Many thanks for a wonderful 2018 that has seen so many positives to the sport of goalball in the UK. Without your support, enthusiasm and commitment to what I believe is one of the best sports in existence this would not be possible. The sport belongs to you and as custodians in the UK we are proud to represent you. As a mark of some of the highlights we have collectively identified 18 highlights of 2018. I am sure you could identify others but it would be fantastic if you could share them. On behalf of us all at Goalball UK, have a wonderful festive season and we wish you happiness and success for 2019.
- Dina Murdie was awarded the British Empire Medal for her services to blind sports.
- We launched a national school’s programme funded by BBC Children in Need to provide more opportunities for children and young people to play our sport competitively.
- We held the inaugural Home Nations competition with the support of York St. John University.
- Great Britain women secured UK Sport Aspiration Funding to support their qualification opportunities to Tokyo 2020.
- Goalball UK launched its new online shop: www.goalballukshop.com.
- Goalball UK achieved the Investors in Customers ‘Silver Award’ to demonstrate our commitment to providing the best service to our members.
- We are proud to welcome three new clubs to our goalball family, Merseyside, Buckinghamshire and Brighton. With many more planned for next year.
- We are really pleased to have recruited 27 new activators and 4 new officials in 2018.
- As a staff team, we continue to grow with a school’s officer, workforce officer and an officer with responsibility to develop the sport in London.
- Our Men’s team represented Great Britain in Poland this year with Dan Roper top scoring.
- We welcomed a new chair, John Grosvenor, uncle to GB talent player Sam Hoskins. John has embraced this and been very active in his new role.
- We held the biggest summer camp in our history with 32 young people attending.
- We are proud to achieve the NSPCC Child Protection Sports Unit award at Advanced level.
- We received support from the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers to develop more opportunities to play in London.
- Sports Aid ‘Backing the Best’ have funded our #FindTheNext campaign that will see us provide a more comprehensive talent pathway to our talented players.
- We have received support from UK Sport who are helping us to develop our international relations with teams abroad and IBSA goalball.
- We started running the first regional tournaments this year and plan for more in 2019.
- For the first time, we have split our novice league into 3 regions.
Please note our offices will be closed from Wednesday 19th December until Thursday 3rd December. Please contact Mark Winder on 0771104956 in case of an emergency.
Merry Christmas,
Mark