SDS Newsletter - December 2020

Join us for a free sponsorship for your sports club masterclass webinar

Welcome to our December newsletter, 

Last week we were delighted to announce details of our first-ever webinar 'masterclass' in which we'll be discussing sponsorship for your sports club. 

Delivered in partnership with SNAP Sponsorship, this webinar (14th January 2021) will examine how community sports clubs can attract vital income through sponsorship. The webinar will walk attendees through Snap Sponsorship’s platform, provide practical suggestions on attracting sponsors and highlight some successful case studies from clubs in Scotland.

We are putting this newsletter out a little early this month because we're well aware Black Friday represents a prime opportunity for clubs in Scotland to raise some vital funds. With that in mind, we've pulled together a guide on 4 ways you can maximise your supporters' online spend. 

As always, please do get in touch if we can help the development of your club via our services, including support with club lotteries, incorporation, community asset transfers, gift aid, membership and payment systems and more. 

Best wishes,

The CDS Team

Grant Funding

 

Clubs can look to raise significant capital for funding through their own independent fundraising methods but often there are funders who support community projects and may make suitable funding partners for your project.

Here are some of the newest funds your club may be eligible to apply for.

If you're looking for support with your fundraising, get in touch.

Silverhill Trust

Objectives of the Silverhill Trust are to promote the mental, physical and social development of young people in the UK, especially those in poor circumstances (the trustees generally regard young people as being under the age of 21).

How much can you apply for? Grants ranged from £3,000 to £20,000. The trustees policy is to make several large donations rather than many small ones.

Who can apply? The funder has not provided details of any exclusions.

Chance to Connect (Opening Soon)

Chance to Connect supports projects working in the areas of community development and citizenship, helping develop strong young adults. Examples of projects or activities aimed at young people they may fund include:  community based leisure and sporting programmes & local youth clubs and recreational activities

How much can you apply for? £25,000 (£14,754 is the average award)

Who can apply? Charities registered in Scotland

 

Fundraising

 

Fundraising is an important aspect of any club's success. Check out some ways you can raise valuable income here. If you're looking for support with your fundraising, get in touch.

Clubs like you have raised £4 million with easyfundraising

Did you know that you could be raising free donations every time you and your supporters shop online?

The shop or site pays easyfundraising a percentage of what the shopper spends and easyfundraising turn that into the donation, so it doesn't cost anyone a penny extra.

Easyfundraising has helped clubs raise over £4 million in FREE donations. This extra funding is helping cover the cost of new kit, equipment and so much more!

SNAP Sponsorship Support

We have partnered with SNAP Sponsorship to make it easier for clubs to find, manage & grow sponsorships.

SNAP helps clubs promote their opportunities to a wider audience while sharing best practices when it comes to negotiating and securing sponsorship, all within one easy-to-use platform.

Plus, right now you can benefit from one month free. Simply use the promo code "clubdevelopmentscotland" at checkout and enjoy 12 months of support for the price of 11 (+ keep 100% of your sponsorship)

Clubs like you have raised £4 million with easyfundraising

Similarly to Easy Fundraising, Top Cashback is cashback site. There’s no join fee and no catches so whenever you visit an online store via your Top Cashback account, you can be earning your club valuable funds.

What’s more, if you’ve friends and family who want to buy something from a shop but don’t want a Top Cashback account then simply email them one of a Top Cashback link via your account and the club will earn the referral fee. 

There’s a huge range of merchants on the site including Soccer Box, Kitbag, Nike, Sports Direct and JD sports.

Our Club Lotto

Small club lotteries are a powerful and sustainable way for organisations to raise funds for their core activities or larger projects.

However, running a club lottery is time-consuming and has to be done properly. Our Club Lotto can provide the easy, low risk and low administration solution to the normally costly and time-consuming process of setting up and running a local lottery for your club.

Decades of experience in administration, commercial operation and technical knowhow of local lotteries is combined to support your fundraising activities on a bespoke Our Club Lotto portal.

 

Resources For Your Club

4 Ways Your Club Can Raise Funds This Black Friday

Black Friday and Cyber Monday reign supreme when it comes to grabbing great value deals. Originally a single day and now a month-spanning deal frenzy, you can get technology, games, gym kit, trainers and so much more at a price that you’re actually willing to pay.

