in, and we have not been able to effectively manage all the competing demands on our time. We have a LOT of priorities and have not had the time or resource to do this which has no doubt led to frustrations internally and externally. Paul's work will focus on managing our limited resources as efficiently as possible to ensure we fulfil our commitments to our athletes, coaches and volunteers, partners, board and our many statutory legal requirements. His responsibilities will include day to day operational accountability for National Office operations, finance, Sport and Competition and Network Development.

With a strong track record in technology and management, Paul brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from his business background. This combined with his hands on voluntary work with Special Olympics Wisconsin and most recently, Mencap, Paul will be a huge asset to us all.

I'm very much looking forward to working with Paul moving forward and I hope you will all join me in welcoming him to the Special Olympics GB family.

After an extensive search for a Head of Sport & Competition and testing the market, we have appointed Laura Davies to the role. We felt that this crucial role required institutional knowledge of Special Olympics, along with a passion for our cause, and Laura emerged as the strongest candidate. Laura officially starts her new role in March, and there will be a period of handover with Laura Baxter who has done a brilliant job in holding the fort whilst we have had no one in post. A huge thank you to Laura B for juggling two roles and a big congratulations to Laura D on her promotion. I am sure you will support her in her new role.

If you'd like to read more about what I've been up to in my latest blog, please click HERE.

All the best
Michelle

Special Olympics GB National Alpine Skiing Competition 2020

In the first week of February, 90 Athletes, 85 delegation volunteers and 80 event volunteers and family members from 11 regions from all over GB headed to Crans Montana in Switzerland for the SOGB National Alpine Skiing competition.

Even with a very wet start to the week, nothing was going to dampen the athletes spirits who were keen to get on with the racing. The athlete's enthusiasm, determination and courage during the tough conditions was truly awe inspiring. Tuesday saw a fresh dump of snow just in time for the start of the Giant Slalom day. The sun came out on Wednesday and it was clear blue skies and sunshine for the rest of the week. The athletes competed in the Super Giant Slalom race on Wednesday followed by the Slalom race on Thursday.

Friday was a free ski day for everyone to go and discover the rest of the Crans Montana resort including the view from the Glacier at 3000m. And if that wasn't enough to tire everyone out, the athletes still had enough energy to dance the night away at the disco on the last night finishing with a giant conga! A great week was had by all both on and off the slopes and new friendships were made across the regions.

Huge thanks to Adrienne Purdie and everyone involved with organising the event. Your hard work throughout the process from start to finish was very much appreciated. Congrats on a fabulous week!

Sporting Highlights

It's been another busy month of sport and competition across our network of clubs both at home and abroad.

Huge congratulations to our Special Olympics GB and Inclusive Skating figure skaters for doing GB proud at this month's Special Olympics Sweden Invitational Games. They skated brilliantly and came home with lots of medals. Jennifer Gibson Gold and Bronze, Jonathan Higgins won two Golds, Meg McFarlane took Silver, and Jonathan Clutterbuck skated away with a Silver. Everyone had a ball. Huge thanks to everyone who helped organise and attend and make our skaters feel welcome, including Margarita Sweeney Baird and all the coaches, parents and of course our amazing athletes!

Huge congratulations also to Valley's Gymnastic Academy for being shortlisted and winning two awards at the British Gymnastics National Club Awards back in January. Not only did they win The National Diversity and Inclusion Award they were also won The National Club Award, the highest accolade which can be handed to a club by British Gymnastics. After the shock of winning wore off, the team were absolutely delighted and exceptionally proud. It's not every day you get recognised by your National Governing Body!

Congrats also to everyone who took part in the Special Olympics South East Regional Badminton Tournament, Special Olympics Tayside Regional Ten Pin Bowling Competition and Leeds Learning Disability Tennis Competition in Partnership with SO Yorkshire & Humberside Region events. Competition, friendship and fun on display throughout!

If you have a story you would like to be included in our newsletters – please send details and pictures to ALISON LAVENANT.

And please, don’t forget to follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for lots more stories about our athletes and what’s been going on.

It is with great sadness that we must tell you Lionel has made the decision to step down from his role as our Volunteer Co-ordinator. We are very sorry to say goodbye to Lionel, a volunteer himself, who has been an incredible part of our team for many years. On behalf of everyone at Special Olympics GB we would like to thank Lionel for his significant contribution and for everything he has done for us over the years. He’s had a huge impact on so many of us and we are all so grateful for his dedication and passion.

All Volunteer registration and DBS processing will now be managed by the Network Development Team. All correspondence and enquiries should initially be sent to the attention of Laura Baxter (laura.baxter@sogb.org.uk) with the volunteer email address in copy (Volunteer@sogb.org.uk). A member of the Network Team will then come back to you.

As you can imagine we have a number of outstanding requests which we are trying to work through as quick as we can so thank you for your patience during this time.

So we are on the 18 month countdown now to National Summer Games 2021 in Liverpool and I wanted to give you a bit of an update from me as the Events Project Manager.

The first 3 months have been a whirlwind of trying to make final confirmations for venues and accommodation to give you all the Time of Your Life in Liverpool.

To read about all the latest developments and what we've been up to click HERE.

Donna

Special Olympics GB Unified Mile - sign up today!

Just a quick reminder that registration for the Special Olympics GB Unified Mile on Sunday, May 24 in central London, is open.

Part of the Vitality Westminster Mile - it's a truly brilliant day out! Everyone is invited to take part – with and without intellectual disability - and you can run, walk, wheel, skip or even dance around the course!

An easy read format of the registration form is available. And Group registration is also available, but in a change from last year, please note this option is only available to groups of individuals with intellectual disability.

For more information, how to sign up, easy read registration form and group registration plus fund-raising details please click HERE.

Really hope you can make it!

Please note the deadline for registration is Wednesday, April 29.

While the deadline for Group registration is Wednesday, April 8.

And finally...

Many thanks to our corporate sponsor Fuller's - especially Georgina Wald - Absolute Radio, Richie Firth, Andy Bush and The Vintry Pub in London for hosting the brilliant ultimate Pub Grub Showdown on Sunday with all proceeds going to Special Olympics GB. A great time was had by all - including some of our brilliant athletes - with delicious food on offer! Many thanks to everyone involved. Your support is very much appreciated!

© Special Olympics Great Britain Registered Charity No. 800329