This year, retailers won’t be holding back on their Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. So make sure your club is ready to earn some valuable income from supporters. Here’s everything you need to know.

TFN's Guide to Running A Charity or Social Enterprise is out now!

Third Force New’s Guide to Running A Charity or Social Enterprise 2020/21 is out now – and you can read it here!

In it, a group of experts from across the sector look at how we work in the face of the pandemic – and offer all sorts of advice for a range of related topics, from home working, to Zoom meetings, to looking after mental health.

The publication is packed with advice and information to help both staff and organisations to survive - and thrive! 

What We're Reading

 

Here's a selection of stories from our world and beyond. Simply click the picture to read the full story. 

James Anderson Nominated for Fan of the Year

James Anderson has been nominated by FIFA for their FIFA Fan Award, after his generosity in supporting Scottish football, this year.

Dundee United Community Trust’s work earns Europe-wide recognition as Tangerines receive prestigious Uefa award

Dundee United have received a prestigious award from European football governing body Uefa for their work in the community.

Munster's €1.7m spend on coaching worth €30m in social value

For every euro invested in coaching Gaelic games in Munster in 2019, there was a return of almost €17.

That was the headline finding in the latest analysis of investment and return in coaching and games development in the province, conducted by Repucon Consulting, who used Social Return On Investment (SROI) methodology to come to their conclusions.

How We Can Help Your Club

SDS Newsletter - November 2020

SD Scotland AGM

 Our AGM will be held on Sunday 22nd November at 12 noon.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions on face-to-face meetings, we will hold the AGM online for the first time, but still hope to have a great conversation with our members and are lining up some external presenters to share news from other parts of our network.

Details of the AGM were sent to our member organisations and individual Associate members last week. If you have not received yours please contact us at info@supporters-direct.scot

 

A gradual return to supporting has begun!

Last night saw the first glimmer of hope for Scottish fans, with 300 fans allowed in to watch the draw between Ross County and Livingston.

With most of the country still classified as Level 2 or 3, this is only possible in Highland, Moray, the Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland for now - but hope that more regions soon move into Level 1 with them. Last night's match was deemed a great success, and Ross County, along with their highland neighbours, will see this as an important first step back for their fans.

We are keen to see fans return as soon as is safely possible, and have questioned the "one size fits all" approach within each local protection level. The risks to supporters are different at each football ground, and at each tier of our national game - at lower levels where there is greater opportunity for physical distancing we believe that it may be possible to let fans in sooner, and that supporting your local team can be an important way of reducing social isolation for fans. 

 

BeGambleAware

 

With all of the Scottish senior leagues and the league cup now under way - together with almost continuous top level football outside of Scotland - we wanted to remind you of BeGambleAware’s latest campaign which asks bettors to tap out of their betting app for some time out and avoid Bet Regret.

Bet Regret is the sinking feeling you get the minute you make a bet without thinking it through. Often when drunk, bored or chasing losses. It’s about avoiding those impulsive bets you kick yourself for as soon as you’ve made them. Extensive research validates that the action of tapping out helps you to avoid Bet Regret.

The campaign continues to run across TV, radio, digital and is being supported on social by Ladbible until the end of the month. To further support the campaign there are two new assets running across social channels which include famous WWE stars The Big Show and Kurt Angle encouraging bettors to always tap out of the app to avoid Bet Regret. To view the assets, click here.

Check out the new campaign and watch Barry and Dave learn the value of always tapping out for some time out here: www.begambleaware.org/betregret

 

Corporation Tax for Community Benefit Societies

We have prepared a guidance note for member trusts of Supporters Direct Scotland which are incorporated as Community Benefit Societies, as there is a common misconception that CBSs are not liable to pay corporation tax. This note seeks to explain the true position.

The note is general in nature and does not aspire to address the individual circumstances of all trusts and so members should exercise appropriate caution when acting on the guidance set out within it, and should obtain professional advice if further clarification of corporation tax rules applicable to their circumstances is needed.

The guidance note can be downloaded here.

  

And finally...

 

Articles, podcasts and videos from the archive

As part of our objective to better connect fans, share best practice within Scottish sport, to promote supporter dialogue and promote sport clubs through which positive societal change can occur, here we share some relevant stories from the recent months.

  1. Ross County’s Fans Return Gives Us All Hope

  2. Remembering Hearts Hero Marius Zaliukas

  3. Putting A Price On Democracy

  4. SPFL/SFA Need To Be Smarter When Arguing To Bring Fans Back

  5. Can We Have A Government Help Out Scheme For Lower League Football?

  6. Europa Success, League Cup Crisis & An Innovative Twitch

  7. Fans Still Need To Be Patient Despite This Weekends Pilot Events

  8. We Need To Support Oli McBurnie!

  9. SD Scotland join BeGambleAware as a partner for Safer Gambling

  10. Dunfermline Athletic to be acquired by German investment group

 

You can also check out our back catalogue of podcast episodes and subscribe to Behind The Goals using your favoured ‘podcatcher’ here.

The First Jags Trust Chair first Grandchild - Rachael is a Jag!

Sadly, the home page of The Club has featured the loss of a number of Jags Fans over the last few months.

Here's one for the other side of the coin.  

 

On 20 September 1988, at the age of 38 minutes, Fiona Harvey was registered as a member of the Junior Jags.

Today (04/10/20), Fiona and partner Richard McGraddie welcomed their daughter Rachael Eilidh McGraddie to the world.

We look forward to welcoming Rachael to Firhill in the footsteps of her Mother, Grandmother (Maggie Forsyth) and late Grandfather (Derek Harvey).

Supporters Direct Scotland Newsletter - August

How can a sports club go green?

 

There are lots of ways a sports club can make a positive difference in its efforts to go green. Sounds good but what does that mean in reality?

It’s about being more environmentally-friendly, using sustainable products, reducing your carbon footprint and lessening the negative impact your club has on the planet.

If all of that feels overwhelming or unrealistic, it doesn’t have to be. Whatever steps your club chooses to take today, it wasn’t doing it yesterday – so you’re off to a start!

One approach to take is to consider how your club, members and supporters can: reduce, reuse and recycle.

Here are some ideas, you might be doing a few already or it could spark a conversation and lead to a new initiative.

Recycling sports kit

Sports clubs have all manner of processes that could potentially incorporate recycling and there are lots of organisations that can signpost resources (see here). 

Saying No to Plastic

Thanks to documentaries like BBC Blue Planet II and many other pieces of research, the scourge of plastic pollution is more apparent than ever before - and we can all do our bit. 

Reducing carbon emissions

According to the Committee on Climate Change, the majority of carbon emissions in the UK comes from energy production and consumption. That could be boiling a kettle for a brew or driving a car to a match.

Support local

The distance food and other products have to travel to get to us can be astonishing and all those miles travelled are polluting the planet. A major way to reduce that is by shopping locally and supporting businesses on a sport club’s doorstep.

So, there you go, some ideas on going green that clubs can implement. You can read more detail on all of this on our website. 

 

 

Funding

 

Here are some funding opportunities your club may want to consider applying to. If you're looking for support with your fundraising, get in touch.

 

Clubs and teams like you have raised £4 million with easyfundraising

Easyfundraising has helped clubs and teams like yours raise over £4 million in FREE donations. This extra funding is helping cover the cost of new kit, equipment, running costs and so much more!

Tescos Bags of Help

Bags of Help is Tesco’s local community grant scheme where the money raised by the carrier bag charge in Tesco stores is being used to fund thousands of community projects. The projects must meet the criteria of bringing benefits to the community. Grants of up to £2,000 are available.

 

 

Our Services

 

Here are some funding opportunities your club may want to consider applying to. If you're looking for support with your fundraising, get in touch about our specialist support.

 

 

 

 

Resources

 

Research to recruit, retain and realise the potential of volunteers.

The Sport and Recreation Alliance have distilled insights into a simple framework to help grassroots clubs and organisations recruit, retain and realise the potential of volunteers.

Set your organisation a world apart from the rest with expert risk management guidance

Inspired by the processes of NASA, the Alliance Governance Team explore the ins and outs of risk management that will help your organisation expect the best and be prepared for the worst.

 

 

News, Ideas & Opinions

 

Here's a selection of stories from our world and beyond that might give your club some ideas for new activities or programmes.

 

How sports clubs can rebuild post-lockdown

Are sports clubs open? It's the question on everyone's lips (and in their Google searches).

Sports clubs, of all shapes and sizes, face a huge challenge in the coming months, as we look ahead to the return of some kind of relative normality.

Of course, it’s worth emphasising that playing club sport is being done in phases, differently in each country and in line with Government advice. Please check carefully.

Front and centre will be the financial future of your club and how to encourage members back to play, socialise and support.

So, here are some website-related ideas to help sports clubs get ready for that all-important green light.

 

‘Let’s create something unique to Scotland’

CURRENT Scotland coaches Gregor Townsend and Shelley Kerr view community and school sport as central to the nation’s recovery from COVID-19 and the health of Scotland.

Both Kerr and Townsend took on their current roles as Scotland women’s football head coach and Scotland men’s rugby head coach respectively in 2017, and the duo this week joined the Observatory for Sport in Scotland’s latest ‘OSS Supporters Meeting’, via Zoom, to discuss their journeys and challenges with COVID-19.

On the challenges post-COVID-19, the national coaches agreed sports working together was going to be crucial to helping communities recover.

 

Sport for Scotland’s older generation on the up?

New research has suggested that many more of Scotland’s older population are taking up sport as they near or enter retirement than was previously believed.

With the advent of walking sports, netball and rugby latching on to the success of ‘Walking Football’ to inspire engagement among the older population, and growth of Park Runs and JogScotland events, there has been a growing belief that Scotland’s trend of ongoing decline in sport from the teenage years may finally be uncovering a very welcome spike. A new study conducted in 2019 would appear to back this up, at least in some sports and parts of Scotland.

- Read more here.

 

Most Of Scotland’s Leisure Centres ‘May Never Re-Open’ Due To Covid-19

The long-term impact of COVID-19’s lockdown is starting to emerge in Scotland with concerns rising that most of Scotland’s sport and leisure facilities will not re-open.

Scotland’s sporting infrastructure relies heavily on community facilities owned by local authorities and managed, in most areas, by leisure trusts. Most trusts have suffered annual reductions in council investment for the past 15 years and some facilities were earmarked for closure pre-COVID. Now, having lost five months of income due to lockdown and facing forecasts of reduced income at least through 2021 due to so social distancing, it is understood that several operators can no longer fund the staffing and maintenance of key sport facilities.

Supporters Direct Scotland Newsletter - July

With the return of the Premiership just over a week away, shortened lower league seasons due to start in October, the 2019/20 Scottish Cup Final rescheduled for December 20th, and the men's and women's national teams having a busy run of fixtures ahead of them, it's a massive relief to see that top-level football is back.

Outside of the SPFL and in grassroots and recreational football the picture is less clear, but we are hopeful that Phase 4 of the Scottish Government's loosening of lockdown will bring some good news for the tens thousands of people across the country who would usually be playing football every week.

For supporters though, there is still no clarity about when we will be allowed to return to the stands and terraces. We have been working hard behind the scenes throughout lockdown to help ensure that the needs of supporters are given priority by the game's decision makers, and have forged some great relationships through these conversations. It has been encouraging to see the whole of Scottish football working to the same principles - that our safety and welfare is paramount, and that our return to spectating is managed carefully and responsibly.

Today's news that the Scotland men's team fixture against Israel might be used as test event is an important step in our return. With this Nation's League fixture being a dress rehearsal for our Euro 2020 play-off semi-final a month later, it feels that there's more than a half chance of a decent crowd being able to support the team through this hugely important fixture - and the final which will hopefully follow it in November.

We have also advocated for each stadium being assessed individually, to ensure that every club is able to bring as many supporters as possible back, as safely as possible, and as quickly as possible. Simplistic approaches to this - along the lines we have seen in other countries where capacities have been reduced by the same percentage at every stadium - run the risk of putting cash before safety. SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell's preference for each stadium holding test events is welcomed, and while some of us may be frustrated that other leagues are re-starting before us, and bringing fans back sooner than us, we strongly believe that Scottish football should do this right, rather than doing it too quickly and putting our welfare at risk.

 

 

Scottish football fans need to stick together

 

With every twist in the conclusion of the 2019/20 season - from proposals and counter-proposals being put to the 42 SPFL clubs, court hearings, arbitration and now disciplinary action - the supporters have been bystanders. But increasingly we have been drawn into the dispute... in discussion forums, social media, and over the last couple of weeks in socially-distanced pub debates. We all love our clubs, and want to back them up, but we were never asked how we wanted the season to finish - and we must not allow this to divide us.

When football resumes our attention should be on the 22 players on the field, rather than the arcane rulebooks that govern our game.

 

Greenock Morton on course to become a fan-owned club

 

Earlier this month, fans group Morton Club Together struck a landmark agreement with the Rae family to take over majority shareholding from their company Golden Casket.

The takeover is scheduled to take place next summer, and will see the club sold to Morton Club Together for a nominal fee, with ownership of Cappielow remaining with Golden Casket, who will write off the club's debt in its entirety.

A key feature of this deal is that Morton Club Together will spend the next year working closely with the club's board and staff to fully understand the intricacies of the club's business, with each party gaining confidence that this deal will be the best way forward for the club. This is a path that several other clubs have followed, and that we've characterised as 'structured transitions' towards supporter ownership. The fans' groups at Motherwell, Hearts and St Mirren have all worked alongside individual owners in this way, demonstrating that securing supporter ownership can be, in the words of Greenock Morton chairman Crawford Rae, the final act of devotion to their club.

 

 

SD Scotland Membership Renewals Underway

 

The SD Scotland membership renewal process began at the start of this month, and we are delighted to see existing members renewing, as well as welcoming new members.

Membership is open to any democratically constituted supporters group or community owned club for £50 per year, and can be done easily via GoCardless. Individuals can join as associate members by signing up to our Patreon programme.

We are currently making plans for our AGM, which has been delayed due to the lockdown restrictions. It is still unclear whether we will be able to do this with a face-to-face event, but will finalise details and communicate these to members during August.

 

 

News from Europe

 

Fans' organisations from across Europe call for involvement in the future of football

Our partners across Europe, through the umbrella organisation Football Supporters Europe, called for supporter involvement in three core pillars:

  • The safe return of supporters

  • A recognition that the contribution made by fans is irreplaceable

  • Multi-stakeholder dialogue on the future of football

You can read more about these priorities here.

 

Returning to football: an SLO's experience

We look forward, once the COVID-19 lockdown is behind us, to bringing the UEFA Academy's SLO training programme (facilitated by SD Europe) to Scotland. We have a particularly active and well-established SLO network here in Scotland, and our connections to this work across the continent are hugely beneficial to supporter engagement in Scotland.

SD Europe's head of SLO training, Lena Gustafson-Wiberg, recently wrote about her experiences as SLO for Djurgårdens IF and the Swedish national team here. 

 

 

Club Development Scotland - building clubs that win for everyone

 

Although Covid-19 may have put a temporary stop to playing football, our Club Development Scotland work has continued throughout the lock down period. CDS, the consultancy arm of SD Scotland, develops resources and provides a range of services for community sports clubs of all shapes and sizes.

During the lockdown, we’ve been continuing to advise clubs on a range of matters including financial support available to them while their activities (and potentially income) are on hold - you can access this advice here. We’ve also been pleased to support the roll out of Our Club Lotto, a fundraising lottery that can be tailor suited to your club to help raise vital funds during this difficult time.

We’ve also been making the most of the lockdown to support clubs with a range of services including assisting and advising on club constitutions, legal structures, gift aid and charitable status. If you’d like to find out more how we could help you grow a winning club, get in touch or subscribe to our newsletter at http://www.clubdevelopment.scot/about/newsletters.

 

 

Think Twice Or You’ll Bet Regret It

 

We know that many of you will be at home, potentially struggling to fill the time, feeling a little isolated or anxious. In these times we’ll often turn to various forms of distraction to help the day pass, but placing risky impulsive bets shouldn’t be one of them.

In these difficult times the safer gambling message is perhaps more important than ever. Please remember to Think Twice or You’ll Bet Regret It.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed or worried about your gambling at the moment the National Gambling Helpline is available 24/7 on 0808 8020 133 for free, confidential advice and support.

 

 

And finally...

 

Articles, podcasts and videos from the archive

As part of our objective to better connect fans, share best practice within Scottish sport, to promote supporter dialogue and promote sport clubs through which positive societal change can occur, here we share some relevant stories from the past month.

  1. Getting Excited About Scottish Football Again

  2. Tartan Army Should Welcome Lyndon Dykes If He Chooses Scotland

  3. It’s Time Scottish Football Embraced The Rooney Rule

  4. SPFL Could’ve Respected Pyramid System Had They Promoted Brora Rangers & Kelty Hearts

  5. Clubs Urged To Do The Right Thing

  6. Killie Hitting The Right Notes On Social Media

  7. Permanent League Reconstruction Finally Up For Debate

  8. Saluting James Anderson’s Wonderful Gesture

  9. To B Or Not To B Team?

  10. Everyone At Every Level Will Be Desperate To See A Return To Football

Supporters Direct Scotland Newsletter

League Reconstruction or Stalemate?

In the absence of Scottish football action, countless column inches and Zoom call minutes have been taken up with planning for an eventual return, and the league configurations that could possibly make that happen.

At the heart of this are the objectives of protecting supporter, player and staff welfare; ensuring sporting integrity and fairness; and minimising financial stress on our clubs. Early in this process it was clear that there were no perfect solutions and no easy answers, and that trade-offs and compromises would be needed. Everyone who cared about Scottish football would need to come together to find a way through the crisis, and it was in this spirit that we offered to take part in the league reconstruction task force. Ultimately that offer was not accepted, and it was disappointing to see this challenge undertaken by the SPFL clubs alone.

In the absence of full involvement in the process, we offered input in the form of a high-level survey, asking Scottish football supporters what they liked and disliked about the current league structure, and what changes they wished to see this summer.

 

Survey Findings

The current structure is viewed positively, but there is clear and strong support for larger divisions – although not at the expense of the current competitiveness. The play-offs are broadly seen as positive, but there is scope for improvement – to ensure fairness, and to remove the current bias in favour of teams from higher divisions. The premiership split is also seen as broadly positive, although the imbalance in home and away fixtures is of great concern. The pyramid has been well received, and there is support for opening this up further.

The financial distribution model is a major concern for fans, relegation can put clubs in crisis and easier transitions between the divisions are needed. We have also seen a lot of criticism towards the SPFL’s voting mechanism and decision-making processes, with suspicion that the current reconstruction discussions are taking place to benefit the few rather than the many.

What do you like most about the current league structure?

  • 29% of responses mentioned the play-offs positively, and 20% mentioned the premiership split

  • Lots of comments about the current competitiveness of the divisions, with few meaningless games

  • Positive comments about the pyramid structure

What do you like least about the current league structure?

  • Over 30% of comments described the boring and repetitive nature of the fixture calendar

  • The play-off structure is seen to be biased towards teams from the higher divisions

  • Lots of negative comments about the premiership split, particularly the imbalance between home and away fixtures that this introduces

  • The voting structure and financial distribution model were criticised by a number of respondents

What would you like to see in a new league structure?

  • The most common response (36% of comments) was “bigger divisions”, most who proposed a particular size for divisions mentioned 16 or 18 teams in each

  • A fairer structure for play-offs would please many

  • More promotion and relegation between divisions, and opening up the pyramid to more teams, would lead to more variety in opposition

  • Strong support for more regionalised divisions

  • Permanent changes are needed, rather than temporary fixes

 

What Next?

Reconstruction talks rumble on, with the current proposals rumoured to involve a temporary two season expansion of the Premiership to 14 teams. We believe this to be fundamentally unworkable, as a return to 12 teams in two years time would either require fewer promotion spots or more relegation spots - this just kicks the can down the road.

Our offer to provide a supporters' perspective to the reconstruction process remains on the table, and there is clear appetite for change from supporters and clubs at all levels. This has to be done for the right reasons and for the benefit of all though - not just as a way of protecting the few clubs facing relegation this summer.

Protecting Supporters and Restarting Football

On a more positive note, we are delighted to be part of the Scottish FA's working groups tasked with providing recommendations in key operational, logistical and commercial areas to ensure the safe and efficient return of competitive football.

The working groups involve a range of subject matter experts from across Scottish football - from clubs and league bodies at all levels of the game, the Scottish FA, Scottish Women's Football, Para-Football Scotland, representative organisations for supporters, players, match officials and stadium safety staff, Scottish Government, academia, and Police Scotland.

By involving such a variety of stakeholders, the consultation and idea generation has been expansive and wide-ranging. Our role has been specifically to identify measures to protect supporter welfare, and ensure that supporters' match day requirements can best be supported when football returns. It is possible that there may be periods where closed door games are played, and also periods where stadium capacities will be restricted, and the working groups have covered each of these scenarios.

The concept of "hub" stadia has also been explored, as a way in which grounds that best meet requirements for physical distancing can host multiple matches. This concept could accelerate the return of competitive football, and also increase the number of supporters who can safely watch them live.

The working groups have made a great start to dealing with the complex challenges that lie ahead of us, and will continue to adapt their recommendations in light of government guidance on the easing of lockdown.

Club Development Scotland - building clubs that win for everyone

Although Covid-19 may have put a temporary stop to playing football, our Club Development Scotland work has continued throughout the lock down period. CDS, the consultancy arm of SD Scotland, develops resources and provides a range of services for community sports clubs of all shapes and sizes.

During the lockdown, we’ve been continuing to advise clubs on a range of matters including financial support available to them while their activities (and potentially income) are on hold - you can access this advice here. We’ve also been pleased to support the roll out of Our Club Lotto, a fundraising lottery that can be tailor suited to your club to help raise vital funds during this difficult time.

We’ve also been making the most of the lockdown to support clubs with a range of services including assisting and advising on club constitutions, legal structures, gift aid and charitable status. If you’d like to find out more how we could help you grow a winning club, get in touch or subscribe to our newsletter at http://www.clubdevelopment.scot/about/newsletters.

Think Twice Or You’ll Bet Regret It

We know that many of you will be at home, potentially struggling to fill the time, feeling a little isolated or anxious. In these times we’ll often turn to various forms of distraction to help the day pass, but placing risky impulsive bets shouldn’t be one of them.

In these difficult times the safer gambling message is perhaps more important than ever. Please remember to Think Twice or You’ll Bet Regret It.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed or worried about your gambling at the moment the National Gambling Helpline is available 24/7 on 0808 8020 133 for free, confidential advice and support.

And finally...

Articles, podcasts and videos from the archive

As part of our objective to better connect fans, share best practice within Scottish sport, to promote supporter dialogue and promote sport clubs through which positive societal change can occur, here we share some relevant stories from the past month.

  1. Scottish Football Has To Remain Innovative

  2. We Need To See More Domestic Friendlies

  3. Why I’ll Be Supporting Partick Thistle Next Season

  4. Billy Gilmour Is Ready For Scotland Senior Side

  5. SPFL And It’s Members Can’t Ignore The Fans

  6. Time To Think About SPFL TV

  7. Stuart McCall: The Scottish Workhorse

  8. SPFL Should Accept Dundee’s First Vote

You can also check out our back catalogue of podcast episodes and subscribe to Behind The Goals using your favoured ‘podcatcher’ here.

With Covid-19 taking hold of Scottish football, fans can step up and help the most vulnerable clubs. This short video has some ideas about you can help.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see more!

Supporters Direct Scotland are committed to helping football supporters enjoy responsible gambling; for many this is an integral part of their match day experience.

We have selected GamCare as our recommended support service for the prevention and treatment of problem gambling. GamCare operate the National Gambling Helpline (whose advisers are available on 0808 8020 133 or via web chat at www.gamcare.org), provide treatment for problem gamblers and their families, create awareness about responsible gambling and treatment, and encourage an effective approach to responsible gambling within the gambling industry.

Club Development Scotland - June 2020 Newsletter

Club Development Scotland - June 2020 Newsletter

The Club Development Scotland newsletter is a monthly newsletter produced to support community sport groups in achieving their aims and objectives through the facilitation of best practice and services.

Volunteers Week is Here!

 

Covid-19 has reaffirmed volunteering as a way of strengthening communities & tackling feelings of isolation.

Volunteers Week, which takes place from June 1-7, is an ideal time for clubs to take advantage of the new-found appreciation for volunteering.

Why not check out our guidance on volunteering and try implementing our simple 9 step plan at your club? You can also use the Sport and Recreation Alliance's Volunteer finding tool to help promote opportunities you may have at your club. See below for more details. 

Beyond volunteering, this newsletter also looks at funding opportunities your club may want to consider applying to, along with guidance around governance to help you through the lockdown. Speaking of which, check out the Observatory for Sport's breakdown of the Scottish Government's 4 step process and what it means for clubs here. 

 

Funding

Here are some funding opportunities your club may want to consider applying to. As always, if you're looking for support with your fundraising, get in touch.

Baillie Gifford Community Awards Programme

The Baillie Gifford grants programme supports grass roots community organisations across the whole of Scotland. It replaces Foundation Scotland’s Express Grants programme. Priorities for the programme are: children and families, elderly people, education, environment, health, people who are physically disabled, homelessness, women and grass roots sports.

The 2020 deadlines are 24 August & 2 November.

Scotmid - Community Grant

Small, one-off grants are available for the benefit of local communities around Scotmid stores. Activities should focus on one of the following categories: children/education; health (eg. promotion of healthy eating); Fairtrade; homelessness/poverty; arts & culture; environment; elderly; active lifestyles (eg. encouraging exercise/fitness/sport).

 

Our Services

 

Here are some funding opportunities your club may want to consider applying to. As always, if you're looking for support with your fundraising, get in touch about our specialist support.

 

Resources

How strong governance can help you fight the virus

There is no escaping the impact of the coronavirus. Cancellations, suspensions and disruption is now taking place across the whole sector.

With ramifications as yet unknown, the Sport and Recreation Alliance’s Head of Governance, Vijaya Panangipalli takes a look at how strong governance can help your sports club in these uncertain times.

Find the perfect volunteer to keep your club moving

To celebrate Volunteers Week, The Sport and Recreation Alliance has relaunched their Volunteer Opportunity Finder to make it as easy as possible for clubs to connect with a network of people looking to get involved, learn new skills & make a difference to those around them.

Getting your facilities fit for sport

This guidance is primarily intended for owners and operators of sports facilities, however it can be adapted to support other planning based work being undertaken by sports, clubs and community organisations as they plan and prepare for when sport can resume. It is applicable to indoor and outdoor sport and can be either used in whole or in part depending on individual circumstances.

 

News & Ideas

 

Here's a selection of stories from our world and beyond that might give your club some ideas for new activities or programmes.

Scottish Sport To Return From Lockdown – The Guidelines

Sport is on its way back … but still with ‘physical’ distancing as part of activity.

Check out what the Scottish Government's four-stage process means for sports clubs. 

 

Sports Providing Relief for Families, Says Survey

Sport and physical activity have played a key role in helping families come through the Coronavirus lockdown, a survey found this week.

The report by the England and Wales Cricket Board found that 53% of parents surveyed are spending more time doing physical activities with their children than before the lockdown and 61% plan to continue exercising as a family after lockdown ends.

 

Podcasts

We listen to numerous podcasts every month to gain valuable insight and knowledge about trends for sports clubs. Here's a couple you may be interested in. 

Authenticity: an essential component for sport sponsorship

In the latest Sustainability Report podcast, T. Bettina Cornwell explains how sports organisations can seek out partners with similar values, and why the wrong fit – no matter how commercially lucrative – can be disastrous for brand image.

Agenda Item One: Fish and chips on the porch

Our their podcast series, The Pioneers Post, led by Bob Thust of Practical Governance, reads between the lines of the traditional board meeting minutes to explore what’s really going on. In this episode: excuses we make not to invite the people we’re meant to be supporting to join our board.

Club Development Scotland

Supporters Direct Scotland, 118 North Main Street, Carronshore, Falkirk, FK2 8HR

01324 602 640

www.clubdevelopment.scot

Colin Weir

It was with shock and sadness we heard the news of the death of life-long Thistle fan Colin Weir.

 

Colin’s generosity and support of individuals and good causes in his local community as well as his beloved Partick Thistle, here in Maryhill will never be forgotten.

Supporters, and The Club, will be forever grateful and Colin will be woven into the history of the Great Glasgow Alternative.

 

Our condolences are sent to his family and friends at this very sad time.

PTSA – The Jags Trust